Young Adult Fiction: Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet

Not to judge a book by its cover, but I totally judged this book by its cover. I mean, look at it. The eye-catching pink and impossible to ignore blood dripping off of the letters. And then, that first word in the title...somehow I knew that the Beth in Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet was the third March sister in the classic novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Usually I am not big on retellings or reimaginings, but after reading the premise, I knew I had to give this book a try.

The Situation: Ever since their dad published a book with his four daughters as the main focus, the lives of the March sisters has not been the same. By far his most popular book, Little Women tells a fictionalized story of their lives, and there are readers who love it, and plenty who hate it. Many protested the idea of a man writing about girls. Others believe it was exploitive...and included in that number are at least two of his own daughters. There is the attractive and responsible Meg; ambitious and driven Jo; the party girl screw-up Amy, whom every reader of the book loves to hate; and then Beth. Sweet angelic Beth, who dies at the end of her father's book. The controversy surrounding the book drives Mr. March into hiding, and life moves on as well as it can, until life decides to imitate art, and Beth is found dead.

The Problem: It was New Year's Eve, and while Meg is away at Harvard, Beth and Amy attend a friend's annual New Year's Eve party, as Jo stays home, content to work on her writing. But Amy comes back alone, and when Beth is still gone in the morning, she and Jo go out to look for her, only to discover unimaginable tragedy. Now with a murder investigation underway, the three remaining March sisters find themselves once again in the public eye, and due to the chaos of the night, seemingly everyone is a suspect. What becomes clear, is that everyone also has secrets they do not want uncovered by nosy detectives, including the surviving March sisters. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a work of fiction that focuses on the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, from the Louis May Alcott novel Little Women, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. Each chapter is from the point of view of one of the sisters, including Beth, and is either set 'Then,' before Beth's death, or 'Now,' after she has died. Bernet brings the sisters into the modern era by giving them cell phones, social media accounts, email addresses, etc. But she also makes Jo's ambition a little more caustic, and turns Amy into a rebellious teenager who is constantly being suspended from school. The sisters also do not get along as well as they did in the classic novel, but they must work to stick together if they are going to find out what really happened to Beth.

My Verdict: I will first say that it has been years since I have read Alcott's classic novel, but I do remember enjoying it, and can recall enough to know that the sisters in Bernet's novel are very different, but with many similarities. The main similarity is that in both books, *spoiler alert for those who have not read the original* Beth dies. And while the original novel paints a picture of a sisterhood that many would envy, the girls in this book made me glad that I only had a brother. Die hard purists may have a hard time with how the sisters are presented against a modern day backdrop, but if readers can allow themselves to have fun with the premise and get a little lost in the mystery, I think they will enjoy hearing from the different sisters and seeing the drama unfold. 

Favorite Moment: Throughout the book, Beth is often seen as the forgotten sister, or at the very least, the one few are interested in. This is mostly because of the way her father portrayed her in his novel, so it was nice to see the moments when she would stand up herself, assert her own opinion, and go for what she wanted.

Favorite Character: Beth is an easy choice, but I will also pick Meg. She has her flaws and makes more than a few questionable decisions, but she takes her role as the oldest sister seriously and shows up for her family.

Recommended Reading: Naturally, I recommend Alcott's original book, as well as Tiffany D. Jackson's The Weight of Blood, a retelling of Stephen King's Carrie. 

Historical Fiction: The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams

What readers can expect from The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams is a multi-generational tale following a long line of women who each have their own story to tell; however, those stories follow a familiar thread, and a curse passed down though each generation.

The Situation: It is 1995 and if there is one thing Tati knows, it is that Sunday is when her grandmother, Gladys, will come into her daughter Nadia's basement to have her hair done before Sunday church service. The two will trade barbed words and back-handed comments until it is time for Gladys to leave, but Tati still will not be any closer to learning the one truth she has been chasing her entire life. Nadia refuses to tell her daughter anything about her father, and Gladys is keeping her mouth shut too. As Tati begins to dig, she will uncover secrets that go even further back than Gladys' past, and the real reason she left Lands End, Alabama all those years ago.

The Problem: Tati may be understandably desperate to know about the father she never met, but the truth may be worse than disappointing, perhaps even devastating. Every woman in the Dupree family line has had to confront their own history and pain, beginning with an unnamed woman who risked everything for a chance to be free. Evangeline did what she could to help Emma, and was pivotal in helping to bring Jubi into the world. But Jubi's own decisions, and Ruby's mere existence, would be its own tale filled with gossip and secrets whispered from porch to porch among neighbors. With Gladys as the oldest living Dupree woman, it is her decision whether to give up what she knows to her daughter and granddaughter.

