It’s been a long time since I’ve done a reading roundup but that hasn’t stopped me from hitting the books. These are some titles I read last month. As always, I encourage you to purchase any books from an independent bookstore, they’re crucial community resources. Thank you Random House for gifting me the books noted with a star. *
The Art Thief
Michael Finkel
This was a delightful, fast paced nonfiction read about Stéphane Breitwieser, one of the most prolific art thieves of all time. It’s a fairly surface level telling and Finkel seems very sympathetic to Breitwieser who I don’t believe is as novel as he espouses. Despite not digging deep, the book was an enjoyable read.
The Mystery Guest*
Nita Prose
“The Mystery Guest” is the sequel to the popular novel “The Maid” that debuted from Prose last year. I hope these two are just the beginning in a long series of wholesome mysteries starring this cast of characters. In the book the neurodivergent protagonist Molly the Maid must help solve a murder in the hotel she works at. It’s a perfect cozy, low-stakes murder mystery for reading in the winter season.
An American Immigrant*
Johanna Rojas Vann
This novel tells the story of a young journalist learning about her Colombian heritage and bonding with the women in her family in the process. The protagonist is a bit naive and the details of her professional writing life are pretty unrealistic, but I enjoyed the story despite those hang ups. As a first generation Latina with an immigrant mother I identified with the search for a cultural connection and rooted for the family to come together.
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?
Crystal Smith Paul
Famous white actress Kitty Karr, popular in the 1950s, passes away at the start of this novel and leaves her fortune to the Black sisters next door. As rumors about the reasoning swirl, the perspective shifts between Kitty in her youth and the sisters and long buried secrets are revealed. This was a great novel. I loved the sections from Kitty’s perspective the most. The modern day sisters weren’t as well developed as characters, but this was an engaging read.
The Ghosts of Eden Park*
Karen Abbott
I read this book a few years back and loved it just as much the second time. In this true crime piece Abbott tells the story of George Remus, one of the largest scale bootleggers during the American prohibition period. It’s a tumultuous tale of love and betrayal, crime, luxury, and revenge with several strong female leads. Although it’s completely nonfiction and the quotes are taken from original sources, it’s written narratively so it’s easy reading.
Happy Hour
Marlowe Granados
Two broke twenty somethings with less than legitimate immigration statuses spend a summer in New York scrounging for money and working the party circuit for free drinks and amusements. There isn’t much plot to this book but it certainly delivers a strong feeling. It took me a while to warm up to this book, I felt like the protagonist found herself far more intellectual and interesting than she actually is, but I ended up really enjoying it. It’s well written and produces a powerful portrait of early 20s life.