Category: Read This Book

When I got into TJR’s books in 2022, everyone told me I needed to do Daisy Jones on audio, so I put myself on the epically long waiting list at my library and I am so glad I did! This is the oral history of the fictitious 1970s rock band The Six, and their collaboration with singer and songwriter Daisy Jones that launched them into stratospheric fame. Although the partnership starts purely as a business decision manipulated by their record label, there’s something magnetic about Daisy Jones and her push and pull relationship with The Six’s lead singer Bully Dunne. But behind the scenes, Daisy is popping pills and losing track of her life while Billy is desperately clinging to his sobriety for the sake of his wife and kids. Told from the point of view of the band members, producers, and various people in their lives years later, this story tries to get at the heart of exactly why a band at the very top suddenly fractured.

Typically, I do not find myself particularly drawn to novels that deal with Hollywood or the music scene, or the lives of the very famous. However, Taylor Jenkins Reid draws me in every time because her writing is so good, her characters so compelling, and the structure of her stories are unique or interesting enough to get me wondering how she’ll pull it off. This book is no exception, and I like that we see these events filtered through the eyes of the characters when they’re older, wiser, and a bit more honest with themselves than they were in the moment. It’s fun and interesting to read how Daisy and how The Six all got their separate starts and the winding path that brought them together. And like most stories told from memory, with lots of different people involved, there are inconsistencies in each telling and differing recollections of how things really happened. Nonetheless, the author trusts the reader to sift through what’s important and get to the heart of the story. It’s a book about faith and hope, how perilous loving someone can be, wanting what you can’t have, and reckoning with achieving your dreams beyond your wildest imagination…and realizing that you’re still you.

I truly do recommend the audio experience, with narration from Jennifer Beals, Judy Greer, Pablo Schreiber, Benjamin Bratt, January LaVoy, and a full cast. It really elevates the experience and make it feel like you’re listening to the characters as though they’re real and not fiction. Bonus: The TV show premieres in March, and sneak peeks look amazing!

Razia Mirza grew up in a working class neighborhood of Corona in Queens during the 1980s and ’90s. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Pakistan, finding community with other Pakistani Muslim families. But Razia chafes against her parents’ traditional values, wanting more choices for her life.

With such a close-knit community, there’s plenty of interpersonal drama. But when the drama comes to her family, Razia loses her best friend as the adults argue amongst themselves and refuse to let the girls remain friends. Razia loves school, but the many families in her community question whether girls need school at all. Back in Pakistan, Razia’s mother never received the education that she wanted, so she becomes determined that Razia receive an education.

Eventually, Razia is accepted into a special high school in Manhattan. There, Razia begins to realize there are ways of living that she never even dreamed of, and she begins to wonder what her future might hold. If she doesn’t follow the traditional life of her parents, what might her life have in store?

Razia’s story is an incredible coming-of-age tale of a queer girl discouraged from even thinking of how her life might be different. But there’s also a deep sense of love that she has for family and community. For years, she tries to find a way to have both her family in her life and be true to who she is and the people she loves.

Author Bushra Rehman performs the audiobook with such heart and deeply felt emotion. I listened to the whole novel in a single day — I just couldn’t stop listening! Razia’s character has so much depth. Roses, in the Mouth of the Lion is just a stunning novel all around.

This is the fascinating double story of a horrific cold case, and how a scientific movement solved it and sent waves through the crime-solving community. Naturally, the book begins with the crime: Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook were young and in love when they decided to run an errand for Jay’s dad by driving to Seattle from Canada. They got a little lost along the way, but they seemed on track to arrive at their destination…but never did. Nearly a week later, their bodies were discovered miles away from each other with their car in yet another location. They’d both been brutally murdered by two different methods.

This case was rigorously investigated and explored, but the problem was that police had no suspects despite having plenty of physical evidence and DNA. And so the case sat for decades until a cold case detective decided to revive it, and was willing to try all sorts of new methods — including forensic genealogy — to try and find his perpetrator. That’s where Humes begins to really dig into the advent of forensic genealogy. He provides an interesting history in how DNA has been used to solve crimes and shows how it applies to this case.

I think this is a book that anyone who is interested in true crime ought to read, not only because Humes does a really great job of exploring the murders of Tanya and Jay, but also for the consideration of DNA and forensic genealogy and how it’s quickly changed the landscape of solving crimes, particularly cold cases. Everyone has likely heard of how this method was first used to crack the Golden State Killer case, but many might not realize that while it took months of research to find that killer using genealogy, finding Jay and Tanya’s murderer only took two hours. Humes provides an interesting and concise history of this methodology, exploring the ethical and legal ramifications, many of which are still playing out today. Forensic genealogy has the potential to do a lot of good, but, as in any crime case that goes to trial, it also has the potential to be picked apart and thrown out of court, and where does that leave the victims and survivors? There are no easy answers, but there can be a certain amount of closure in discovering the truth, even if justice proves to be a bit more elusive.

Carlisle Martin grew up spending the school year with her mother in the midwest and returning to New York City to spend summers with her father, Robert, and his partner, James. As a kid, Carlisle spent as much time as possible in the dance studio, training to be a ballerina like her mother. Carlisle becomes determined to make a life from her art.

