The River We Remember

 

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

Mystery

2023

Finished on August 27, 2024

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

In 1958, a small Minnesota town is rocked by the murder of its most powerful citizen, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances in this dazzling standalone novel.

On Memorial Day, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of so many sons in the wars of the past, the half-clothed body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. Investigation of the murder falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past.

Caught up in the torrent of anger that sweeps through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the intrepid publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy, and a crusading female lawyer, all of whom struggle with their own tragic histories and harbor secrets that Quinn’s death threatens to expose.

Both a complex, spellbinding mystery and a masterful portrait of midcentury American life, The River We Remember is an unflinching look at the wounds left by the wars we fight abroad and at home, a moving exploration of the ways in which we seek to heal, and a testament to the enduring power of the stories we tell about the places we call home.

The River We Remember is another lyrical work by best-selling author, William Kent Krueger. I first read one of Krueger's standalone novels (Ordinary Grace) a decade ago, and I thought that was an exceptional story, so I'm always happy to read more of his works. A few years ago, I read This Tender Land, and while that novel failed to impress me as much as Ordinary Grace, The River We Remember is quite splendid. With lyrical prose and fully realized characters, I was immediately drawn in, eager to return to my reading every evening. Krueger's ability to draw vivid settings of time and place is impressive.

He drove away from Inkpaduta Bend, drove the threads of back roads and gravel lanes that knitted the farms and hamlets of Black Earth County together in a loose fabric of commerce and community. It was a lovely summer day, the sky a blue blade that seemed to cut off the rest of the world along a green horizon. Occasionally the approaching rattle of his pickup flushed a pheasant from the tall grass and weeds at the roadside. The flight and cackle of the birds made him think of Myrna and those days when he'd ride with her on horseback down these country roads and the pheasants would fly up at their coming and take to the safety of the tall corn. She'd been born a city girl, but she knew how to sit a horse proud. God, he missed her. 

and

A breeze came through the window screens in Brown's office. On a telephone wire outside, two cardinals sat, a brilliant red male and a drab female, calling to each other with a few lilting notes. Randy Swope, the boy Brown paid to keep the grounds neat, was cutting the front lawn. As the reel of the push mower spun and paused and spun, the rhythmic sound reminded Brody of breathing. To folks in Black Earth County, the seasons were living things, and each had its own peculiar voice and smell and personality. Early summer in Jewel was a season that usually breathed promise.

In addition to the author's well-defined characters and strong sense of place, the sense of foreboding was ever present as the story progressed. I grew increasingly anxious for the safety of two young boys as Krueger's foreshadowing hinted at danger.

And so it was agreed, and the course it would eventually take Scott Madison and Del Wolfe down was set and the sun went on rising and the morning went on around them as if the world either had no idea of the sorrow ahead or did not care.

Ordinary Grace remains my favorite novel by William Kent Krueger, but The River We Remember is a deeply affecting and ultra-satisfying read. I would love to see more of Brody, Charlie, and Scott in another novel. This story would make a great TV series. Highly recommend!

The Golden Couple

 

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Fiction

2022

Narrated by Karissa Vacker & Marin Ireland

Finished on August 21, 2024

Rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.

Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.

When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

The Golden Couple is a compelling tale of many secrets, and not just those of Marissa's. Every character withheld information, causing me to suspect one person before flipping my suspicion to another. The tension is taut, holding my interest from beginning to end. At one point, I was tempted to stay in my parked car, in our garage, to continue listening. I was riveted, eager to learn what lay ahead. 

This was my first encounter with Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, and I look forward to reading more by this duo. It's always nice when I find a new author(s) with a decent backlist. 

Kudos to both audio narrators, as well. I was able to distinguish the voices of each character, and found the male and young child's voices authentic. Marin Ireland is a favorite, but I also enjoyed Karissa Vacker's performance.

Highly recommend, especially if you're in need of a fast-paced read. This would be a great book for a long flight!

I received a complimentary copy from Libro.fm. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ship of Lost Souls - Coming Soon!

 

I'm proud to announce that my husband's latest book is due out on November 5th! 

Ship of Lost Souls, by Rod Scher, is a nonfiction account of the steamship Valencia, which set sail from San Francisco, bound for Seattle, when tragedy struck. In January 1906, the Valencia lost its bearings in a storm and ran aground on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. All but 37 of its 173 passengers and crew perished. 

Ship of Lost Souls: The Tragic Wreck of the Steamship Valencia (ISBN #978-1-4930-8135-6) is available for pre-order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound.org, or your favorite independent bookstore.

