Welcome to Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately on the 15th of the month. Or, in this case, on the 17th. (Thanks for your grace on that. It’s been a demanding month, in ways I didn’t expect.)
I spent the holidays and the early days of 2024 reading exactly what I wanted to! That looked like dipping into several books I’ve been meaning to read for ages, plus some newer releases that caught my eye and that I wanted to read immediately. The majority of my recent reads are 2023 releases, but I also enjoyed a 2016 novel and a 1967 essay collection.
I also spent many satisfying reading hours with Spring Book Preview and—would you believe it?—potential 2024 Summer Reading Guide titles! I’m thrilled to share what I imagine will come as no surprise: there are lots of good books coming your way in 2024!
I hope you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR on this list (and in these comments), and I look forward to browsing your recent reads below. Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us here!
Welcome to January Quick Lit
The Nix
I've checked Hill's debut out of the library a few times over the years—and returned it un-read—but finally got around to it after reading and enjoying his sophomore novel Wellness this fall. The Nix is similarly long (at 640 pages) and sweeping in scope, spanning decades and unfurling the life stories of several generations of one midwest family. The story begins in 2011, when Samuel Andresen-Anderson suddenly finds himself embroiled in professional scandal, and almost simultaneously discovers his long-absent mother, who left the family when he was a child, is headline news for throwing rocks at a presidential candidate. We go on to examine the long road that led to her decision to leave the family, her childhood, even the family's roots back in Norway, where the myth of the Nix—a spirit that follows you for life—originated. I'm glad I finally read this but this blend of family saga and satire didn't work as well for me here as it did in Wellness. Heads up for multiple content warnings that are not evident from the publisher's description. More info →
Oranges
Our MMD Book Club community manager and nonfiction lover Ginger raved about this slim nonfiction collection after finding it in Jim Mustich’s 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die. I've been intending to read it ever since—and so when I stumbled upon it recently in a Little Free Library, it felt like it was meant to be. McPhee discusses the fruit's rich history and vital importance in the realms of climate, geography, economics, and nutrition, current at the time of his writing, although this collection was first published in 1967 and sometimes feels like a bit of a time capsule. I'm a big fan of his work— Draft No. 4 is my favorite—and reading his focused take on a singularly interesting fruit was a sweet winter treat. More info →
Dayswork: A Novel
This fall release was a last-minute entry for my best books of 2023. It's a weird, genre-bending little book, co-written by a husband and wife writing team, about a husband and wife trapped at home with their children in the early days of the pandemic while the wife researches Herman Melville. They discuss the historical tidbits she digs up, Moby Dick commentary from other writers, the troubles with Zoom school, and their own relationship and the pressures creativity sometimes puts on it. The overall effect is not like anything I've read before: it's a slice-of-life story, a book about books, literary criticism and history all rolled into one, with more besides. Tone-wise, it most reminds me of Susan Conley's Landslide. Strange and fascinating, with paragraphs and factoids I couldn't resist occasionally reading aloud to anyone in the vicinity. More info →
One Woman Show: A Novel
WSIRN guest and literary agent Elisabeth Weed recommended this book, which she called a good example of a title "has a thimble full of weird. Coulson worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for 25 years, where one of her last jobs was writing the 75-word wall labels for the museum's new British galleries. She imagined a novel in that form, and this life story of Kitty Whitaker is the result: a sly and stylish novel told solely through museum wall labels about a 20th-century woman who transforms herself over the course of her lifetime. This short novel could easily be read in one sitting, and is an excellent pick for structure nerds or art and design fans. More info →
Loved and Missed
This slim British novel packs a big punch and is sure to be on my best-of-the-year list. In this first-person family drama, we meet a grandmother who raises her granddaughter from infancy because her daughter, who's been struggling with addiction for nearly a decade, is unable to do so. The story is brutal and tender, gorgeously written, and surprisingly funny for a book that required multiple tissues. I appreciated that the prose, while never plodding or needlessly complex, did invite a close reading: I am inclined to be a fast reader, but I consciously slowed down so I didn't miss anything. While the story is set roughly in the present day—just before the dawn of the iPhone—it has an old-fashioned feel to it; if I didn't know better I might have guessed it was a Persephone title. Heads up for multiple content warnings, some of which are evident from the plot description but some took me by surprise. More info →
