Second Quarter Standout Reads

It’s been an embarrassment of riches.

While I had more clunkers in the second quarter and even a couple of  minor slumps, as I go back and look at my April-June reading, I can hardly believe the quality of these books and how much I enjoyed them.

There was definitely a bit of a theme- many of these books thoroughly surprised me in one way or the other.  I either enjoyed them much more than expected, or started with lukewarm feelings and ended up gobsmacked by them, or they were books I decided to read on a whim, often after just one recommendation or hearing very little about them.  A good bookish surprise is the best, and several are even better.  A full 5 of these are 5⭐️ reads, meaning I now have more 5⭐️reads in the first half of this year as I did in all of 2024!  So now, in order of read date,  let’s get to these winners!

Woodworking, by Emily St. James

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the story of 3 trans women of different generations in a very conservative part of the country coming together to support one another amidst the 2016 presidential race.  Somehow, while being incredibly empathetic, heartbreaking, and eye-opening, it is not heavy handed.  It’s a story about people wanting to live their lives authentically, and how for some, that means having to give up so much.  It is tender and touching and hysterically funny.  I’m quite sure how St. James managed to pack so many laughs, and so many gut punches, so deftly.  (Note… the audio is absolute perfection.  Highly, highly recommend listening to this one.)

Life Minutes, by Tara Heaton

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A memoir written by a “normal” mom (as in literally, I know her) whose family was suddenly and forever altered when her oldest daughter experienced a health crisis at 12 years old.  This terrifying event and the years long battle that began was only the beginning of the challenges that came their way.  What do you do when you have one child who needs constant care and attention and two other children who are hurting and need you?  How do you maintain a demanding full time job and marriage?  Well, Tara does it with courage, fire, compassion, an incredible group of family and friends, laughter and JOY.  This was heartbreaking, riveting,  hopeful, and inspiring.  It would be a perfect book club selection. Take my word for it and pick this up!

Rabbit Moon, by Jennifer Haigh

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I can’t even remember why I picked this one up.  I went in with few expectations, and truth be told, I wasn’t sure I even liked it for the majority of the first half.  I struggled with the motivations of a couple of the characters and found the plot to be moving a bit too slowly.  But as it continued, the beauty of the writing, the hope among tragedy, and the way Haigh brought together the lives and futures of even the most minor of the characters left me thinking about this book for days after I finished.  The last 20% is some of the finest writing and structural storytelling I’ve read so far this year.

The Death of Us, by Abigail Dean

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I finished this almost 2 months ago, and I’m still thinking about it.  I consider this a genre mash up of crime fiction, psychological drama, and a love story (not a romance).  And while the plot revolves around the trial of a prolific serial killer and rapist arrested years after his final attack, make no mistake- this is a character study.  While it primarily follows one couple, we witness how trauma impacts survivors- all in different ways, and all in ways that make sense. Dean tells this story entirely differently than most authors would, and with great respect and care for every character impacted by this violence, including the victims, the surviving family members of victims, and the detectives.  Go in knowing what this is, and it’s NOT a thriller.  This book will hands down be in my top of the year, and not enough people are reading it.

The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In this lovely epistolary novel, through her letters we meet Sybil, a brilliant woman in her 70’s who is a retired attorney, a mother, a friend, a neighbor, and a dedicated community member. Sybil is blunt and stubborn and particular; she is not always kind.  And she has been through many hard things.  But what we also see as we get to know Sybil, is that it is never too late for new experiences, new relationships, and the pleasant surprises that unexpected changes can bring if we choose to remain open to them.  Even beyond Sybil, this is a book about the lost art of handwritten correspondence and the lasting value and impact of the treasure of a written note- something we can keep and treasure for years.  Prepare to love this book, love Sybil, and to be inspired to pick up and pen and put it to paper.

The Names, by Florence Knapp

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This much hyped debut lived up to the hype for me, but there are caveats.  While this was marketed as a “sliding doors” book, it is also very, very dark. Yes, we do follow Maia and her children along three different realities, all based on the name she chooses to give her newborn son, but be aware; this is primarily a book about domestic violence and the long term impact of trauma that comes from being both abused and from the witness to abuse and degradation.  Knapp handles this brilliantly; it is told honestly and brutally but not exploitatively, and also with hope.  She shows that healing from trauma lasts a lifetime and requires hard work- but it does not have to define you.  Oddly, this was a literal beach read for me, though most certainly wouldn’t describe it as one.  I simply could not put it down.  It would have been 5 stars but for one major issue I had.  To reveal it would be a spoiler, but I’m happy to discuss!  

Bitter Sweet, by Hattie Williams

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Last but not least is the book that most surprised me.  I initially gave it 4.5 stars, but the obsessiveness with which I read this alone bumps it to 5.  I requested a galley of this book, which actually publishes in the 3rd quarter of the year, after hearing Sarah from Sarah’s Bookshelves Live rave about it.  Then, the more I heard about it, the more I expected to hate it.  My literary kryptonite is a female protagonist who is consistently treated poorly and keeps going back for more. Given this is a book about a young woman having an affair with a powerful, married older man, I assumed that’s what this was going to be, but it is so, so much more.  Williams slowly reveals, without melodrama or pity, the trauma that our main character, Charlie has experienced throughout her life.  Charlie is oddly self aware of the poor choices she makes and why, even as she repeats them.  This is one of the most thoughtful, responsible, and honest reflections of the struggles and the treatment of trauma and mental health that I have ever read or seen, and it blew me away.  It is also a beautiful picture of loving, devoted friends and family, and days after finishing, I missed these characters.  Don’t miss this one!  It publishes July 8th.

That’s a wrap on the first half of 2025!  If the rest of this year has as many high quality reads as the first half, we’re in for a treat.  I am grateful every day for the courageous writers willing to share their gifts with the world.  I can’t imagine my life without them.