Advance Praise for Ship of Lost Souls

“Riveting! A stranger-than-fiction tale that memorializes the Valencia among the great lost steamships of history—and one lost in the most jaw-dropping of ways." —Daniel Stone, national bestselling author of Sinkable: Obsession, The Deep Sea, and The Shipwreck of the Titanic

“A fascinating story of tragedy, terror and drama that has been well researched and passionately told. Hard to put down once you start reading.” —Richard M. Jones, author and historian

In the story of the steamship Valencia, lost off Vancouver Island in 1906, we find some of the same hubris and human error that would lead to the sinking of the Titanic six years later. With scrupulous research and a fine eye for detail, Rod Scher recreates this maritime tragedy in a compelling and highly readable way. —Hugh Brewster, author of Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage: The Titanic's First-Class Passengers and Their World

“A fascinating and highly engaging account of one of the greatest marine tragedies to strike the west coast of North America. Equally impressive is the fact that the author goes out of his way to highlight the important role that the wind and oceanographic conditions played in the tragedy. Had the vessel’s captain taken into account the ship's drift associated with the strong northward-flowing, wind-driven currents known to prevail off the Pacific coast of the US and Canada in winter, the ship might have successfully entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca during the storm and the tragic loss of so many lives would have been averted.” —Richard Thomson, oceanographer; author of Oceanography of the British Columbia Coast

“Scher details the background, key people, decisions, and circumstances that led to the grounding of SS Valencia and the tragically avoidable loss of life. His book reads like an adventure novel, except that it isn't fiction. Like virtually all marine accidents, the loss of Valencia was avoidable. The weakest link in the chain of events was and continues to be the decisions of honest, hard-working, and experienced people. Today's yacht and ship crews need to read this book so they can manage their decisions and successfully avoid disaster.” —CDR. John E. Harrington, USCG (Ret.)

“A completely engrossing saga. I could not put it down! Scher combines insightful historical perspectives along with weaving fascinating information on both the inventions and seafaring conventions of the time. While examining the reasons for this disaster, Scher shows how easy it is after the fact to place blame and second-guess each decision made that leads to tragedies. At turns both fascinating and heartbreaking, Scher’s book is a perfect addition to any sailor’s library.” —Patricia Wood, sailor and author of Lottery (short-listed for the 2008 Orange Broadband Prize for Women’s Fiction in the UK)

“Through meticulous research and exacting detail, Scher builds the story of the SS Valencia and makes it come alive by putting the events and people in historical context. And he doesn’t leave out the human component. He makes you care about both passengers and crew—those who survived and those who didn’t—and reveals both heroes and cowards, leaving it up to the readers to draw their own conclusions.” —Valerie Davisson, author of the Logan McKenna mystery series

For a sneak peek, click here to read the prologue.

Book news, a calendar of upcoming events, and reviews of Rod's previously published books, can be found at rodscher.com.

How to Read a Book

 

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood

Fiction

2024

Finished on August 13, 2024

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

A charming, deeply moving novel about second chances, unlikely friendships, and the life-changing power of sharing stories.

Our Reasons meet us in the morning and whisper to us at night. Mine is an innocent, unsuspecting, eternally sixty-one-year-old woman named Lorraine Daigle…

Violet Powell, a twenty-two-year-old from rural Abbott Falls, Maine, is being released from prison after serving twenty-two months for a drunk-driving crash that killed a local kindergarten teacher. Harriet Larson, a retired English teacher who runs the prison book club, is facing the unsettling prospect of an empty nest. Frank Daigle, a retired machinist, hasn’t yet come to grips with the complications of his marriage to the woman Violet killed.

When the three encounter each other one morning in a bookstore in Portland—Violet to buy the novel she was reading in the prison book club before her release, Harriet to choose the next title for the women who remain, and Frank to dispatch his duties as the store handyman—their lives begin to intersect in transformative ways.

How to Read a Book is an unsparingly honest and profoundly hopeful story about letting go of guilt, seizing second chances, and the power of books to change our lives. With the heart, wit, grace, and depth of understanding that has characterized her work, Monica Wood illuminates the decisions that define a life and the kindnesses that make life worth living.

