June 2026 - What are you reading?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

Overwhelmed father of toddler twins loses job and becomes a temporary stay at home dad while he looks for work. Tragic accident occurs and the book explores the characters and repercussions.

Well written but bleak. Some redemption. In good faith, I can’t even pass this book along to other readers I know. Check the trigger warnings before reading.

I felt so glum after reading this. Very well-written, but some parts were so so hard to hold. When I had highly mixed feelings about it. I did end up reconsidering over the next month and then buying the book and am curious to go through a second time one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

Overwhelmed father of toddler twins loses job and becomes a temporary stay at home dad while he looks for work. Tragic accident occurs and the book explores the characters and repercussions.

Well written but bleak. Some redemption. In good faith, I can’t even pass this book along to other readers I know. Check the trigger warnings before reading.

I felt so glum after reading this. Very well-written, but some parts were so so hard to hold. When I had highly mixed feelings about it. I did end up reconsidering over the next month and then buying the book and am curious to go through a second time one day.

I’d be interested to hear what you think if you do reread it someday. I found some parts achingly beautiful and I hope those are what will stick in my memory.

[Anonymous]

I'm reading When the Cranes Fly South right now. Too early to say for sure, but I'm enjoying it so far (~15% in).

Description:
Bo is running out of time. Yet time is one of the few things he’s got left. These days, his quiet existence is broken up only by daily visits from his home care team. Fortunately, he still has his beloved elkhound Sixten to keep him company … though now his son, with whom Bo has had a rocky relationship, insists upon taking the dog away, claiming that Bo has grown too old to properly care for him. The threat of losing Sixten stirs up a whirlwind of emotion, leading Bo to take stock of his life, his relationships, and the imperfect way he’s expressed his love over the years.

[Anonymous]

I just finished Three Days in June by Anne Tyler - it's short and I liked it more than I thought I would. The story starts right away and I really liked the characters. Has more of a short story feel than a full fleshed-out novel.

Now I'm reading Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto. It's 3 long short stories linked by the theme of sleep. I've read the first one and it was mesmerizing - looking forward to the rest of it. This is also a short collection - about 175 pages total.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In such a rut.

Am listening to Drift by Rachel Maddow and reading The Martian by Andy Weir.

Both are “easy” books to get me out of a slump but it’s taking me forever. Drift was written awhile ago but is pretty enraging because everything being brought to light in the book is still happening.

I just finished The Martian and I LOVED it! (Much better than the movie, although I did picture Matt Damon as the main character while I read it).

I also just finished Valley of the Moms. It was light and entertaining. I am currently reading Mad Mabel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just started Ann Patchett’s new book Whistler. Really enjoying it so far.

I’m the one who made the original comment about enjoying the Finlay Donovan series, despite their often ridiculous plots. Thanks to those who stuck up for me and the books back on page 2 of this thread.

The Whistler is on the front page of the NYTimes Book Review and looks intriguing. Glad you like it (so far)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just finished Three Days in June by Anne Tyler - it's short and I liked it more than I thought I would. The story starts right away and I really liked the characters. Has more of a short story feel than a full fleshed-out novel.

Now I'm reading Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto. It's 3 long short stories linked by the theme of sleep. I've read the first one and it was mesmerizing - looking forward to the rest of it. This is also a short collection - about 175 pages total.

Ooh, this looks interesting. I may add it to my list.

I just started Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang. My book club read it last year before I joined, and it's not something I'd normally pick up, but they RAVED about it. It's a "student at magic school trying to take down the system" type book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a little halfway through Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. It's about an 81 year old woman with a dark past. I initially wasn't intrigued based off of the synopsis, but I can't put this one down.

Love this book. I figured out part of the end, but not the entire resolution. It was clever.

I am about a quarter of the ay through and I have an *idea* about what might be going on… I love it so far.

[Anonymous]

Dark Money - all about the Koch brothers and the other billionaires who have ruined American politics (5)

Theo of Golden - boomer lit, a perfectly pleasant read but no conflict and we don't learn anything or grow by reading the book (3)

Yesteryear - halfway through, all the characters are annoying, but I want to see how it ends

[Anonymous]

Just finished Long Bright River by Love Moore. A few years old. About sisters in Philadelphia, one of whom works the Kensington area as a beat cop, the other is as drug user. Not high literature but a good read and I finished it quickly.

Trying to decide now between Brawler and Five. Anyone read either?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished Long Bright River by Love Moore. A few years old. About sisters in Philadelphia, one of whom works the Kensington area as a beat cop, the other is as drug user. Not high literature but a good read and I finished it quickly.

Trying to decide now between Brawler and Five. Anyone read either?

I absolutely loved Brawler. I read it about a month ago and there is a story in there that I still think about often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dark Money - all about the Koch brothers and the other billionaires who have ruined American politics (5)

Theo of Golden - boomer lit, a perfectly pleasant read but no conflict and we don't learn anything or grow by reading the book (3)

Yesteryear - halfway through, all the characters are annoying, but I want to see how it ends

Thanks for the info about Dark Money. I thought the Koch brothers had faded away. Was it worthwhile to read do you think?

[Anonymous]

Reading a lot this month. So far have read:

Life After Life, Kate Atkinson
Whistler, Ann Patchett
The Things We Never Say, Elizabeth Strout

All very good, though I have to say, Life After Life is really special, it brought me to some new places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dark Money - all about the Koch brothers and the other billionaires who have ruined American politics (5)

Theo of Golden - boomer lit, a perfectly pleasant read but no conflict and we don't learn anything or grow by reading the book (3)

Yesteryear - halfway through, all the characters are annoying, but I want to see how it ends

Thanks for the info about Dark Money. I thought the Koch brothers had faded away. Was it worthwhile to read do you think?

Yes, super worthwhile. Or at least a long form article on the topic. Sadly one of my favorite authors Arthur Brooks is also implicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading a lot this month. So far have read:

Life After Life, Kate Atkinson
Whistler, Ann Patchett
The Things We Never Say, Elizabeth Strout

All very good, though I have to say, Life After Life is really special, it brought me to some new places.

Kate Atkinson is fabulous—I loved Life After Life. In a somewhat different vein, her recent(ish) short story collection was also excellent (contemporary setting, with a fantastical, slightly dark element, quite wry).

I’m also an Ann Patchett fan and am 50 pages into Whistler, enjoying it so far—she draws you into the story so quickly.