Quick Lit January 2022 Archives

Winter Solstice

by Rosamunde Pilcher

In this quiet novel, five individuals, each dealing with their own painful personal tragedy, are unexpectedly brought together during the Christmas season in the Scottish countryside—though they've decided not to celebrate the holiday; it's too painful this year. But redemption is found in surprising places, and in the midst of so much loss, love and redemption emerge. This book was a delightful surprise; I enjoyed it so much.

Chirp

These Precious Days: Essays

by Ann Patchett

In this broad essay collection (beloved by booksellers), Ann Patchett reflects on the writing life, significant friendships, bookstore ownership, and taking mushrooms (really!). I had read earlier versions of some pieces before—and maybe you have, too, because we shared them in Links I Love, but I enjoyed both revisiting those and reading her new work. While I adored peeking into Patchett’s writing life, my favorite essays in this collection center not on her authorial pursuits but on complex family relationships. This should come as no surprise to fans of her fiction: Patchett is decidedly gifted when it comes to stories of significant relationships. Flip right to "The Nightstand" and "Two More Things I Want to Say About My Father" for moving pieces on life’s unexpected turns.

Moonflower Murders

by Anthony Horowitz

From the publisher: "Featuring his famous literary detective Atticus Pund and Susan Ryeland, hero of the worldwide bestseller Magpie Murders, a brilliantly complex literary thriller with echoes of Agatha Christie from New York Times bestselling author Anthony Horowitz. Retired publisher Susan Ryeland is living the good life. She is running a small hotel on a Greek island with her long-term boyfriend Andreas. It should be everything she's always wanted. But is it? She's exhausted with the responsibilities of making everything work on an island where nothing ever does, and truth be told she's beginning to miss London. And then the Trehearnes come to stay. The strange and mysterious story they tell, about an unfortunate murder that took place on the same day and in the same hotel in which their daughter was married—a picturesque inn on the Suffolk coast named Farlingaye Hall—fascinates Susan and piques her editor’s instincts."

The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better

by Will Storr

I enjoy reading the occasional book on the craft of writing. Storr posits that stories make us human: we were evolved to care deeply about what happens to others, and our brains crave to understand the causes and effects of human behavior. (You know what we love most of all, according to Storr? GOSSIP. It's biology; we can't help ourselves.) According to Storr, when we better understand the physiology of stories, we tell better stories. I especially loved his copious examples, which run the gamut from Shakespeare to contemporary bestsellers.

My Contrary Mary (The Lady Janies)

by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows

From the publisher: "Long live the queen: The authors who brought you the New York Times bestselling My Lady Janekick off an all-new historical trilogy with the classy, courtly tale of Mary, Queen of Scots. Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens? Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she’s a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It’s a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail. Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn after the king meets a suspicious end. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis face a viper’s nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary’s secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll. With a royally clever sense of humor, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows continue their campaign to turn history on its head in this YA fantasy that’s perfect for fans of A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue."

Quick Lit January 2022

Winter Solstice

These Precious Days: Essays

Moonflower Murders

The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better

My Contrary Mary (The Lady Janies)

a gateway

to reliable joy this summer

Buckle Up!

summer reading starts May 16th