The novel splits into two, jumping forward in time to Carlisle at 40, estranged from her father for some unknown reason. She works as a choreographer in Hollywood, creating uninspiring dance numbers. Then she receives a call that will change her life: her father is dying, James says. He doesn’t have long. As we move back and forth between Carlisle’s past and present, we begin to learn more about her family, their history, and how her relationship with her father deteriorated. 

Howrey’s focus on character makes this novel shine. Even when Carlisle is at her most unlikeable, she’s so well drawn, a flawed and complex human being. The characters in this book are so beautiful; you just want them to have honest conversations about their lives. But that’s not how life works for them.

Carlisle grows up during the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s, with a gay dad and stepdad. As a kid, she didn’t really understand what was going on. But the sections of the novel from her perspective add another layer to her understanding of her childhood. By the end of this book, I had tears streaming down my face as I felt deeply for Carlisle and her family. My heart broke for her. I hung on every word until the very last page.

If you love a novel that will rip your heart out only to mend it again, this is the story for you.

Millie is an aspiring comedian, sister and daughter, animal lover, and good friend. When she’s asked to babysit for the first time for her next door neighbors, she’s thrilled. Lolo is the cutest baby ever, and her first babysitting gig couldn’t be easier—the parents put the baby down for the night while Millie hangs out and watches TV until they come home a few hours later. But the next morning, Millie receives the devastating news that baby Lolo died in the middle of the night. Now, nothing in her world is humorous and everything is fragile and wrong. As Millie deals with her grief and guilt, she starts seeing a light—Lolo’s light—and becomes determined to ensure that it never goes out.

This is a such a heartbreaking premise for a book, but it’s all too plausible. Although Millie is in no way at fault for Lolo’s death by SIDS, she feels keenly responsible as one of the last people to look after the baby before her passing. This grief, and the heaviness of dealing with a tragedy that defies comprehension, weighs Millie down in a myriad of ways. With a deft hand, the author shows how Millie’s grief manifests in hyper vigilance over a class project involving hatching chicks and a preoccupation with lightness and darkness. She shows Millie receiving, rejecting, and finally accepting support from many sources: her family, her friends, a teacher, a librarian, and a therapist. Scanlon shows young readers that there are no shortcuts when it comes to feeling grief, but there is light and hope if you’re willing to open yourself up to others and move through it. It’s a lesson that will be invaluable to kids, whether they’ve faced a loss of their own or not, and a lovely reminder for older readers as well.

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He Who Fights with Monsters is an online serial bound into volumes that roughly follow different story arcs. It’s also a LitRPG, a type of fantasy novel where the story centers around a character who is conscious that they have entered into a video game-like world.

Jason Asano is a Japanese Australian 20-something who finds himself sucked into another dimension. Before he realizes it, he wakes up without a stitch of clothing on, interrupting a ritual of human sacrifice. The people he saves take him in and introduce him to the incredible world around him, full of adventurers there to protect the people from the scores of monsters that plague the land.

To survive, Jason must work to gain new abilities and level up to become more powerful so he can take down even stronger monsters. Of course, he also wonders how on earth he ended up in a different world, and will he ever be able to get back home?

Jason is bitter, angry, and sarcastic. He uses humor to mask the difficulties he experienced growing up as a biracial kid whose parents ended their relationship in a messy divorce. What’s worse, his brother married his ex-girlfriend, disregarding Jason’s feelings for her. Now he’s not even sure if he even WANTS to go home. He distracts himself from these big questions by killing monsters and celebrating his victories with his friends. But how long can he ignore the bigger questions about his very existence in this new world when forces beyond his control begin closing in on him?

Before reading He Who Fights with Monsters I didn’t know what to expect from it. I was assigned to listen to the audiobook for a work thing, and I fell head-over-heels in love with this story. There’s the video game aspect, which was nothing like I’d ever heard of before. And Heath Miller’s performance of the audiobook had me mesmerized after just the first 10 minutes.

This type of story is a little different, and I would have never picked it up for myself. But I’m now currently listening to Volume VIII, and I still adore listening to it. The first audiobook is almost 30 hours long, which might seem intimidating, but I still wanted more of Jason’s story, so I went out and bought the next two volumes of the audiobook.

April French is a regular at Frankie’s, a BDSM club in Austin. Everyone knows April: she is the welcome wagon and the person who makes sure things get done and that everyone feels safe.

April is also a trans woman dealing with a lot of self-doubt. She doesn’t really think she deserves a happily-ever-after so she’ll have a string of short sexual relationships, but she is always very protective of her heart. She is very much the type to think that “no expectations, no disappointments” is an acceptable way to live in the world. In the meantime, she’ll be sweet and friendly and likable and never ask for anything, only give.

Dennis Martin is new to Austin. He just moved there from Seattle to take a job as a Chief Technology Officer. He doesn’t really need to work because he made millions and millions of dollars at a start-up. He doesn’t really tell anyone, though. His best friend, Jason, is also an undercover millionaire. Jason lives in Austin and Dennis is staying with him while the contractor he hired finishes his house. Jason is the one who let Dennis know about Frankie’s, a local kink club he frequents.