Genre, Themes, History: This book is a work of historical fiction that tells the story of seven generations of women. The book opens in 1995, focusing on Gladys, Nadia, and Tati, but goes as far back as 1860 when Emma's mother is captured. Each woman's story is eventually revealed by a third-person narrator, though they are not told in chronological order, and most of the focus is placed on Tati and her desire to find out about her father. And the 'Dupree' in the title refers to Zephaniah Foster Dupree, the man who was master over Evangeline and Emma (and also Emma's father) before the Civil War changed their status as property, and who ended up leaving everything he had to them. 

My Verdict: With the stories of seven women to tell (though eight really), I knew there was going to be a lot of ground to cover, and some of it incredibly painful. And yet, what is found on these pages is somehow heavy, but not burdensome. There are moments that merit more than a grimace or wince, but they are in service to the story of these resilient women. While I did find myself more interested in what Tati was dealing with, each woman's story is necessary and adds to a novel that is both compelling and fascinating. 

Favorite Moment: Jubi makes a decision to not only confront the truth of her actions, but also the man who insisted on removing her from his life, despite their long history together.

Favorite Character: Tati has a tough time of it when it comes to dealing with her mother and grandmother. She has witnessed Nadia and Gladys' caustic behavior towards each other all her life, while also getting nowhere when it comes to information on her father. Her frustration is understandable, as is her stubbornness, and I could not help but cheer her on.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson. 

Nonfiction: 99 Ways to Die by Ashely Alker

The title of Dr. Ashley Alker's book, 99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them, definitely got me interested, and the table of contents looked to be a wide range of ways to die, going from some that come to mind immediately, to those that are not usually top of mind, but no less deadly.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book written by emergency medicine physician Dr. Ashely Alker. Across 13 sections, topics range from infections to heart diseases to brain diseases to sex to poison to crime to warfare, just to name a few. Each section is then further broken down into specific topics, so the section on locomotion goes more into detail regarding cars, planes, and even ATVs. As a doctor in the emergency department, Alker has many personal stories from working in hospitals, but also several anecdotes from her travels around the world. And while there is a lot being discussed, specifically 99 ways a person can die, this still is not all the ways a human being can die, so a reader's personal topic of interest still may not be covered.

My Verdict: Despite the title of the book being very clear about what is in its pages, I was honestly surprised by the sheer amount of information that Alker provides. The book hits the ground running with the first section being on infections, followed by a section of vaccine-preventable diseases. By the time the latter part of the book is reached, and the reader finds themselves learning about death by volcano, so much wisdom has been imparted, not only about survival in general, but also about different causes of death in different countries. And while Alker's stories are often funny, some are heartbreaking, even devastating, but all are shared for the purpose of education and warning.

Favorite Chapter: My favorite section in general was on animals, although it would have been the section on locomotion had there been a chapter about trains. I love trains...

Favorite Quote: "Understandably, patients are nervous about sharing sexual history, but unless the findings are subject to mandatory reporting, your information is protected. Doctors understand sexual emergencies are traumatic for patients, but the last patient put a gun in his pocket and accidentally blew his penis off, so whatever you have cannot shock the emergency department. We've seen it. We've heard it. We are too desensitized and exhausted to have an opinion about it." - from the chapter on Sexually Transmitted Infections: Gonorrhea & Chlamydia. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend John Green's Everything Is Tuberculosis, which is briefly mentioned in Alker's book.

Contemporary Fiction: The Cat Who Saved the Library by Sosuke Natsukawa

Last week's post was all about Sosuke Natsukawa's The Cat Who Saved Books, so it was only natural to follow-up with the sequel, The Cat Who Saved the Library. Readers are reintroduced to the haughty talking tabby cat, who once again needs help on a mysterious and dangerous mission involving books.

The Situation: For 13 year-old Nanami Kosaki, the library is the best place in the world. Not only does she love books and love to read, but the library was once the place she would visit all the time with her dad, who is now often busy working. For Nanami, the library has remained her second home, especially since her chronic asthma makes it difficult to for her to do anything that puts any strain on her body. She is so familiar with the library and the books on its shelves that she notices several books have gone missing. The old librarian insists there is nothing wrong, as the nature of a library is for books to come and go. But Nanami is certain there are books missing, and that a strange man she sometimes sees among the shelves is to blame.

The Problem: When Nanami decides to play detective and follow the strange man, she knows she must be careful because of her asthma. While tracking him through the library, a place she knows almost as well as she knows her own home, she comes across a strange passageway she has never seen before, one in which the rows of shelves seem to go on forever. And when she begins to have a conversation with a talking cat, Nanami knows she is now on an adventure like she could have never imagined. The cat may need help, but he remains dubious if Nanami is up to it, until he sees how determined she is. But the young girl will have to hold onto that determination, as the enemy is powerful, persuasive, manipulative, and determined to make books disappear.