The House of Doors
In his Booker-longlisted novel, Malaysian writer Eng imagines how British novelist W. Somerset Maugham came to write his short story "The Letter," which was hugely popular in its time (largely because it was adapted into a widely-seen play and then a film starring Bette Davis). Maugham, who was vastly more successful in his day than I had realized, was known to mine real life for material, particularly the relationships of his friends and acquaintances. Eng focuses here on Maugham's visit to Penang in 1921 to visit an old British friend and his wife. Shortly upon his arrival, he learns he's lost his life savings to a bad investment, and must quickly write another novel to fund his much-desired further travels. With a novelist's ear for scandal, he quickly suspects the wife has stories to tell that he can then re-tell on the page: of her loveless marriage, her relationship with a Chinese revolutionary, and especially of her friend who will soon stand trial for murder. You don't need to be familiar with Maugham's work to enjoy this lush historical look at colonial Malaysia and the disrupting influence of a famous writer on the hunt for material—but you'll likely want to read "The Letter" because of it. More info →
Two Women Walk into a Bar
This new Cheryl Strayed mini-memoir just came out on January 1. It's a 31-page snapshot of her complex relationship with her mother-in-law, a woman she very much wanted to be close to—but their relationship was never quite what she had hoped for or dreamed of. At a key moment in their history together, Strayed reflects back on the ill-fated moment they first met in a bar, before they were officially connected by marriage. Twenty years later, in the present day, her mother-in-law is entering hospice care and working out her "unfinished business." I've never read Wild, would you believe it? But I loved Tiny Beautiful Things and, given the opportunity, was happy to re-enter Strayed's world on the page for this short story-length reflection. More info →
What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
65 comments
I’ve never heard of a mini-memoir before, but Two Women Walk Into a Bar sounds interesting! I also really like the cover on that one.
Here’s what I’ve been reading: https://readeatrepeat.net/2024/01/15/books-in-progress-what-ive-been-reading-lately-january-2024/
January’s book roundup includes a variety of genres and two 5 star reads to kick off the year that I can’t wait to share with you!
https://neverenoughnovels.com/2024/01/15/january-2024-mini-book-reviews/
The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction has been a favorite nonfiction friend for years. I’m enjoying yet another re-read – here’s my review and YOUR invitation to my 3 session online Book Club!
https://lindastoll.substack.com/p/porch-125-the-listening-life-book
Thanks for sharing that Cheryl Strayed has a new book. I didn’t know!
Here are my favorite 10 books I read last year. So many good ones!
https://lisanotes.com/my-top-10-favorite-books-of-2023/
Thanks for the great fiction recommendations! I shared my favorite fiction, nonfiction, and my beloved rereads in a year end post:
https://michelemorin.net/2023/12/31/favorite-books-2023-the-best-and-brightest-from-my-reading-year/
I need to put the Cheryl Strayed book on my TBR. I actually have a quote from her printed on my January calendar. My reads were heavy on the non fiction https://myviewofthehoneypot.blogspot.com/2024/01/booking-it-2024-january.html
Among other books I’m reading I am highly enjoying “What I saw and how I lied”. (such a great title!)
And I know everyone talks about it but the audio book of “The Rachel Incident” is an experience I will never forget.
I loved “What I Saw and How I Lied!”
I’ve got a recommendation from my running partner, an incredible survival story, and a picture book I got to edit years ago in manuscript form.
https://carolinestarrrose.com/quick-lit-what-ive-been-reading-lately-32/
My daughter and I live on opposite coasts so we decided to start our own book club this year. Our goal is to get to the big books (over 500 pages) we have found intimidating!! We started with Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr and I have 50 pages left. What an experience! I still haven’t decided if I love it or hate it, but I know it will be a book that sits with me for a long time. Can’t wait to talk about it in book club!😉
Tracy, this sounds like me at my daughter! We are also on opposite coasts, and we have been doing at least one book together a year, usually a classic that is a little daunting. This year we are slowly working through Don Quixote, and my husband has joined us too. Last year was Moby Dick, so I just downloaded Dayswork from the library.
Anyway I am a big fan of cross-country mother-daughter book clubs.
I have just finished a Hoopla nonfiction e-book, Jonathan Shay’s “Odysseus in America” and have started a new Hoopla nonfiction e=book, James Robenault’s “The Harding Case: love and espionage during the Great War,” which is interesting. In hardcover, I have almost finished the novel “The Violin Conspiracy.”
I’m currently reading and enjoying Joan Is Okay. Im also trying to grow my ability to focus on audio books so I’m listening to Before The Coffee Gets Cold and enjoying it so much!!
I read Before The Coffee Gets Cold in November and absolutely loved it! I ordered the entire collection to read this year. 🙂
Some fascinating choices this month! I’d love to check out Strayed’s memoir. Here’s what I’ve been reading: https://www.mindjoggle.com/december-2023-book-reviews/
I have read so many good books this month/year and we’re only two weeks into January! A few favorites so far are The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey, The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, and I just finished Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun. I am also currently reading One Woman Show as it was a staff pick at my hometown’s indie bookstore when I was visiting for the holidays. Shout out to Blacksburg Books in Blacksburg, VA.
I hope you have read Ivey’s The Snow Child. It is a hard book to convince people to read. The premise is strange. But I loved the book.
I loved both To the Bright Edge of the World and The Snow Child! They are both great winter books. It sounds like Ivey has another Alaska-set novel coming out next year – I’m excited.
Anything by John McPhee is amazing non-fiction. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Annals of the Former World, the scope of which will blow your mind and make you suddenly fascinated by geology. Everything he’s written is wonderful, and worth reading. He narrates a few of his books as audiobooks.
I’ve never been able to get through The Nix, but will probably give Wellness a try.
I did a lot of re-reads in December, but got through a few new ones:
http://www.allthebooksihaventread.com/blog-1/2024/1/12/show-us-your-books-january-2024
My December reading is A LOT of rereading of the same Christmas-y books I read every December (I’m a creature of habit) but a few delightful new to me books too! December Reading Recap
Demon Copperhead and I just can’t put it down, completely worthy of all the hype
That was my last book of 2023/first book of 2024 and I totally agree.
I had one of the best reading months I’ve had in a while!
https://cocoonofbooks.blogspot.com/2024/01/what-ive-been-reading-lately-quick-lit.html
I listened to The Rachel Incident and absolutely loved it! I hope my 2024 reading hasn’t peaked too early!
I added three!!! to my Kindle! Thanks Anne. I just finished The Frozen River and I’m not over it yet. Loved that book!
Just finished last night. Really loved it.
It was the perfect Winter read for our 3 day Texas cold spell!
Anne, please don’t beat yourself up about being late. It’s truly impressive that this was the first time!
This month I have *devoured* the Letters of Enchantment duology by Rebecca Ross (Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows). It was such a sweet love story, nothing like I’ve read in a long time. I was so hooked by the story I read the second book in just over a day – while homeschooling and staying at home with my 4 young children! A book in a day never happens anymore, not even an almost book. Sorry kids for kinda ignoring you that day…
I’ve also been reading the Noodle Shop mysteries that you recommended on the blog not too long ago. They’re fun!
I read The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary and loved it!
The kids and I did a read aloud of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and it was a good time. The ending almost brought me to tears.
I’m currently in the middle of The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton and Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley.
Current main read: This Must Be the Place, my first Maggie O’Farrell
Audiobook: Kindle Original Alison Bechdel’s Dykes to Watch Out For is a hoot and a half. Even if you didn’t come out in the early 90s and look forward to new strips in your local free weekly newspaper whenever they showed up, the full cast featuring Jane Lynch and Carrie Brownstien is fantastic. Highly recommend.
Insomnia Kindle read: The Hurting Kind by Ada Limon
Long term bedside table read: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
So far in January I have LOVED:
The Frozen River, The Girl from Provence by Helen Fripp, and The Boys of My Youth by Jo Ann Beard. I also read the new short story by Cheryl Strayed. A great start to my reading year so far!
My favorite this month so far is Absolution by Alice McDermott. I’ve always enjoyed her books, but this one feels like a step up for her. I review it in my blog, http://livingonlifeslabyrinth.com/2024/01/11/book-report-absolution-by-alice-mcdermott/
I just added several titles from your list to my TBR. Happy reading.
Absolution was one of my five star reads in December!
I’m reading West With Giraffes by Lynn Rutledge. It’s historical fiction based on a real event – the story of two young giraffes who survive a hurricane being transported across the country to the San Diego Zoo in 1938. I have a feeling tissues will be needed by the end!
I haven’t heard many people mention this one, but somehow I happened upon it a couple years ago, and it’s just delightful!
I read West With Giraffes not long after it was first available at the local library. I loved it! And it’s odd you don’t hear much about it.
I love these books Ann! Lots of good ones I will add to my TBR. I have watched the Bette Davis movie and am especially intrigued with that one. You can never go wrong with Booker Prize books. Also had never heard of the book referencing Moby Dick. Very interesting.
