Spring 2020 Favorites at Twice Told Tales

“I adore our former president and I miss him. Yet I cannot help but be ecstatic that Michelle is coming out with a book about her own life so that I can learn more about this powerful, intelligent, and singularly awesome woman. Barack would be the first to say that his wife is a superstar, and I can’t wait to get my hands on Becoming to read about her in her own words.”

“Set in Victorian England, Things in Jars feels like a Sherlock Holmes story, if Holmes had been a woman. You can’t help but love Bridie Devine, a strong-willed, chain-smoking woman who has clawed her way from life as an orphaned thief to a highly sought-after detective often consulted by Scotland Yard. Bridie’s newest case, though, is proving difficult and incredibly strange. Not only will it force her to confront someone from her past who she thought was dead, she’ll also team up with an actual ghost as she solves a fantastical crime. Highly imaginative, Things in Jars is a fun and immersive read.”

“Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll. If you were a concert goer in the 70's or listen to the classic rock station you will love this. It reads or listens like a tell-all documentary. I loved the non-traditional narration, the raw intensity and the imperfect characters. The audio is outstanding and addictive!”

“Absolutely loved this book, I listened to it on Libro.fm. Quirky, entertaining, smart, and funny. I could not put it down. I can not wait to put this book into hands of readers I know will love it as much as I did. Thank you Kevin Wilson for giving the weird and wonderful a voice! And thank you to Marin Ireland for doing an excellent job with the southern accent! ”

“Oona Out of Order is the mind- bending, time travelling story of a young woman, Oona Lockhart, who is turning 19 on New Years Eve, 1982, only to wake up 32 years in the future as a 19 year old in the body of her 51-year old self. Each year, Oona ages one year internally, but in her altered reality, she bounces around from age to age, not knowing what year of her life will come next. At its heart, Oona Out of Order is about the quest to fully know oneself, the enduring power of love, and the lasting bond of family.”

“Scintillating, ethereal, and utterly captivating. And with narration by Jim Dale, who could say no? Morgenstern writes in sparkling prose, slowly weaving tapestries that come together in beautiful, unexpected ways, though when you look back, the stage had been set from the beginning. The Night Circus is a beautiful tale of being open to the magic in the world and choosing your own path through it all. Now if only I knew where the Cirque was making its next stop. Perhaps I'll email the proprietor... ”

“A timely, incredibly important account of the difficulties Farrow faced at NBC while working on the Weinstein expose, which he took to the New Yorker and subsequently won a Pulitzer for. The audiobook is grippingly read by Farrow (though the accents he attempts are... let's go with 'confusing'). It's upsetting, sure, but heartening to see the exhaustive research and the very clearly laid-out account of how Farrow had to work against the very powerful high-profile members of the media establishment--including his own bosses--not only because of Weinstein's well-oiled intimidation machine but also as part of those figures attempting to cover up their own histories of being harassers. Highly recommend this important piece of current events journalism, which reads like a thriller novel.”

“Gladwell's synthesis of famous news clips, infamous moments in history, and a collection of behavioral studies is uncannily fascinating. I found myself at turns nodding along with his points and shaking my head incredulously. While I was reading, I would over-analyze conversations and encounters I had with strangers, and then laugh at myself for being so paranoid. I rose to the enraged defense of the victims of violent crimes he recounted in the book and was horrified to find myself possibly trying to understand with some of the behaviors of the perpetrators. In the end, I'm not sure I agree with everything Gladwell discussed. But then again, I don't think he set out to convince anyone of any particular thing. His goal was to answer what could have happened in the case of Sandra Bland and to peel back the layers to expose human behaviors and assumptions that could have possibly played a role in the incident. This was the first book by Gladwell that I've read and I look forward to exploring more of his work. This audiobook was particularly interesting. Gladwell narrated but integrated interview clips, news sound bites, and actor reenactments throughout the audio. At first jarring and a little worrisome, because I thought I wasn't going to understand the clips due to audio quality, it was an addition that I found myself enjoying and really added depth to the book's thematic goals. I definitely recommend this book! Especially the audiobook version.”

“I love N.K. Jemisin’s books, I love New York City, and I love this book about the soul and personification of New York. The City We Became might just be my favorite book to be published in 2020. This story is filled with tension, humor, and great characters, with a guest appearance near and dear to me. While this book is the beginning of a trilogy, it is completely satisfying as a stand-alone novel. Read it and be happy.”

“Yup... They did it again. The dynamic duo of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkhan have another fabulous hit thriller on their hands. I hope these two fabulous writers never stop writing. Poor Shay - her life is not what she wants it to be. She would be so much happier is she had a challenging, fun job to go to every morning. She also is secretly/subconsciously in love with her roomie. One problem though - roomie is in love with someone else and she is always at their pad. Shay is tired of being the third wheel. Shay witnesses a woman who jumps to her death in the Subway. She begins an exhaustive search to find out as much as she can about the dead woman. She meets the woman's friends at the memorial service and all of a sudden, Shay's life changes in the blink of an eye. In a matter of days, Shay falls in with the popular girls. Before she knows it, she is living in a gorgeous apartment. How did that happen, you ask? You will have to buy the book. That's as far as I can go with this review without releasing some juicy spoilers. I will tell you, however, that there are plenty of twists and turns and I never saw the ending coming. Hats off to the fabulous narrator.”

“When I attempted to write a review for Such a Fun Age, I was at a loss for words. How could I encapsulate how Kiley Reid’s startling debut perfectly captured what it means to be a woman? The societal pressure, the self-doubt, the perseverance, the constant comparison — all of it was perfectly represented through Reid’s two wonderfully flawed and captivating leads. Follow Emira and Alix, two women on seemingly incongruous paths who find themselves searching for purpose and an authentic sense of self. Such a Fun Age tackles complex issues — race, gender, economic status, and the intersection of them all — yet remains accessible. You will not want to put this book down; when you do, you’ll be itching to pick it back up again.”