How to Read a Book had all the ingredients of a saccharine, fluffy novel, but it turned out to be very enjoyable. While somewhat predictable, I came to care about the three main characters, and especially enjoyed Violet's interactions with the African grey parrots for which she became responsible in her new position as a research assistant at a local university. This feel-good story of second chances and new friendships (which brought to mind Elizabeth Berg's Night of Miracles, with its endearing characters) is a perfect summer read. I'm looking forward to reading Wood's previous novel, The One-in-a-Million Boy, which sounds equally delightful.

Bear

 

Bear by Julia Phillips

Fiction

2024

Finished on August 3, 2024

Rating: 3/5 (OK)

Publisher's Blurb:

A mesmerizing novel of two sisters on a Pacific Northwest island whose lives are upended by an unexpected visitor — a tale of family, obsession, and a mysterious creature in the woods, by the celebrated, bestselling author of Disappearing Earth.

They were sisters and they would last past the end of time.

Sam and her sister, Elena, dream of another life. On the island off the coast of Washington where they were born and raised, they and their mother struggle to survive. Sam works long days on the ferry that delivers wealthy mainlanders to their vacation homes while Elena bartends at the local golf club, but even together they can’t earn enough to get by, stirring their frustration about the limits that shape their existence.

Then one night on the boat, Sam spots a bear swimming the dark waters of the channel. Where is it going? What does it want? When the bear turns up by their home, Sam, terrified, is more convinced than ever that it’s time to leave the island. But Elena responds differently to the massive beast. Enchanted by its presence, she throws into doubt the plan to escape and puts their long-held dream in danger.

A story about the bonds of sisterhood and the mysteries of the animals that live among us — and within us — Bear is a propulsive, mythical, rich novel from one of the most acclaimed young writers in America.

When is a bear just a bear? 

The bear, she said. The bear. It lit her days. Just hoping--knowing that she might see it--knowing it was there to be seen.

The bear had come and brought delight. The bear was deep-furred majesty. Without it, Elena didn't know what they'd do. The bear was their one good thing: a specter, a spirit, an extraordinary beast. A visitor from someplace enchanted. A vision of the mysterious world. 

What had the bear done to harm them? Nothing. What threat did is pose? None at all. So why bring in someone to chase it away? There was no reason. The bear was here, briefly and beautifully, teaching them what it was to love living, helping them to make it through. 

As I read the final pages of Julia Phillips' new novel Bear, I wondered if I had missed something critical in the story. Was it Phillips' intention to create a novel of magical realism or was the bear a metaphor for society's attack on the poor and lower class citizens, struggling for survival, living hand-to-mouth?

I listened to a novel almost a decade ago called The Bear (by Claire Cameron), which was both mesmerizing and terrifying. At the center of that tale are two young children and one large bear, the former of whom tugged at my heartstrings, bringing me to tears as I listened to their story, their palpable fear invading my dreams. 

Julia Phillips' strange novel is no comparison. I was drawn to the book after reading some glowing reviews, and the Pacific Northwest setting was an easy sell. I've written about my love of the San Juan Islands here, and I was easily transported to that idyllic location, picturing Samantha behind the concession stand on one of the many ferries that traverse the waters between Anacortes, San Juan, Lopez, and Orcas.

For her last twenty minutes on the boat that day, Sam rode in the open air, letting fine mist wash across her face. Seaplanes hummed overhead.

 She drove home from the harbor with the windows down. The breeze was warm, powdery with pollen, soft with the promise of early summer. Here was another day she'd almost entirely missed, penned through the daylight hours in the fluorescent-lined box on the ferry's top deck, but she'd made it at last into the sunshine. Driving lazily, playing pop on the radio. Trees brushed by on either side. Farm animals watched her pass. When she and Elena moved off-island, they would enjoy, she imagined, mentioning to people the beautiful place in which they'd grown up. The air smelled like cedar and sugar. It was lovely. With every curve in the road, her body relaxed deeper into the driver's seat. She'd gotten the final piece of the day, the sliver of goodness left.

And yet, despite the picturesque setting, the story left me shaking my head, wondering why other readers were so impressed. The characters are thinly drawn, Sam's unhealthy dependency on her older sister grew tiresome (I struggled to believe Sam was 28 when she comes across as an immature, antisocial teenager), and the manner in which Elena interacts with the grizzly is beyond belief. 

As dissatisfied as I was of the plot, I admired the author's beautiful prose, particularly her descriptions of island life.

When the sisters were young, very young, they loved living on San Juan. Summers, the girls would go over to Lime Kiln and pass entire days posted up on the rocky bluffs watching for whales. Spotting them was like catching shooting stars. You couldn't focus on any one spot--you had to let your gaze go wide. Elena was especially good at it. She would jostle Sam's elbow and say, "Humpback." The tourists next to them, outfitted with binoculars, gasped, leaning close to try to learn her secrets. Elena pointed out the pods. Humpbacks, gray whales, minkes, porpoises rolling and leaping in the surf. Gorgeous orcas, with their dorsal fins sharp as blades.

The girls hiked along the coastal cliffs as otters floated below. They went north, to English Camp, where a Coast Salish longhouse once stood, and play pretend among the thick damp ferns. Park rangers waved in their direction. Elena asked where they came from, what they did here, whether they liked it, and they told her the names of their hometowns and the list of their duties and how, yes, they treasured this place. Sam and Elena chased each other down the park's trails. They hooted and squealed. Their world seemed enchanted, a paradise. 

My first inclination was to give Bear a 2/5 (fair) rating, but as I've spent more time thinking about the novel and Phillips' prose, I've decided to nudge it up a notch. In spite of a near DNF, I did become engrossed as the story progressed, eager to learn the outcome. Would I recommend the book? Probably not. But I do highly recommend Claire Cameron's novel, which is based on the tragic story that occurred in 1991 "on Bates Island on Lake Opeongo in Algonquin Park, nearly three thousand square miles of wilderness situated two hundred miles northeast of Toronto." The audio of that book is outstanding!

The Wedding People

 

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Fiction

2024

Narrated by Helen Laser

Finished on August 2, 2024

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help us start anew.

It's a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamt of coming for years―she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she's here without him. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe―which makes it that much more surprising when the women can’t stop confiding in each other.

In turns uproariously, absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach's The Wedding People is a look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined―and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.

I listened to The Wedding People over the course of two weeks and thoroughly enjoyed this new novel by Alison Espach. I've been gravitating toward lighter books this summer and Espach's ticks all the boxes for an entertaining, and at times humorous, tale of a wedding week in Newport, Rhode Island. Helen Laser, whom I initially mistook for Julia Whelan, expertly captures the personality and unique traits of each character, and I'm eager to find more audiobooks with her narration.

Well past the age of bachelorette parties, I wasn't sure if I was the right audience for this book, but I was surprisingly entertained, laughing out loud on more than one occasion. If you're in the mood for a feel-good summer read, look no further. 

I received a complimentary copy from Libro.fm. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Month in Summary - July 2024

Cascade Head

Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon

July 4, 2024

Summer feels so short here on the Oregon coast, and as we flip the page on the calendar, it's hard to imagine that our sunny, warm-ish weather will be gone in just a few more months. I know several of my friends in Texas, Nebraska and on the East Coast are eager for autumn, but I'm still basking in the rain-free, blue skies and would be happy if summer would stretch out until November!

I had a pretty good reading month with several enjoyable novels and only one dud in the bunch. I'm not making a very big dent in my stacks for the Summer Reading Challenge since I found a couple of books at the library that I couldn't pass up. Once I finish those, I plan to focus on the shorter books that I chose for the challenge in order to clear them off my shelf before we head out on our RV trip in September. I'd rather take a couple of big books on that trip since I know I won't have a lot of time to read more than one or two.

Books Read (click on the title for my review):

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (4.5/5)

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain (4/5)

After Annie by Anna Quindlen (4/5)

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes (2/5) 

The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard (4.5/5)

Movies & TV Series:

The Lincoln Lawyer (Season One) - We're now into season two and are enjoying this show. It's lighter than our usual fare, but a nice palate cleanser from some of the darker shows we've watched this year.

Presumed Innocent - Wow! This was so good. Kept me guessing the entire time.

Presumed Innocent - I watched this movie when it first came out (1990), but had forgotten so much, particularly the ending. It's very dated, but fun to see the 80s fashion and hair styles, in addition to comparing it to the new series.

Your Honor (Season One) - Holy smokes! This is one of the best shows I've watched in a long time! The acting is powerful, and the finale to the first season had me shocked in disbelief. Glad I had no idea what was coming.

Hikes:

I've started hiking with a friend and am loving it. The hikes aren't super long, but the elevation gains are challenging and we're looking forward to continuing on a weekly basis (weather permitting!). I shot so many photos on each of the hikes, that I've decided to post separate photo essays for each. Stay tuned!

Cascade Head

Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon

July 4, 2024

Cascade Head

Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon

July 4, 2024

St. Perpetua Trail

Cape Perpetua

Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon

July 14, 2024