Up-Lit: Books with kindness at their core
Need a mental boost? Looking for something to raise your spirits? Try Up-Lit, books that center on the power of kindness, compassion, humor, love, friendship, redemption, and healing – all with a healthy dose of realism.
- Adkins, Mary. When You Read This
- Backman, Frederik. A Man Called Ove
- Balasubramanyam, Rajeev. Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss
- Brown, Elenor. The Weird Sisters
- Center, Katherine. How to Walk Away
- Flagg, Fannie. The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion
- George, Nina. The Little French Bistro
- Greer, Andrew Sean. Less
- Haig, Matt. The Midnight Library
- Henry, Emily. Beach Read
- Hogan, Ruth. The Keeper of Lost Things
- Honeyman, Gail. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
- Joyce, Rachel The Music Shop
- Klune, T.J. The House in the Cerulean Sea
- Martin, Madeline. The Last Bookshop in London
- McCall Smith, Alexander. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
- Miller, Louise. The Late Bloomer’s Club
- Murphy, Julie. Dumplin’
- Nunez, Sigrid. The Friend
- Olafsdottir, Audur. Hotel Silence
- O’Leary, Beth. The Flatshare
- Page, Libby. The Lido
- Patrick, Phaedra. The Secrets of Love Story Bridge
- Pearce, A.J. Dear Mrs. Bird
- Pooley, Clare. Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting
- Prior, Hazel. How the Penguins Saved Veronica
- Probst, Jennifer. Our Italian Summer
- Prose, Nita. The Maid
- Rowell, Rainbow. Landline
- Rowley, Steven. The Guncle
- Semple, Maria. Where’d You Go, Bernadette
- Simsion, Graeme. The Rosie Project
- Towles, Amor. A Gentleman in Moscow
- Van Pelt, Shelby. Remarkably Bright Creatures
- Winfrey , Kerry. Very Sincerely Yours
- Woods, Eva. Something Like Happy
Gayle
featuring Kenneth Branagh as private detective Hercule Poirot is expected this fall. The setting is appealing, if a bit menacing, featuring a cruise on Egypt’s Nile River. A rich heiress and her new husband, a mother and daughter, a great aunt and her niece, an author and her son are all featured, along with the renowned Belgian detective and the jilted lover of another passenger. If you enjoy twisty plots with an atmospheric setting and an intensifying pace, this is still a wonderful read, if you can overlook some dated cultural references.
where everyone in Lake Eden, Minnesota drops into The Cookie Jar for a cup of coffee and all the latest news. A much disliked resident of Lake Eden is found by dead by one of Hannah’s sisters, and Hannah has to solve the mystery to clear her sister’s name. Full of tempting recipes, this is the perfect mix of mystery and comfort read.
private detective in London, visits New England and finds his detecting skills needed in opulent Newport, Rhode Island, when a young debutante is found dead on the beach. Charles misses his family dreadfully, and considers leaving his profession, especially after a close call.
plot yet, but I can guarantee that it’s a delight to read. It’s been several years since the last Phryne Fisher historical mystery set in Melbourne, Australia, but this is worth the wait. The popular television series, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, has been filling the gap for many fans of this Jazz Age series.
mystery series, featuring a young newspaper editor in small town Texas whose boss is the ghost of the founding editor. Lexie wonders if her days in town are numbered as she stirs up ill feeling with questions about recent sales of family farms.
breaks at work.
At work I’m also reading Musical Chairs, by Amy Poeppel, a contemporary novel about the founding members of a musical trio. This is a book I’m considering for a future book discussion.
first Agatha Christie mystery, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I haven’t read many of her mysteries featuring Hercule Poirot, and this one is recommended.
Book Talk 