Genre, Themes, History: This book is the second in The Cat Who...Series, and once again involves Tiger the talking tabby cat. While the first book focused on Rintaro, a high school boy who worked at his grandfather's bookshop, this time the reader follows Nanami, an eighth grade girl with fragile health who loves books. Like Rintaro, Nanami believes that books hold power, and is determined to save them. Across four sections, Nanami will follow the talking cat down a strange passageway and encounter a place where books are being taken to ultimately be destroyed. And even though Nanami is only 13, she will have to contemplate the human experience, why books are needed, and even reflect on her own life up to this point.

My Verdict: I was excited to see in what direction this second book in the series was going to go and was pleasantly surprised by the primary setting being moved to a library. While many things are different about this book, including having the focus on young Nanami instead of our previous hero, Rintaro, much has remained the same, including Tiger the talking tabby, and the ultimate goal of saving books. The story is fun while also being serious in the right places, and the questions it asks are important while also not taking away from the fantastic aspects. And Nanami may be smart and determined, but she is also young and therefore understandably confused by several parts of her journey.

Favorite Moment: When it seems a way forward is not possible, Nanami has a crucial conversation with her father that changes everything.

Favorite Character: Nanami is aware of her limitations, but moves forward anyway, understanding that the journey may not be easy, but it will be worth it. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Haruki Murakami's The City and Its Uncertain Walls.

Contemporary Fiction: The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

Coming across this book's sequel in the 'New Releases' section of a bookstore is what eventually led me to today's review. Sosuke Natsukawa's The Cat Who Saved Books is the first of two books in a series (so far) and is about exactly what the title suggests. As a young man prepares to close up and leave his grandfather's bookshop, he is visited by a strange talking cat that presents him with a bizarre mission.

The Situation: The two constants in young Rintaro's life were his grandfather, and his grandfather's secondhand bookshop, Natsuki Books. But now Rintaro's grandfather has passed away, and the young high schooler has begun skipping school, instead focusing on closing up the shop, and moving in with his Aunt who lives out of town. Everything is moving along more or less as expected, until Rintaro hears someone speaking to him from inside of the shop, but no one other than himself is inside, and an orange tabby cat. 

The Problem: The cat, which insists its name is 'Tiger,' says it needs Rintaro's help, but remains somewhat cryptic about the details. Before agreeing to follow Tiger, all Rintaro knows is that there are some books that have been imprisoned, and the cat needs his help setting them free. This initial decision to follow the cat will lead Rintaro on a series of adventures, all involving books. His grandfather always said that books hold tremendous power, and it is this truth that will help propel Rintaro forward through every adventure, no matter how puzzling.

Genre, Themes, History: This book is a work of fiction set mostly in a small bookshop in Japan called Natsuki Books. A young highschooler, Rintaro, has recently lost his grandfather, the man that raised him, and now must close up the shop and prepare to move away. While he was always a slightly awkward kid, he worries how his grief will affect him, or if he is not reacting appropriately to his loss. When the strange talking cat appears, Rintaro is shocked, but adapts quickly, as every adventure involves books, something his grandfather taught him all about. He must face down monsters who abuse books through a series of labyrinths, while also learning about himself.

My Verdict: As a book lover, I was immediately enchanted by the setting of a well-loved secondhand bookshop, though I felt for Rintaro and his loss. The young man's experience with grief is relatable and realistic, as grief affects everyone differently, and Rintaro is no exception. When the talking cat enters the scene, it feels like the perfect moment, while still being strange and exciting. This is an incredibly short read, coming in at less than 200 pages, but the adventures are complex and thought-provoking, and I look forward to reading the second book.

Favorite Moment: The cat is snarky, and a little insulting, but Rintaro is eventually able to converse with him on his level.

Favorite Character: Rintaro's classmate Sayo is cheery and helpful, and genuinely concerned about her fellow student's well-being.

Recommended Reading: I recommend A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami, which is perhaps my favorite book by the beloved Japanese author. 

Contemporary Fiction: The Award by Matthew Pearl

A somewhat short but intimate look into the cutthroat literary world and what happens when ambition collides with desperation and entitlement? Yes, please! That is the premise that sold me on Matthew Pearl's The Award. When a young writer comes into close proximity with someone whose career he has always admired, his life takes one unexpected turn after another.

The Situation: When David and his girlfriend Bonnie begin looking for apartments in Cambridge, Massachusetts, they know the search will be tough, but certainly there have to be better choices than the third floor walk-up with the narrow staircase and steep monthly rent that they are currently viewing. Both David and Bonnie are less than thrilled, until David learns that they will be living above literary legend Silas Hale. Now the apartment is an absolute necessity as David envisions scenes of being invited into Silas' home, maybe even becoming his mentee as the younger writer continues to find his place in the literary world. Bonnie is less than convinced, but she does agree, and the two move in.