Yes, this is a BDSM romance but it is unexpectedly tooth-meltingly sweet. BDSM is so often portrayed in books or film as this very serious, intense, painful, activity that people do with each other but in reality, more often than not, it’s full of laughter and jokes and sarcasm. There’s a reason we refer to it as “playing” and the author really gets that.

I was really rooting for these characters the whole way through this book even though there were definite times when they were both being absolute chuckleheads. It’s definitely on my list of must-read romances.

Helen is a magician who was ostracized for making a deal with a devil in order to save someone she loves. She has ten years of her life left before her debt gets called in, which is unfortunate given that Helen loves Edith and wants to build a future with her. When someone very powerful makes an offer to give Helen her life back in exchange for solving a string of serial murders, Helen can’t say no, even if it means jeopardizing everything she’s built.

I loved the voice of this brassy and determined heroine who has bent the rules and isn’t exactly sorry about it, but is still keen on a chance to win back her soul. The Chicago setting is very evocative, and it left me wanting a lot more—from side streets to diners to hotel suites, the scenes are all very vivid and shine with fascinating historical detail. Helen and Edith are careful not to let on about the true nature of their relationship, given the time period, and Edith has a close connection with the Catholic Church, which offers an interesting twist. I also really enjoyed how Polk plays with the idea of predetermination and explores how you spend your days if you know how and when they’ll end, and the lengths people will go to live on their own terms. Despite the fact that Helen has made some extreme choices that not everyone agrees with, she’s very moral and she follows her own code of honor, seeing her cases through to the bitter end. I enjoyed the turns this one took, and the time period and plot reminded me a lot of Passing Strange by Ellen Klages. Definitely pick it up if you was a sapphic, genre bending novella!

When Cassandra Williams was twelve, her brother Wayne disappeared. Wayne’s body was never found, leaving C’s family without closure. But C never stopped looking for her brother. In fact, now as an adult, she keeps seeing him everywhere. On the subway, at restaurants, at the park — she’s haunted by men who look exactly like how she imagines Wayne would look like now. And then one day, one of these men introduces himself. His name is Wayne.

I loved Serpell’s debut novel The Old Drift. Serpell possesses an ability to tell these incredibly captivating stories. So I will read whatever she puts out. When I picked up The Furrows, I didn’t know what to expect. And what I found was an incredibly beautiful story about the depth of grief and loss that one family can experience.

The Furrows follows C as she relives her brother’s accident and disappearance over and over. It seems as if she’s trying to find a scenario where she could somehow save her brother. Instead, she retreads over and over through the furrows of her grief. C’s family dynamics are complex; her white mother clings to the belief that Wayne is still alive, and her Black father is resigned to the idea that he will never see his son again. As their biracial daughter, C feels caught between her divorced parents, constantly made to navigate the complex reality of her family.

Serpell’s writing is stunning. I fell into the story and the characters so quickly. They are all consuming, intricately drawn and compelling. As the story progressed, I didn’t know which parent I agreed with; did I believe that Wayne was dead or was he still out there somewhere? Serpell keeps readers in this sort of stasis. We, like C, feel caught in between, not sure what to believe.

Finch Kelly is a transgender teen in Olympia, Washington and he is obsessed with getting into Georgetown University so that he could be in Washington, D.C. and become the first transgender congressman. Finch’s parents are trying to convince him to stay in Washington state because there is no way they can afford to send him to Georgetown. Finch’s dad doesn’t work and his mom makes very little money as a journalist for a local paper that always seems on the brink of going under.

Finch is shoving the money part out of his mind and is focusing on getting into Georgetown in the first place. He and his friend Jonah are the stars of their high school debate team and Finch sees this as his ticket into the school. He figures if they win the state championship and then the nationals, there’s no way that Georgetown can turn him down.

Finch is also going through a bit of a crisis interpersonally. He isn’t really out as trans to most people. His family knows, his best friend/ex-girlfriend knows, and Jonah, his debate partner, knows. Jonah is cisgender and gay and in the “perfect” relationship with Bailey. Bailey is the star of the school’s theatre department and desperately wants to go to Juilliard. In fact, Bailey got to pick this year’s musical that he is starring in, Perfectly Modern Millie which he’s gender-flipped to be Perfectly Modern Billie.

As I mentioned, Finch is in a bit of a crisis because he’s starting to have squishy feelings for Jonah but at the same time he is very adamant about not being gay himself. So he figures that these feelings must be anxiety and he shoves them down repeatedly. Anyway, he has the national debate championship to worry about. The topic for the national debate championship is: “This House would allow transgender students in public schools to use the bathroom facilities of their choice.”

Just in case you don’t know how high school debate works, in competition, you have to take turns arguing each side. For and against. So, in order to have his best shot at getting into his dream school and dream life, Finch is going to have to argue against his own humanity.

This book was really anxiety-inducing but also cute, funny, and lovely and I highly recommend it.