August Reading List

I’ve been a big Darynda Jones fan since around 2011 or 2012 when her first couple books came out. Those were in the Charley Davidson series, a paranormal romance series that follows a young woman who is “a part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper”. Shortly beforehand, I’d binged “Dead Like Me” with my husband and I think that’s what first led me to Jones: I was intrigued by another quirky grim reaper story. Long story short, I’ve been a fan of hers ever since and have read nearly everything she’s published. She has a goofy sense of humor but also can write a solid mystery in a way that keeps you guessing until the end. Reading her work is what actually inspired me to write the 4 cozy mysteries I did in my Northwoods Barista Mystery Series (one and two are self-published on Amazon; the third is finished and waiting for me to do something with it, and the fourth is a half-finished compilation of dramatic scenes, fishing jokes, and notes about coffee). I realized I could make a young, feisty heroine into someone who not only had a lot of ongoing weaknesses and a dark past, but who also could use those experiences to connect with others in investigations. This particular book is the third in her Sunshine Vicram series, which follows Sheriff Sunshine as she manages her police department in the bizarre, accident-prone fictional town of Del Sol, New Mexico. The first two in this series are “A Bad Day for Sunshine” and “A Good Day for Chardonnay”; if you’re into romance, quirky characters, New Mexico, coffee anthropomorphism or any and all of the above, I recommend anything from this author.

This last book was another one I’ve read for my post-treatment Young Survival Coalition book club. The previous month, we’d read “Between Two Kingdoms”, which is an absolutely amazing memoir by Suleika Jaouad. This book by Jen Rozenbaum intrigued me with the blunt title, which is purposeful, I’m sure. The group had voted on this one, and I didn’t know what it would be like. It is more of a self-help book, as opposed to Between Two Kingdoms, which is a memoir. I realized that I’m not a fan of the self-help style, though I believe this is actually the first self-help book I’ve read all the way through, so it might take more getting used to. I think narratives just pull me so much more than when I’m being talked down to, so to speak, as I feel in the self-help format. That being said, I did glean some fascinating bits from this book, mainly in the parts about emotional regulation and handling trauma. I unfortunately missed the first virtual discussion because it was the first week of school for my kids and me and total chaos for all of us; fortunately, they have a second meet-up planned in September.