Twice by Mitch Albom—What if you had a chance to change anything in your life, but only once. If you disgraced yourself, you could say “TWICE” twice and return to whenever you want to the same place and start again. Alfie Logan was one of those people, as was his mother and grandmother. But life wasn’t that easy for him even with his do-overs and when he falls in love with Gianna, he thinks he has finally found contentment. We read about his life through his journal read by a casino security agent. I wouldn’t say it’s Albom’s best book, but the pages will turn quickly. I couldn’t have predicted the ending.
Send For Me by Lauren Fox—Teenage Annelise and her family live in prewar Germany where life is pleasant and their bakery does a good business. Annelise’s biggest problems are the same as any teenager’s, arguments with her mother, finding a boyfriend, working too much at the bakery until little-by-little life starts to change. Customers avoid the bakery, neighbors and friends avoid them and they realize that their home is not safe for Jews anymore. This is not an historical examination of the Holocaust but a deeply personal story of a family just trying to live their lives.
One of the most poignant parts is when Annelise, married and pregnant now, meets a friend for an outing and the friend tearfully confesses that her husband won’t allow her to be seen with Annelise anymore. When it has been made clear that Walter, Annelise’s husband will be arrested, they make plans to leave Germany and hope that her parents can join them later in Milwaukee. We follow them to their new home in Milwaukee where their new life as immigrants aren’t easy.
We read the story from Annelise’s point of view as well as her mother’s as she is waiting to leave for America. We also jump to the present and meet great granddaughter Clare, sorting out her own life as well as her ancestors’. Based on her family’s life, I found Lauren Fox’s novel to be both moving and a good read.
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer—Romantasy is a literary subgenre combining romance and fantasy and this novel is the perfect example. Evie must find a job to take care of her ailing father and 10-year-old sister. When she meets The Villain in the forest as he is being hunted down, somehow, she is hired to become his assistant. And now he becomes totally dependent on this young woman. She even gets used to disentangled heads hanging in the office. And life becomes almost normal, if not for all the fantasies in her head about this Villain. But when she finds a bomb in his office, they must find out who the spy is. This fantasy is filled with dragons and other weird animals, an evil king, lots of magic, a simmering love story and an ending you will not see coming.
If you enjoy this, stick around because the series continues. And it never gets boring.
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer—I couldn’t resist and jumped right into Book Two! The Villain has been kidnapped along with Evie. And when he finds out there’s a possibility that she could be dead, Tristan (yes that’s his name) cannot bear the thought. Of course, she isn’t but she herself has an accomplice which leads to a deep dive into Evie’s family. More magic, more dragons and other strange creatures, more smoldering love scenes. Yes we’re into beach reading. Enjoy…you’ll be sucked in as well.
What Will People Think by Sara Hamdan—We meet Mia, by day fact checker at a magazine and secretly in love with her boss while living with her very involved Palestinian grandparents. By night she becomes a standup comic. Her wish is to keep these two identities separate. But when that doesn’t happen, how does she handle the dichotomy? And when she learns about her family history, her entire perspective changes.
This novel is based I’m sure on at least part of her heritage. It’s not what I expected and it’s the better for it.
It’s time to hit the beach, the pool or under a tree. Bring your book and enjoy our 250th anniversary.
GET LIT WITH LISA 