What I'm Reading: Before I Go to Sleep

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson is on many year-end best lists.  Not only is it a well received novel in the press, among the BPL staff it was a favorite too.  Just about everyone on staff has read it, and we have yet to have someone dislike it.  And the interesting thing about it is, we all have a different reason for liking it.  Which just goes to prove one of my 10 Rules of Basic RA Service: "Everyone reads a different version of the same book."

I believe that Before I Go To Sleep is so popular for two key reasons.  First, it is a classic psychological suspense thriller which moves quickly but is also extremely thought provoking.  Second, it manages to be chilling, suspenseful, and compelling with little to no sex or violence.  It is simply an engrossing story which uses its narrative (not sex and violence) to keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat.  As a result, it is a great choice for a wide range of readers.

I have talked about the power of good psychological suspense in the past; in fact, if you click here you can read my dirty little secret about psychological suspense (hint is has to do with where it ranks in my heart next to horror). 

For the uninitiated though, here is a quick primer on psychological suspense. The term refers to books which put an uneasy atmosphere at the forefront, producing a chill in the reader; however, as opposed to horror, the fear and anxiety comes from very real sources because  the monsters in psychological suspense are flesh and blood individuals who are frighteningly real, not speculative. These are books filled with serial killers, stalkers, and evil masterminds. They play with the psyches of their victims and the reader. Tension in these novels builds, the atmosphere is nightmarish, the chills do not let up, and the plot resolutions are disturbing and unclear. These are fairly literary novels filled with darkness, plot twists, and obsession.

Okay now let me move to the details of Before I Go to Sleep.

Christine is a middle aged woman who has a condition which causes her to wake up every single morning without knowing who she is.  Her memory is blank before her 20s.  She must start fresh each day.  Her husband, Ben, is there to help her restart each morning, but as our book begins, it appears that Christine has been meeting secretly with a doctor who has asked her to keep a journal.  He calls her each morning to remind her to read it.  There is just one problem.  The very first page of the book says "DON'T TRUST BEN!"

The book takes place entirely from Christine's point of view.  We, the reader, only know what she knows, but we also know her knowledge is shaky at best.  We read through her journal with her.  Along with her, we also become increasingly uneasy, anxious, and paranoid.  Who should we trust (we being the reader and Christine)?

In fact, this is what Watson does most brilliantly.  His writing dissolves the line between the reader and Christine.  It is hard to believe this is the British scientist's first novel.  As a reader, it is as if the story is happening to you.  And things are going from bad to worse very quickly.  Or are they?  Is Christine correct in her paranoia or is it all part of her condition? This drives the suspense. 

Beyond the chills and a plot that starts to spiral out of control, Before I Go to Sleep is an extremely thought provoking and philosophical novel. When I could tear myself away from the book's action and stop compulsively turning the pages late into the night, I found myself thinking about how one lives a life with Christine's condition.  What does it mean to live if you begin each day with a blank slate?  What is identity?

Finally, the best thing about Before I Go to Sleep is the ending.  Well, let me back up a bit.  The pages leading up to the ending are a little too neat, but the final lines are perfect.  Everything is resolved for the reader, but it is the end of the day.  Christine will go to sleep.  What will happen the next morning when she awakes?  That answer is up to the reader.

Three Words That Describe This Book: disturbing, engrossing, psychological

Readalikes:  In July, Alice LaPlante released Turn of Mind, which is very similar to Before I Go to Sleep.  Here is the summary from NoveList:

Implicated in the murder of her best friend, Jennifer White, a brilliant retired surgeon with dementia, struggles with fractured memories of their complex relationship and wonders if she actually committed the crime.

There are also a few other psychological suspense novels where people are held against their will (with or without their knowledge).  Room by Emma Donoghue is an excellent example here. Also Still Missing by Chevy Stevens.  In fact, Stevens is a great example of a newer voice in the psychological suspense arena, although I should note that her books are more explicit.

A few other titles which remind me of Before I Go to Sleep in terms of the intense psychological strain which is inflicted upon the protagonist and, as a result, the reader, are Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane and The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.

Readers who like the very best of what psychological suspense has to offer, click here to see every post where I talk about psychological suspense and/or review a book which fits in that category.

As I recently said here:

Some of my favorite recent psychological suspense novels include, Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon, and  by Alden Bell.  All of the links here go back to reviews I have written about each novel.  For more on their specific appeal, click on the titles.

I also created this tri-fold brochure on the genre for the BPL.  It has many other suggestions although admittedly, it is due for an update.

Tomorrow, I will have a very special Christmas Eve post and then nothing until 12/27.

Wanted: Your Favorite Book Blogs

I am working on an article for NoveList entitled "Blogs You Might Have Missed."

I have been compiling lists for awhile now, but I thought I might ask all of you to share some of your favorites.  For the record, I will not be including any blogs that made this RUSQ article from October 2010 entitled, "A Selection of Core Resources for Readers' Advisory Service"(which means I disqualify my own blog from the article since RA for All is listed there).  These blogs have already had their moment in the sun and I do not considered them "missed."

I would love to hear from you, my readers too.  The great thing about blogs in their interactive nature.  The best blogs not only generate useful content, but they also create conversations between their writers and their readers.  So please join the interactive process of writing this article about interactive resources.

The article is due to the editors the first week of January, but will not be published until the end of February/beginning of March.  I already have plenty of blogs to highlight, but I am sure I have missed some great ones.  So over the holidays, why not comment on this post and leave me your personal choices for "blogs you might have missed."

I will credit all who share a blog with me in the article.

Thanks.

Bestselling Books of 2011

Thanks to the brand new books blog, Page Views, set up by The New York Daily News, I have a completely different look at a "best" list for 2011. From their post:

Nielsen BookScan just posted its list of the bestselling books of 2011 and it’s interesting to note how few new titles made the cut. Out of 20 titles, only eight were hardcovers published this year.

In fiction, “A Dance with Dragons” by George R.R. Martin and “The Litigators” by John Grisham were the only two new books to surface. That means Grisham rules. Martin is a monster on the list, but “Dragons” was the first book to be published in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series since 2005. Fans have been lined up for years. Meanwhile, Grisham puts out a book annually.

In non-fiction, the numbers were better. “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson, “Killing Lincoln” by Bill O’Reilly, “A Stolen Life” by Jaycee Dugard, “Bossypants” by Tina Fey, “The 17 Day Diet” by Mike Moreno and “In the Garden of Beasts” by Erik Larson all made the show . 

Nielsen BookScan covers approximately 75% of retail sales excluding big box stores such as Wal-Mart and Costco.

Click through to see the full list.

If you help leisure readers in the public library, this bestselling data is arguably more important than the other "best lists" since these bestselling titles for 2011 are the ones you were probably asked about the most this year.

Looking at the list I cannot argue.  The Help and anything by George R R Martin or Stieg Larsson were definitely my top requests in fiction this year.  And I know nothing about the top nonfiction book, Heaven Is For Real, except that I got asked to place a hold on it at least 100 times this year.  But the fact of the matter is I knew the title because it was so popular.

Often with bestsellers, all we need to know is the title to help patrons. When someone came in asking for these books (many times without the correct title, and only with a vague description), I was ready for them because I was aware of their popularity.

So as you continue to read more best lists in the coming days (including my own), remember, as you work with readers, knowing the bestselling titles is just as important, actually, I would say more important, than being aware of the critics favorites.

Finally, I do want to publicly thank The New York Daily News for adding book coverage.  As many papers drop their book coverage, it is nice to see a major news outlet adding it.

I hope to pop back in today (or at the very latest tomorrow) with my review of Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson.  Still to come before the end of the year, a brief BPL book discussion report on Killer Angels and reviews of I'm Half Sick of Shadows (on Christmas Eve), Mr. Fox, The Leftovers, and In the Garden of Beasts.

What I'm Reading: The Known World

It is time for the year end barrage of reviews before I unveil my list of the 10 best books I read this year. Here is a book you all already know is going to appear on that list since I proclaimed it the best pre-2011 book I read this year, here.  Yes I am talking about The Known World by Edward P. Jones.

I need to start this review by first saying that I was guilted into reading this book by some friends/patrons who could not believe I had never read it.  I had always meant to, but never got around to it.  Then our fearless leader Kathy walked up and also expressed her shock that I had never read this book.  All three of them agreed that it was one of the best books they ever read.

Well, I am very grateful that they shamed me into finally getting around to it.

This book is a benchmark example of historical fiction at its best.  Jones took a little known fact of history-- that there were black slave owners-- and created a completely fictional story about the life of one such black slave owner, Henry Townsend.

The novel begins with Henry's death but then goes on to tell Henry's life story and the story of those around him.  Time is fluid in this novel, as is the narration.  The reader gets a bird's eye view of the life of a black slave owner, his parents (who as freed blacks are disapproving), his wife, his slaves, the white man who is his mentor, and many other people in his "Known World."

It is this wide cast of characters and their unique experiences, thoughts, and actions which are the center of this novel.  The plot is known from page one-- Henry, a black slave owner dies.  It is how Henry got to his final days and the stories of the people around him both before, during, and after this event that IS the novel.

I mentioned that time is fluid here.  That is an aspect that readers will either love or hate.  I liked how I heard about characters throughout their lives.  We even get to know what happened to many of them up to their dying day. I got to see them interact with a wide variety of characters.  This unique, unstructured style added a mythic quality to this story.

Speaking of the story.  The premise itself, a peek into an unknown part of history, was very appealing.  Just reading about the structure of a society in which black plantation owners bought and sold other black people was both fascinating and horrifying.  Jones was able to introduce extremely complex characters who eschewed any attempt the reader may have had to pigeon-hole them.  Everyone, white, black, or mixed, was "real."  They had things about them that could be labeled "good" and things that made you cringe.  There was no attempt by Jones to create heroes and villains, just an honest, well researched look into a complicated world.  Some people got what they deserved (good or bad) and others did not.  It was just like real life.  This was not a nostalgic look into a quaint past.

The detached omniscient narration added to the mythic quality of the story too.  These people, although not real, represent actual people who did live a similar life.  The ability of an all-knowing narrator who can see into the past, present, and future of the story and its characters added to the overall feeling that this was an epic tale of an adolescent America. As a former American Studies major, I loved this.

There were some absolutely beautiful and lyrical scenes in this novel.  Descriptions of a slave brushing his female master's hair, Henry's father's internal struggles with his son's life choices, and the Sherriff's story were all memorable to me.

The overall tone of the book can best be described as haunting, heart-breaking, but ultimately uplifting. I cannot stress enough how fluid the style is.  This makes the book leisurely paced, but engrossing.  It is multi-layered both in plot and style.  You cannot finish this book without taking a fresh, long look at everything you ever learned about American history.

As a final note, I want to mention that I listened to The Known World.  The fluidity of the story lent itself well to audio.  It moves easily between people and time in a manner that felt as if someone was telling me an epic story.  The beautiful language, multiple overlapping plot lines, and wide cast of characters washed over me.  The narrator used different voices to denote different characters, but in a very natural way.  I never felt like he was trying to create voices, the voices were just who the character was to me. From a personal standpoint, listening to this complex and layered book was wonderful.

Three "Words" That Describe This Book:  lyrical, new view of history, fluid

Readalikes: If you are looking for other novels which take a different look at the history of slavery in America I would suggest the following books.

• Sally Hemmings by Barbara Chase Riboud is the fictionalized life of the black mother of Thomas Jefferson's children.  Like The Known World it is fiction but uses historical information to add to its authenticity.  It also shows a variety of points of view in this morally ambiguous true story.
• Beloved by Toni Morrison is lyrical and fluid like The Known World and looks at another side of the consequences of slavery.  In this case, the psychological effects of being enslaved.
• Kindred by Octavia Butler takes a modern African American woman and has her time-travel back to slave times to see what it was really like.  Reading about it and living it are two completely different experiences.
• The March by E.L. Doctorow tells the story of Union General Sherman's victorious march to the sea.  Like The Known World we see a wide picture of the people of the South during the slavery era, not just the stereotypes of Southern whites=bad, blacks=good.  Both novels have a multi-layered plot with a huge cast of characters and shifting narrations.

Although there are no slavery issues, The Known World also reminded me of Away by Amy Bloom.  Here is my full review on Away where you can see why.

Although Jones' characters are all fictional, and even the county in which he set his novel is made up, there really were black slave owners.  Use this link to read about some books which look at this issue at length.  Please be aware that they are a bit scientific and dry to read, but they are very well researched and informative.

Also, don't forget that after reading a prize winning book many readers want to try more that have won that same award.  So here is a link to all of the Pulitzer Prize winners in the "Fiction" category.  But specifically, a recent winner, Tinkers by Paul Harding, is an excellent choice.  Here a man recounts his life story as he lays dying.  Like The Known World, Tinkers uses time very loosely and incorporates the lives of many people in its story.

Look for more reviews in the coming days as I finish up my year of reading.

Best Book Covers and Titles

Are you sick of the talk of all of the best books yet?  Well Book Page has the antidote.

Click here for their 25 best book covers and click here for their 25 best book titles.

More On the Genre vs Literature Debate

Back in September, I wrote about the trend of literary fiction writers exploring genre fiction.  Click here to read my post and see the link to an essay on the topic.

Last week, in the PW blog Genreville, there was a link to this essay in SF Signal.  It is a letter from genre to literature from author Daniel Abrahams.

It is both a fun and thought provoking letter.

Trending: Rural Noir [including a bonus Take 10]

Brian W, wrote a very original and interesting paper about an emerging genre, which he is calling "Rural Noir." From Brian's paper with his permission:

“Rural noir” is a somewhat difficult genre to define precisely. I have also seen it referred to as “Appalachian noir,” but I opted for the more general name because the settings of these books vary; not all of them are set in Appalachia, although a few are. These books tell dark and gritty stories, often involving crime and violence, about characters in rural settings and desperate circumstances. The characters are generally either working-class or impoverished, and their environment is typically characterized by all-consuming destitution, immorality and violence. There is a high degree of variation with respect to storyline and pacing; these books can be fast-paced and suspenseful, or they can be more deliberate with a greater emphasis on description; or, perhaps most likely, they can exist in a middle ground incorporating both suspenseful storytelling and character-based deliberation.

In contrast to the bleakness in tone and plot, the prose style of these novels is often beautifully descriptive and lyrical. Indeed, I believe it is this very contrast that lies at the heart of the genre’s appeal. These authors imbue their desolate rural settings and morally bankrupt characters with grace and poignancy simply by virtue of their delicate, intricate language. This is why the target audience for these books represents a crossover between readers of literary fiction and readers of tough crime fiction or noir. These books do not necessarily conform to the conventions of traditional “noir”—for instance, they are rarely mysteries or detective stories—but the noir label is appropriate because of the books’ intensely bleak worldviews and focus on criminal activity.

Despite the harshness, these books often contain a central character who endeavors to escape his or her bleak environment, or at least gain some measure of justice or peace within it. Here, emphasis is often placed on vengeance or survival tactics. These struggles—sometimes tied to coming-of-age stories—introduce an element of hope, the possibility that the protagonist can survive the trials of his or her dismal surroundings and emerge with dignity and future intact.

 Brian goes on to talk about the ten books he chose to compile into a book talk.  His goal was for these ten books to serve as an introduction to the genre.  Again in  Brian's words:

Rural noir is a relatively new genre that has been gaining traction very recently. Eight of the ten books on this booklist were published between 2005 and 2011; three of those (Once Upon a River, The Devil All the Time, and Crimes in Southern Indiana) were all released within the past six months. The other two (Dogs of God and A Single Shot) came out in the ‘90s, and can be considered precursors to the current proliferation of the genre, although they are both considered excellent examples of rural noir. The currency of this genre is one reason why librarians and patrons could both benefit from a spotlighting of rural noir, especially considering that none of these books are major bestsellers or widely read despite the genre’s increasingly hip standing

I was both impressed and intrigued by Brian's paper and wanted to make sure you were all aware of this big trend.  I would also like to thank him for letting me share it with all of you.  From Winter's Bone the book AND movie to the popularity of the the TV show Justified, Rural Noir is definitely an emerging genre which needs to be on your radar.


So here is Brian's ten book list of Rural Noir with appeal based annotations.


Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell (2006) 
Set in a tough Ozarks community where seemingly everyone has criminal ties to the meth trade, this novel follows teenage girl Ree Dolly as she tries to locate her missing father. The appeal of this book lies in the contrast between Woodrell’s lyrical language and the bleak, harsh realism of the setting and characters, as well as the suspense-generating plot structure. Ree’s resilience and bravery in the face of her hellish circumstances gives the reader a ray of hope .

Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell (2011)

Set in rural Michigan, this novel follows sixteen-year-old Margo Crane as she fends for herself on a perilous river journey in search of her lost mother. The prose is simple, but Campbell emphasizes the details of how Margo survives on her own. Gritty violence is balanced with tender emotion. Fans of Winter’s Bone who enjoyed that book’s strong young heroine, journey structure, and rural grit should seek out this novel.

Serena by Ron Rash (2008)

Set in the North Carolina mountains in 1929, this novel follows a married couple who attempt to start a timber empire, but their greed leads to murder. Beautiful descriptions of the natural Appalachian landscape butt heads with the brutality of the violence committed by the characters, particularly anti-heroine Serena, who has been compared to such evil women of literature as Lady Macbeth.

Dogs of God by Pinckney Benedict (1994)
Set in rural West Virginia, this thriller revolves around a backwoods drug lord named Tannhauser, a young boxer named Goody, and the grotesque lowlifes they encounter. Benedict etches these characters through multiple points of view, and lays on the Appalachian atmosphere thickly. 

Rain Gods by James Lee Burke (2009)

Hackberry Holland, the new sheriff of a small Texas border town, investigates the murder of nine prostitutes and finds himself in a cat-and-mouse game with a preacher turned serial killer. The prose is lyrical and thoughtful but the book has the pacing of a thriller, and the tone is gritty and dark. It is also character-centered, with psychology of both the sheriff and the killer.

The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock (2011)

Set in rural Ohio and West Virginia, this novel follows a group of violent characters from the 1940s through the 1960s. The style is blunt and plain, the story is engrossing, and the numerous characters are well-drawn and memorable despite the book’s brevity; Pollock treats even the worst of them with empathy and compassion. At the center of the book is another coming-of-age protagonist fighting to escape (or at least find justice in) this bleak landscape.

Go With Me by Castle Freeman (2008)

In Vermont hill country, a young woman named Lillian is menaced by local villain Blackway, and enlists the help of an old mill proprietor and his Greek Chorus-like companions to fight back. The book is suspenseful and gritty, but also has a playful sense of humor that is not usually present in these books.

A Single Shot by Matthew F. Jones (1996)

Set in an unnamed mountain town, this novel follows John Moon, a poacher who accidentally shoots a teenage girl and pockets the $100,000 he finds on her; it turns out the girl was linked to a couple of criminals, who come looking for the money. This book may be the most intense and frightening on this list.  It has detailed descriptions and the protagonist is complex.

Crimes in Southern Indiana  by Frank Bill (2011)

A short story collection set in southern Indiana (as the title indicates). Each gritty story focuses on violent men struggling to find solutions to the messes of their lives. The tone is despairing and bleak; the desperate, blue-collar characters are complex; the style is terse and hard-boiled. Some of the characters recur in different stories.

No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy (2005)

Set in the Southwest, McCarthy’s novel—the inspiration for the Oscar-winning film by the Coen brothers—follows Texan man Llewellyn Moss as he steals a stash of money and heroin he finds on a dead man. A local sheriff and a psychotic hired killer enter the mix as McCarthy meditates on violence and the nature of good and evil. Gritty, lyrical, stylistically complex.

Monday Discussion: What I Have Learned About My Reading Tatses This Year

Before we get to today's Monday Discussion, I want to recap the favorite books of 2011 that people shared last week.  All have a 2011 copyright:

• Swamplandia by Karen Russell
• State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (2 votes)
• A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano
• The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly
• Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore
• Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2 votes)
• The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
• E-mergency by Tom Lichtenheld
• Bone Dog by Eric Rohman
• The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen
• Deadline by Mira Grant
• Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
• Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
• Never a Gentleman by Eileen Dreyer
• Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer
• The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
• We the Animals by Justin Torres 
• Sockology by Brenna Maloney

What I love about this list is the range of titles you can find here. There are kids books, nonfiction, literary fiction, romance, crafting books.  Just about something for everyone.  You can use this link to see all the wonderful comments by everyone who shared their best books of 2011.

Now on to today's discussion.  I have been compiling my personal list of the best books I read this year, and in the process, I figured out a few new things about myself and my personal reading tastes.


For example, this year I learned that I love to read travel guides.  Click here to read my full review and reasoning, but it was a pleasant surprise to find that there is a who new type of book for me to enjoy.

It reminded me that even people like me who are extremely self aware of what we like to read and why, can be surprised by something new.  We should all keep our minds and options open to new types of books, new authors, new genres, and new formats.

When we, the professionals, keep our options open, it is easier to counsel our patrons to do the same.  How can we expect them to try something new if we won't do it ourselves.

So in that spirit, think back on your last year of reading.  What new authors, genres, formats, or themes emerged as new likes for you this year?

Click here to follow past Monday Discussions.

Also a programming note: due to the fact that the government, post office, and libraries are all observing Monday 12/26 as the day off for Christmas, the library will be closed and I will not be working.  The Monday Discussion will make a rare Tuesday appearance on 12/27.

Take 10: Steampunk

Remember back in October when I wrote this "Trending" post about Steampunk?  Well, one of my students was listening.

New to RA for All or just don't know what steampunk is?  Click here first and then come back to continue.

Jason said that this post made him realized that many of his favorite books fit into the steampunk aesthetic and he decided to explore it further in a book talk by creating this annotated list of steampunk novels.

Click here to access his Prezi presentation which includes the annotations and explore this popular subgenre of science fiction for yourself.

Take 10: Fiction for Foodies

Last night marked the end of another semester of warping the minds of-- oh wait, I mean teaching-- future readers advisors at Dominican as the students presented their final projects.  The bad news for me is that I will be frantically grading terms papers and presentations over the next 2 days.

But, the good news for you, the readers of this blog is that these students did a lot of great work and I will spend the next few days sharing it with all of you.

Back when I started RA for All in August of 2007, I was motivated by two factors. First, I wanted to way to promote the great work we Readers Advisors do to help readers each and every day.  But, second, I had been so impressed with the work my RA students were producing that I wanted a way to share it with the wider world.

Nights like last night, prove I have not wasted the last 4 years of my life.  We had so many interesting annotated reading lists and reading maps last night that I am excited, happy, and proud to share them with all of you.

Today I will begin with Brigitte's fabulous annotated list entitled "Fiction for Foodies."  Note that along with her excellent annotations which strike a balance between plot and appeal, she also includes 3 more readalike options for each title.  So you are really getting 40 suggestions in this list of 10 titles.  These titles also appeal to a wide range of readers, and include options in many genres.

Also, please note that any original lists by myself, my co-workers at the BPL or my students get the tag "Take Ten."  You can use this tag to access more great reading lists.  Look back here to RA for All for more in the coming days.

So here is Brigitte's "Fiction for Foodies" list:


Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin
This novel’s protagonist is Angel Tungaraza, a passionate baker living in an international apartment complex in post-genocide Rawanda. Her neighbors come to her for her wisdom, as well as her baked goods. This book may appeal to readers interested in baking, stories with strong female characters, or African Fiction.

Read-Alikes: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rawanda by Rosamond Halsey Carr
The Calligrapher’s Daughter: A Novel by Eugenia Kim


Crescent: a Novel by Diana Abu Jabar
Thirty-nine-year-old Sirene works as a chef in a Lebanese restaurant owned by her overprotective but loving family. Sirene leads a relatively sheltered existence, until she falls in love with one of her customers… a handsome professor of Arabic literature. He, in turn, falls in love with her cooking. This book may appeal to readers interested in stories about Middle Eastern cuisine, family-owned restaurants, or women in Arabic culture.

Read-Alikes: A Map of Home: A Novel by Randa Jarrar
Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea
The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel by Mohja Kahf

Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery
On his death bed, French food critic Pierre Arthens tries to recall the one perfect flavor he tasted in his youth, a memory which he believes has influenced the course of his entire life. This book may appeal to readers interested in food critics and French cuisine, or stories about memories and dying wishes.

Read-Alikes: Food and Culture: A Reader by Carole Counihan
Remembrance of Repasts: Anthropology of Food and Memory by David E. Sutton
We Are What We Ate: 24 Memories of Food by Mark Winegardner

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Because of her supernatural ability to taste the emotions of others in the foods they have cooked, Rose Edelstein gains unwanted insight into the secret feelings of those around her. As a result, she grows up to regard food as a curse and a burden. This book may appeal to readers who enjoy cooking and eating, or readers who enjoy books with a unique premise or gifted characters with special abilities, especially children.

Read-Alikes: The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had To by DC Pierson
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran
Three sisters, Marjan, Layla and Bahar Aminpour, flee the Islamic Revolution in Iran and seek refuge in Ireland, where they open the exotic Babylon Café, drawing curiosity (and in some cases, trepidation) from the locals. This book may appeal to readers interested in the Islamic Revolution, immigration, cultural fusion, and the restaurant business.

Read-Alikes: Chocolat by Joanne Harris
The Hundred Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

The Recipe Club: a Tale of Food and Friendship by Andrea Israel
Lilly and Val have been friends since childhood. They correspond through a series of letters, which include their favorite recipes. Following a long separation, Lilly and Val must decide whether their friendship is salvageable. This book may appeal to readers who enjoy cooking and recipe swaps, or to readers who enjoy books about women’s lives and relationships.

Read-Alikes: A Year on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball
Friendship Bread: A Novel by Darien Gee
The Owl & Moon Café by Jo-Ann Mapson

Roux Morgue by Claire Johnson
San Francisco pastry chef Mary Ryan is excited to begin her new job as an instructor at a prestigious culinary institute. Unfortunately, her first week is soured by the presence of homicide detective O'Connor, investigating a series of strange food-related deaths at the school. This book may appeal to
readers who enjoy books with culinary themes and chef protagonists, or readers who enjoy murder mysteries.

Read-Alikes: A Good Day to Pie by Carol Culver
Death by the Dozen by Jenna McKinlay
Tragic Toppings: A Donut Shop Mystery by Jessica Beck

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
Eight students gather in Lillian's Restaurant every Monday night for cooking class. Each character faces difficulties in his or her own personal life. Lillian teaches them to use cooking as a means of therapeutic escape. This book may appeal to readers with an interest in cooking and restaurant ownership, or readers who enjoy books with an emphasis on human relationships.

Read-Alikes: Georgia’s Kitchen by Jenny Nelson
How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O’Neil
The Love Goddess’ Cooking School by Melissa Senate

The Various Flavors of Coffee by Anthony Capella
In 1896 London, poet Robert Wallis accepts a commission from coffee merchant Samuel Pinker to categorize and describe coffee flavors. He falls in love in the process, with his lovely assistant… Pinker's daughter, Emily. This book will appeal to readers with an interest in coffee, 19th century London, poetry, and romance.

Read-Alikes: The Coffee Trader: A Novel by David Liss
The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee by Stewart Lee Allen
Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Changed Our World by Mark Pengergrast

White Truffles in Winter by N.M. Kelby
This is a historical novel based on the life of legendary French chef Auguste Escoffier. Escoffier was torn between love of his wife, poet Delphine Daffis, and his mistress, actress Sarah Bernhardt. The sensuality of food is discussed against a backdrop of romance. This book will appeal to readers with an interest in French chefs and French cuisine, historical fiction, intrigue and romance.

Read-Alikes: Escoffier: Le Guide Culinaire by Auguste Escoffier
The Paris Wife: A Novel by Paula McLain
Sarah: The Life of Sarah Bernhardt by Robert Gottlieb