The Problem: Living above the Hales becomes a problem for a few reasons. For one, Silas Hale is not exactly the most welcoming neighbor. Not only is his first order of business to bark a command at David regarding the trash bins, but the famed writer is clearly less than interested in aiding David in any way when it comes to his writing. Silas is content to ignore that David and Bonnie even exist in the space above him, until David's debut novel receives an award. When Silas invites him to an annual party, David is thrilled, until he receives unexpected news about the award. From here, things begin to quickly spiral and unravel, proving just how dangerous ambition can be.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a work of fiction set around 2010, and for the most part set in and around the Boston area. David is a 20-something aspiring writer who is doing what a lot of aspiring writers of any age do, which is lament why his time has not come, while it seems that everyone around him is securing agents and selling their books. His meeting with the great Silas Hale disabuses him of any notion of the older man helping him out, and it soon becomes clear that while Silas may be beloved and thought of as a genius, he is also rude, abrasive, and ruthlessly condescending. The author's note contains only one line, which is 'Some of this happened.' This could be related to living above a difficult person; coming into contact with a revered writer who is simply not a nice person; or even the myriad of events that occur as the entire situation falls apart.

My Verdict: I loved the idea for this book and was excited to see in which direction it would go. I loved David's dangerous ambition, Silas' seemingly unchecked toxicity, and the multitude of terrible writing acquaintances between them. David's desire to potentially do whatever it took for him to have his literary moment allowed for some delicious scenes. But it all begins to slowly (and predictably) fall apart somewhere near the middle of the short novel. The twists and turns begin to be tiresome, and the ending only confirms what the reader sadly predicted several chapters before.

Favorite Moment: In the early part of the novel, David admits to an act he committed when applying to graduate school that tells the reader pretty much everything they need to know about him.

Favorite Character: In a book filled with tiresome and self-important authors who cannot even seem to hold a normal conversation with someone, Valentina 'Leni' Maldonado is a refreshing character to have pop up once in awhile.

Recommended Reading: It is hard not to think of R.F. Kuang's Yellowface while reading this book. 

Young Adult Fiction: We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart

The latest novel by YA author E. Lockhart is a stand-alone story, but still in the same universe as her incredibly popular We Were Liars and Family of Liars. While We Fell Apart is its own thing, some characters form the previous two books are referenced, as is the fire that occurred on the island.

The Situation: When Matilda receives a letter from the father she never met, it is her chance to meet the man she has always wondered about. Kingsley Cello is not only her dad, but a world-famous and reclusive artist, whose paintings are worth millions. Matilda's mother has always avoided talking about him, while pursuing her own passions, often moving herself and her daughter to follow the latest plan, and man. But now that Matilda is technically an adult, and her mother is not even in the same country, she is free to decide to fly across the country to meet Kingsley. But while she is not immediately greeted by her father, she does meet her half-brother, a former child-actor, and another young man who only wants her to turn around and go back home.

The Problem: Matilda arrives to a castle in a sort of chaos. Her half-brother Meer is thrilled she is there, but his mother, June, was clearly not aware that Kingsley contacted her and asked her to come. Brock is goofy, but helpful, and Tatum is immediately on his guard, seemingly aware that Matilda's presence could upset whatever living situation they have worked out among themselves. As Matilda gets settled into life at the castle, Kingsley remains mysteriously absent, and there is a truth that is staying hidden and out of sight. She will have to do her digging if she wants answers, because no one is going to offer any.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction book set around the same time as Lockhart's first book, We Were Liars. The fire on Beechwood Island has just happened, and Matilda even gets a chance to visit the wreckage. With a father that has only now reached out to her as she has graduated high school and is about to attend college, and a mother that decided she would rather live away from her daughter than stay with her in California, Matilda is a young woman who is used to people leaving her. She is not sure what to expect from the man that everyone has hailed as a genius and visionary, but it certainly is not a half-brother who is starved for attention; a sort-of step-mother who seems detached, but also controlling; and a young man who knows more than he says, but infuriates Matilda as much as he draws her in. 

My Verdict: Of the three books in the We Were Liars universe, I found this one to be the most engaging, though also frustrating. What Lockhart does well is portray a group of people who are clearly going through something and not handling it very well. They are all nice enough, but there is this facade of being free spirits that only masks their irresponsibility, and also their anxiety over the situation. And as much as I wanted to like Matilda, her lack of tact and observation skills were grating. And I did not quite believe in the chemistry of the romance that later occurs. 

Favorite Moment: When Meer buys a bunch of baby birds (chickens, ducks, etc.), it is a cute moment, but also a telling one. And it is clear that while Meer and Matilda are excited, this new hobby is not going to go the way they had hoped.

Favorite Character: This is one of those books where most of the people are nice, but that does not mean they are likeable. As sweet and kind as most of them are, these are not people I would want to be stuck on an island with.

Recommended Reading: As a follow-up to this book, I recommend The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner.