Staff Review: What We Both Know

Title/Author: What We Both Know - Fawn Parker

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Feminist, Family Life, Psychological

With Hilary's father succumbing to Alzheimer's, she's tasked with completing the notable author's memoir. A struggling writer herself, Hilary now has a chance to right some wrongs she sees in the manuscript and provide a more honest picture of the secrets at the centre of their family as they relate to her late sister Pauline who carries much of the water in the novel. Hilary's choices carry this smart, quietly powerful novel. My kind of stuff, this.

Reviewed by: David

Staff Review: Delilah Green Doesn't Care

Title/Author: Delilah Green Doesn’t Care - Ashley Herring Blake

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Romantic Comedy, LGBTQ+

Ashley Herring Blake is an almost preternaturally readable author. I first discovered her through her writing for younger readers, and it never mattered whether she was writing middle grade or YA, you cared for her characters, and felt their intensely human joys and follys. And even when her focus was on kids, the adults were still three dimensional. Now, she’s taken a step into writing adult queer romance, and everything I’ve always loved about her writing is there, as well as cute romance and fun spice. 

Delilah Green is back in her home town of Bright Falls, Oregon, for the first time in years to photograph her step-sister Astrid’s wedding. What she doesn’t expect is to begin a forbidden relationship with Claire Sutherland, part of Astrid’s ‘coven’ of best friends who’s known Delilah since childhood. At first, the flirting starts out as a way to annoy Astrid, with whom Delilah shares a rocky relationship, but before long, and without really meaning to, real feelings enter the relationship for both of them.

The first in what will end up being a trilogy about this group of friends, Delilah Green Doesn’t Care is my favourite of the many (many) queer rom-coms I’ve devoured in the last few years, and I can’t wait for book 3 (I may have already gotten to read an ARC for book 2, coming in November, Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail).

Reviewed by: Alex

Staff Review: Crossroads

Title/Author: Crossroads - Jonathan Franzen

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Family Life, Coming of Age

The Franzen haters likely won't be swayed, but Crossroads is a first rate novel. The Hildebrandts are a prototypical midwestern American family coming apart at the seams. Nothing new under the sun, but Franzen is a natural storyteller. Everything rings true, feels urgent and necessary and 500+ pages move very quickly. There's almost a warmth here that was not as evident in previous work, and it's most welcome. This year's fiction offerings are hard to top and this is (for me) at or very near to the top of the heap.

Reviewed by: David

Staff Review: Hamnet

Title/Author: Hamnet (aka Hamnet & Judith) - Maggie O’Farrell

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Historical, Family

I’m not usually one for historical fiction, but a jet engine of a plot, prose that is both restrained and vivid, and an emotional weight makes this a wonderful surprise.

Reviewed by: David

Staff Review: The Winter Wives

Title/Author: The Winter Wives - Linden MacIntyre

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Family Life, Crime

This guy never misses. High testosterone, secrecy between couples and from each other, the two male leads play out on a field laced with ambition and admiration. This is a big book that moves quickly and ends with a bang!

Reviewed by: David

Staff Review: The Topeka School

Title/Author: The Topeka School - Ben Lerner

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Family Life

This is a literary work that, over twenty plus years time, foretells toxic masculinity, political discord and much of where we find ourselves currently. The Topeka School greatly rewards close reading.

Reviewed by: David

Staff Review: Fight Night

Title/Author: Fight Night - Miriam Toews

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Family Life, Black Humour

As delightful as always, Toews creates an insanely intimate peek at the relationships of a multi-generational family (a mother, grandmother & daughter). A touchingly funny and brutally honest take on the modern world, you will leave feeling like a part of their family.

Reviewed by: Shelby

Staff Review: Pachinko

Title/Author: Pachinko - Min Jin Lee

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Historical, Family Drama

This powerful and multi-generational story follows one family’s lineage from an impoverished young mother in Japan-occupied Korea through her & her descendants lives as they learn to traverse a life fueled by racism and poverty. I learned so much!

Reviewed by: Shelby