It Is Book Talk Season, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, Let Us Start With "The New York Times' 100 Most Notable Books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                Girls, not to worry, I will not go through all 100, just those I have read, and what I think might be worth reading.  This could get interesting, so let's get started.

                                  List Books I Have Read--                                                                                                                                   1.

                                    "All The Sinners Bleed," by S.A. Crosby--I read this one early in the year. I loved his previous novel, "Razorblade Tears," and this did not disappoint, as a Black sheriff seeks to catch a serial killer of Black children in a small Southern town.  Suspenseful and exciting.

                                  2.

                                        "The Bee Sting," by Paul Murray--After "Skippy Dies," how could Murray top this?  Well, he almost does with this tale of a struggling Irish working class family, and an ending that will raise the reader's hair and cause one to scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    3.  

                                       "The Fraud," by Zadie Smith--Smith is a mixed bag with me, and I had high hopes for this one as it was set in 18th Century London.  She almost succeeds in what I think she is trying to do--tell the story of a renowned 1790 English trial as a series of sketches, in the manner of Dickens' "The Pickwick Papers."  But it is a near miss.  She hit the mark when she re-did "Howard's End" as "On Beauty," but while readable, "The Fraud" never approaches the brilliance of that earlier work.

                                     4.  

                                     What Zadie Smith failed to do, Ann Napolitano succeeds at.  Following her moving "Dear Edward," is an update of "Little Women" to a present-day Boston working class family, with as much warmth, poignancy and sadness as the beloved Alcott classic. 

                                   5.  

                                        "Pineapple Street," by Jenny Jackson--Another family saga, this time of an upper crust family in present-day Brooklyn Heights.  Before you think "pretentious snobs," darlings, Jackson shows that being rich is not all it is cracked up to be.  I was surprised at first to see it on the list, but it does earn its placement.

                               6.  

                                       "Tom Lake," by Ann Patchett--The title is a place, not a character. Us girls just love our family sagas and theatrical stories.  I also love Ann Patchett who adds another winner to her list of accomplished novels.  Read this one, dears.  Read anything that has Patchett's name on it.

                                7.  

                                     "Yellowface," by Rebecca F. Kuang--Fasten your seat belts, girls, and tuck in those panty girdles, because this literary thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.  It takes an interesting turn at racism, too.  The first novel I read this year that truly satisfied me.

                                      I must apologize, dears.  I thought I would have had eight on the list, but there was one book I could not finish, and I will save that for the end of this post, when I discuss what I am appalled by.

                                         Now, here I go, with more book suggestions for you.

                                          List Books I MUST Read

                                              1.  

"Blackouts," by Justin Torres--Winner of the 2023 National Book Award For Fiction, this historical novel sounds like an undertaking worth its while.   My beloved, David, is also interested in this one, so we will assuredly buy a copy.

                                            2.  

                                         "Bright Young Women," by Jessica Knoll--Girls, I just loved "Luckiest Girl Alive," so this tale of Ted Bundy, his victims and other women connected to him sounds like a perfect fit for me!  And for fans of serial killer historical fiction--because Bundy was real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         3.  

                                          "Crooked Manifesto," by Colson Whitehead--The author's follow-up to his wonderful "Harlem Shuffle," so I cannot wait to get my hands on this.  Ever since "The Underground Railroad," Colson Whitehead has been getting better and better.

                                          4.  

                                            "The Heaven And Earth Grocery Store," by James McBride--Hey, it is James McBride.  Isn't that enough????????????

                                          5.  

                                          "Kantika," by Elizabeth Graver--Historical, romantic and Sephardic, "Kantika seems to have everything going for it.  I can't wait to read this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        6.  

                                      "Lone Women," by Victor Lavalle--I have been aware of Lavalle for quite some time now but have never read him.  This American Western, with a different kind of heroine could make me a fan of his.  I am anxious to find out.

                                           7.  

     "North Woods," by Daniel Mason--Isn't this just the cutest cover ever seen?  Isn't that just a nice big, cuddly kitty?  What would seem a western from the book jacket is actually the historical saga of a Massachusetts family over several generations.  And you know how I love my family sagas, darlings.  Will Lizzie Borden make a cameo appearance?  I hope so!  And how about those Salem Witches??? 

                                              8.  

                                   "The Reformatory," by Tananarive Due --Based on real life events this is the tale of a young Black man sent to a cruel and sadistic reform school in Florida--the kind that Ron De Santis wants to re-open.  This is a story that bears repeating, and so I cannot wait to read this book!!!!!!!!!!!!  

                                            9.   

                                       "Same Bed, Different Dreams," by Ed Park--A cacophony of the mélange of American culture with wit and style, I have heard good things about this one, and am curious to see what kind of writer Ed Park is.

                                        10.  

                                           "Take What You Need," by Idra Novey--Another author I have not heard of, but a mother and her estranged daughter set in rural Appalachia sounds like a good formula for a novel.

Mothers-daughters, and fathers-sons are always locking horns!  Don't I know, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       11. 

                                      "This Other Eden," by Paul Harding--Not to be confused with Paul Murray, this novel is also based on rural events, as castaways form a community of their own on an island called Apple.  But will it be taken away from them?  This was the year's Pulitzer winner, so it more than worth taking a look at.

                                         12.  

                                          "The Unsettled," by Ayana Mathis--I really have to get with it, darlings, because I have yet to read her renowned novel, "The Twelve Tribes Of Hattie."  Here is another historical novel spanning Philadelphia and Alabama, with plenty of political and social unrest in between.  Add it to my TBR list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          13.  

                                          "Victory City," by Salman Rushdie--Hey, it's Salman Rushdie!  Look what the man has been through recently.  It is at least worth a try.  I will save this one for when I feel I need a REAL challenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              14. 

                                            "The Nursery," by Szilvia Molnar--No, she is not related to Ferenc, but I have a feeling this will be the book most all wanted "The Perfect Nanny" to be.  Much psychological probing and character exploration.  I am ready!

                                                15.  

                                             "We Could Be So Good," by Cat Sebastian--This author has written a lot, but I have never heard of her. Still, the potential for an insightful, meaningful gay romance is comforting amidst all the beach side trash.

                                                  There you have it, girls!  All the Notable Books I read, and that worth reading.  Now, to close I will express what I am appalled with.

                                                    Let's start with--

                                            "Wellness," by Nathan Hill--That this book did not make "The New York Times 100 Most Notable Books List" is a DISGRACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                

                                      "Chain-Gang All-Stars," by Nana Kwime Adjei Brenyah--How the hell did this crap make any list?  I could not get past page 60.  Sports talk, prison and street vernacular, and violence masquerading as literature?  This would make my worst books list and was one of two books I could not get through. The other one shall be revealed next.

                                                                                

                                            "Birnam Wood," by Eleanor Catton--Ten years ago, when Catton's novel "The Luminaries" appeared, I was enthralled.  When this came out, I sat down to read it with great expectations.  They were quickly dashed.  Not since Richard Powers' "The Overstory" has a novel disappointed me.  I don't recall where I stopped, but it was not far in.

                                                That's it for today, girls.  Tomorrow we will talk about The NY Times Ten Best Books Of 2023, or Top Five Fiction Picks, as far as I am concerned, versus mine.  I promise there will be quite a difference, and I stand by my selections.  They are better than The New York Times.