I finished December reading The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka for my local library book club. That was honestly a toughy. I had started it once before when it first came out and DNFd it. So although I was glad to get the chance to finish it, it was sheer torture at times for various reasons. A good discussion book for our group, sadly because at our ages, many of us have had loved ones or known people who suffered with dementia.
I just finished The Frozen River last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. That is book one for me for my 2024 Reading Challenge. The perfect book for a cold wintry day.
Also reading Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi for book club. I always love it when they choose a book I truly want to read. I am going backwards, having read Transcendent Kingdom first. So excited to finally read her debut. I have always heard good things about it.
Also reading Evidence of Love by John Bloom & Jim Atkinson. I read it ages ago, but after the recent resurgence of the Candy Montgomery story, I decided to request the title to my library. For whatever reason they no longer carried it. It is definitely a fascinating case.
Oops, I called Anne “Ann.” I apologize.
Funnily, I always get an “e” added to mine.
Meant to say, I bought One Woman Show for my daughter for Christmas. I thought it was such an interesting premise.
She lives on the campus of an art museum, so I thought it would be right up her alley.
Just finished The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club), it was really fun and sad in spots….all the feels. I just started The Secret Book of Flora Lea and am intrigued!
As usual, my TBR and library holds lists have been lengthened by Quick Lit. Thanks Anne!
I just finished those two books also. You’re my book twin! 🙂
Love that, Cindy! I don’t think I’ve ever had a reading twin! Unfortunately, Flora Lea didn’t live up to my expectations. I liked the structure and the obvious allusions to earlier novels, but the actual story kinda fell apart for me. I do want to go visit The Perch, it sounds like a great place to stop for lunch or a drink.
I’ve read a lot of good books in January already. Top three would probably be
1. “The Rosie project” and “The Rosie Effect” by Graeme Simsion
2. “I’d tell you I love you, but then I’d have to kill you” by Ally Carter
3. “The Library of Lost Things” by Laura Taylor Namey
Here’s what I read in 2023: https://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2023/12/what-i-read-in-2023.html
And the first six books of 2024: https://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2024/01/reading-update.html
I just ordered a copy of Oranges from a used book site and a Dayswork sample from Amazon. Thanks for making me aware of these. And because I have seen so much about it, I am getting The Rachel Incident for my library.
A favorite book I read this month is The Last Year of the War
I’ve never read any Cheryl Strayed, but that one definitely sounds interesting. (I also have a contentious relationship with my MIL, but we didn’t meet in a bar 😉 Dayswork sounds like it would be up my alley, too. I’m holding off on doing my quick lit until the end of the month, but here are my favorites from 2023: https://forthejoyofbooks.com/favorite-books-of-2023/
Wow, are you my reading twin or WHAT? I LOVED Duchess Goldblatt, it was fascinating, I looked up her Twitter account, I started following her on Instagram (altho she doesn’t post much) and I just loved her tweets. I hope to print some out and put them up in my office. And Ordinary Grace?? One of my absolute favorites! And I want to congratulate you on starting the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency! I didn’t really “get it” (where was the serious detecting?) until I listened to it on audio. I URGE you to listen to it if you haven’t already. You pick up the pace of life listening to their voices (and also how to pronounce names!). And Also they made a series out of it a few years back that was excellent. I wish they had continued it.
As to your Honorable Mentions, I loved 8 Perfect Murders, Tom Lake (yes, I have been meaning to see a performance of Our Town, too! I did read it, but I think you must have to see it. I want to see Paul Newman’s version) And Lucy By the Sea. So good, and yes, you are right–it’s the perfect book to describe the pandemic.
I finally made my goal of 100 books last year but when I looked back at my books it wasn’t a great reading year. I think I was too focused on my goal. I did make smaller goals that definitely made it more interesting and I will continue to do this year,which were graphic novels and audiobooks.
So far this year my reads have been, A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss, Wanderers by Chuck Wendig, Tom Lake by Ann Patchett and Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey. All very different but I enjoyed Meet Me in Another Life the most as it went in a totally new direction in the last half.
Always enjoy seeing what everyone else picks up during the month. Cheers!
I listened to the audio of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah Maas. I had heard good mentions of this as a YA Fantasy hit. It was unputdownable and I like the strong female lead. Not sure if I should continue with the series? Any recommendations?
I vote for continuing with the series. The second book was even better (in my opinion).
Thanks, Cynthia! Appreciate the guidance. My audio TBR is maxing out with so many good recommendations from this site.
My December reading wrap up…
https://readingladies.com/2023/12/30/december-2023-reading-wrap-up-decemberreadingwrapup-booktwitter-bookworm-amreading-bookblogger/
I picked up The Postcard by Anne Berest on your recommendation, and I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am that you made that recommendation. It was phenomenal. Thank you. I keep telling everyone I know about it because it’s so good. Thank you!!
Love hearing what you’re reading. My reading taste isn’t as sophisticated as yours (and I’m fine with that). All these books sound way too heavy or literary for me! 🙂
So glad you were able to read what you want!
I haven’t been reading much lately. Not a slump so much as having my attention elsewhere. But I just put four of these on my TBR. They look great!
Not too many books over the last 30 days as I spent a large portion of it reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which was well worth the time!
The Advent of Glory, R.C. Sproul | 4/5
Love Came Down at Christmas, Sinclair B. Ferguson | 5/5
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith | 5/5
Christmas Days, Jeanette Winterson | 2.5/5
Check out our website for tiny reviews and story summaries:
https://theshoreystories.com
The two books I’ve enjoyed the most so far in 2024 were Pineapple Street and Iona Iversen’s Rules for Communting.
I’m listening to Tan Twang Eng’s In the Garden of Mists right now. I had never even heard of him until a friend recommended this book. I’m about halfway through and liking it enough that I’ve already put The House of Doors on my TBR.
I’m also reading Starter Villain and it is SO FUN! You definitely don’t have to be a cat lover to enjoy this book, but I think it’s extra fun if you are.
I re-read Circe (my third reading) over the weekend, and it just keeps getting better and better! Definitely one of my all-time favorite books. I was so sad to read that Madeline Miller has long-Covid, which is slowing down the writing of her book about Persephone.
In my “What I’ve Been Reading Lately” post, I shared not only my latest reads but also the reading challenges I participated in last year: I read around the world; I sought out Nordic literature; and I read diverse authors and genres. It made for a very varied and rewarding year of reading.
https://avikinginla.com/2024/01/what-ive-been-reading-lately-reading-challenges-update-december-2023/
For the last month I’ve read:
Shark Heart–5 stars. Weird masterpiece.
Everybody in My Family Has Killed Someone–4 stars
Pet–(not horror, like Stephen King! but a thriller involving a 6th grade class. But it’s not YA.) 4 stars
James Herriot’s Animal Stories—10 STARS! He’s the best.
Murder Most Royal—The Queen Investigates series. Not as good as the first 2. I had to give it 3.5.
The Mystery of Henri Pick—A translation from French. Just didn’t do it for me. Too choppy. Didn’t get involved. 3 stars
The Last Devil to Die—(Thursday Murder Club #4) 5 stars! Excellent!
The Mystery Guest—2.5 stars. A sad sequel to The Maid. Was very disappointed in it. Will not be continuing the series.
The River We Remember—5 Stars! Another triumph! Loved it. So well set up. Such an ending!
No Two Persons—-2.5 stars. This book didn’t live up to it’s premise. In what way did the book they all read change their lives?? I’m still waiting to find out—
Suzy, I agree about The Thursday Murder Club. It’s one of the few series I’ve read that just keeps getting better!
Also, I couldn’t get through The Maid. Not sure why there’s so much hype.
I was curious about the Strayed mini-memoir. I really enjoyed Wild, but Tiny Beautiful Things wasn’t for me. At 30ish pages, I can give it a look.
My post includes 12 books I’ve read since November’s Quick Lit. My dad got sick in December and died so my life has been turned upside down. I’m still trying to find a new rhythm. One of the books on my list had a quote that was so profound while I was sitting next to my dad in the hospital. Right book, right time.
My list includes historical fiction, memoir, mystery, nonfiction, fiction, middle-grade, and a young adult recommended many times on WSIRN.
https://www.sincerelystacie.com/2024/01/quick-lit-january-2024-edition/
Whoops the book that had the profound quote was in a different post. The book was Just Once by Karen Kingsbury and it’s in the post:
https://www.sincerelystacie.com/2024/01/book-review-just-once-by-karen-kingsbury/
After enjoying Wellness, I think I really ought to pick up The Nix… here’s what I’ve been reading lately! https://www.instagram.com/p/C1ssVbPPxrf/?igsh=MThuMWczYnZ0d2kyOQ==
I just finished Horse by Geraldine Brooks. Her prose is so lyrical and the parallel storylines work well together. Living in Lexington myself, I was constantly looking up tidbits about the story of this famous horse and the story surrounding him. Definitely a great read!