Category Archives: Literary Fiction

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Posted on August 11, 2023 by bseat

Some books are so evocative that they create feelings that remain long after you read them. As I sit here now in midsummer to write about The Mercies, I feel chilled, cold and shivery. Hargrave is just that good in … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

Posted on August 4, 2023 by bseat

Books can transport us to other worlds and this book by Brendan Slocumb, a classical musician himself, takes us inside the cutthroat world of classical music competitions. Here, it is not only how you play, but how good your instrument … Continue reading →

Posted in An Antiracist Education, Detective novel, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

City On Fire by Don Winslow

Posted on June 9, 2023 by bseat

Why is it that stories about the Mafia or crime families are so compelling? Why were The Godfather, The Sopranos, The Wire or Power such a huge success? I am not sure I have a good answer to those questions, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction, Series, Suspense, Thriller, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

City Of Friends by Joanna Trollope

Posted on May 26, 2023 by bseat

Whenever I want an immersive compelling story about friendship or marriage, I turn to Joanna Trollope. (Yes, she is related to the famous English novelist, Anthony Trollope, who wrote a travel book about his visit to the Untied States during … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley

Posted on May 5, 2023 by bseat

Jane Smiley is a Pulitzer Prize winning author who keeps surprising her readers with the depth and breadth of her writing abilities. In this novel Smiley takes on the murder mystery genre, sets her story in California during the Gold … Continue reading →

Posted in Detective novel, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain

Posted on April 28, 2023 by bseat

What if at 65 years old you decided to share with the world something about yourself that you had kept secret all your life? Would it change your life, or would it completely destroy it? This is the quandary that … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Age Of Vice by Deepti Kapoor

Posted on March 24, 2023 by bseat

I always enjoy reading about other countries and cultures. It open my eyes to other ways of thinking, and helps me understand other points of view. This book is certainly an eye opening look into modern India. From the moment you … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra

Posted on March 10, 2023 by bseat

This was a fascinating and poignant book about the infancy of the movie industry, the plight of immigrants before and during WWII, and what women have had to do in order to succeed in a man’s world. Marra, who wrote one … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger

Posted on February 24, 2023 by bseat

I first encountered Bruce Holsinger when I read his historical thriller series, A Burnable Book and The Invention of Fire. Both books were very well written and I enjoyed them immensely in part, because they were so grounded in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Literary Fiction | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

Posted on November 25, 2022 by bseat

Every year I evaluate the books I read and come up with my top two or three books for the year. I have to confess I was getting a bit worried about what I would put on that list this … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment