Do you have a bedside pile of books? I do! It is usually just one small pile, but it seems to have sprouted like crazy of late. I am trying really hard to keep focusing on my night stand pile(s) in order to whittle them down so I can start some of these. There are more than a dozen books here, but maybe a few highlights are in order? I think I do too much book browsing as thinking back on some of these--it is not always obvious what the inspiration was to order some of the books.
Spanish Crossings, John Simmons -- "Spanish Crossings is an epic tale of love, politics and conflict, with the yearning but elusive possibility of redemption." I love a good war story--found this one browsing.
Malice, Keigo Higashino -- "Malice is one of the bestselling―the most acclaimed―novel in Keigo Higashino's series featuring police detective Kyochiro Kaga, one of the most popular creations of the bestselling novelist in Asia." I think I saw this on one of those Book Riot lists that they seem to do so very well!
Psycho, Robert Bloch -- Yes, did you know the movie was based on a book? I guess I knew that but had never went in search of it thinking it must be long out of print. "The story was all too real-indeed this classic was inspired by the real-life story of Ed Gein, a psychotic murderer who led a dual life. Alfred Hitchcock too was captivated, and turned the book into one of the most-loved classic films of all time the year after it was released." I found this copy browsing the bookstore shelves.
The Goddess Chronicle, Natsuo Kirino -- "At the heart of this exquisitely dark tale, Kirino masterfully reimagines the ancient Japanese creation myth of Izanami and Izanaki. A provocative, fantastical saga, The Goddess Chronicle tells a sumptuous story of sex, murder, gods and goddesses, and bittersweet revenge." This has actually been on my wishlist for a long time (and I have read Kirino before and while her stories can be disturbing I like her writing a lot). I love retellings of myths. It was another Book Riot list and then a conversation with another reader that nudged me on this one.
I Found You, Lisa Jewell -- "In the windswept British seaside town of Ridinghouse Bay, single mom Alice Lake finds a man sitting on a beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside. Meanwhile, in a suburb of London, newlywed Lily Monrose grows anxious when her husband fails to return home from work one night. Soon, she receives even worse news: according to the police, the man she married never even existed. Who is the man on the beach? Where is Lily’s missing husband? And what ever happened to the man who made such a lasting and disturbing impression on Gray?" I read one of Jewell's thrillers last year and enjoyed it, so this was an easy sell (and a seaside setting which I love). Another bookstore find.
I'm Just a Person, Tig Notaro -- "One of America’s most original comedic voices delivers a darkly funny, wryly observed, and emotionally raw account of her year of death, cancer, and epiphany." I was watching some of Notaro's stand up comedy and she is hilarious. Her pacing and presentation is absolutely perfect. She is sort of deadpan, which I like and she had me literally crying I was laughing so hard. I knew she had written a book, so I had to get a copy. I will be curious how she approaches such a sobering experience/topic.
The Child in Time, Ian McAwan -- "Stephen Lewis, a successful writer of children's books, is confronted with the unthinkable: his only child, three-year-old Kate, is snatched from him in a supermarket. In one horrifying moment that replays itself over the years that follow, Stephen realizes his daughter is gone." Yes, I saw the film adaptation on PBS recently. I had no idea it was an Ian McEwan novel. I liked the movie and look forward to reading the book now.
What to Do About the Solomons, Bethany Ball -- "From a remarkable new voice, Bethany Ball, comes a transporting debut; a hilarious multigenerational family saga set in Israel, New York, and Los Angeles that explores the secrets and gossip-filled lives of the members of a kibbutz community." I have been looking forward to this one and had to have it now it is in paperback. You may or may not know I just have an interest in Israeli fiction/Middle East fiction or novels set in that part of the world.
The Shadow Year, Hannah Richell -- "1980. On a hot summer's day five friends stumble upon an abandoned cottage hidden deep in the English countryside. Isolated and run-down, it offers a retreat, somewhere they can escape from the world. But as the seasons change, tensions begin to rise... Three decades later, Lila arrives at the remote cottage. Bruised from a tragic accident and with her marriage in crisis, she finds renovating the tumbledown house gives her a renewed sense of purpose. But why did the cottage's previous inhabitants leave their belongings behind? And why can't she shake the feeling that someone is watching her?" Just browsing on The Book Depository site and I love those stories where a crime is committed but it is not until decades later that they are solved.
The Wardrobe Mistress, Patrick McGrath -- "January, 1947. London is in ruins, there's nothing to eat, and it's the coldest winter in living memory. To make matters worse, Charlie Grice, one of the great stage actors of the day, has suddenly died. His widow Joan, the wardrobe mistress, is beside herself with grief. Then one night she discovers Gricey's secret. Plunged into a dark new world, Joan realises that though fascism might hide, it never dies. Her war isn't over after all." This is on the Walter Scott Prize shortlist
The Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves, Rachel Malik -- "One day in 1940 Rene Hargreaves walks out on her family and the city to take a position as a Land Girl at the remote Starlight farm. There she will live with and help lonely farmer Elsie Boston. At first Elsie and Rene are unsure of one another - strangers from different worlds. But over time they each come to depend on the other. They become inseparable. Until the day a visitor from Rene's past arrives and their careful, secluded life is thrown into confusion. Suddenly, all they have built together is threatened. What will they do to protect themselves? And are they prepared for the consequences?" Another Walter Scott Prize shortlist title--I want to read a few of them . . .
Vinegar Girl, Anne Tyler -- "Pulitzer Prize winner and American master Anne Tyler brings us an inspired, witty and irresistible contemporary take on one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies." Another retelling of a Shakespeare play this time. And another book from that Book Riot list and as a result of chatting with another reader!
Theory of Bastards, Audrey Schulman -- "With deft skill and heartbreaking honesty, Audrey Schulman delves into the very nature of her characters. Her newest novel explores the nuances of communication, the implications of unquestioned technological advancement, and the enduring power of love in a way that is essential and urgent in today’s world. This thrilling literary novel will resonate, long after the final page is turned." I am always aware of what titles Europa Editions is publishing as they are one of my favorite small publishers (I think I am nearing filling up a small bookcase with their books!).
I wish I could just sit on my porch with a lemonade with a stack of these next to me and read all day. Now you see why I always am struggling with a far-too-large reading/night stand pile?