By Mattie Fitzpatrick | April 3, 2023
As the winter turns to a much needed spring and the harsh winds of Albany subside, some light and interesting reads can help to celebrate the start of a new season more forgiving than the last. New books and new beginnings are perfect as the University at Albany campus comes back to life and our spring semester carries on. Even if you’re not a reader, these books will give you a break from the difficulties of your school work and outside commitments.
“The most ordinary mortal bodies are housed by spectacular souls.”
This easy read is perfect for fans of romance or Greek Mythology. Taking place during World War 1, Aphrodite narrates the great loves of her life in a plea to her husband after she’s caught committing adultery. The stories of Hazel the piano player, James the soldier, Aubrey the musician, and Colette, a girl who’s been through the atrocities of war, intertwine and create an illuminating and sweet story perfect for Spring. This light read is perfect to read outside as the seasons change. This sweet love story contrasts the horrors of the first World War as the characters struggle, live, and learn to love when the world is in turmoil.
“Runaway Groomsmen” by Meghan Quinn
“Sometimes, when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, what you’ve really hit is the foundation for the next chapter in your life.”
Another light and humorous read, “Runaway Groomsmen” is a satisfying story of a groomsman who has been manipulated, cheated on, and pushed aside before taking control of his life and walking out on the wedding of his best friend and former girlfriend. Running away from the scrutiny of his very public meltdown, Sawyer Castle ends up in the town of Canoodle, California, where he learns to heal and find the love of his life in a place he never expected. In working with a man with Alzheimer's Disease, Sawyer breathes new life into the much loved hotel grounds of the Canoodle Cove Cabins, and his own life as he finds love in his own time and the spunky and caring woman in the center of it all.
“To find peace in that moment, you have to cede control of life.”
A Journalist struggling with her marriage and infertility after her third miscarriage travels to her ancestral home in India. A dual timeline between Jaya in the present and her grandmother Amisha is told by her grandmother’s confidant and servant, Ravi. Struggling with her marriage and her relationship with her mother, in returning to India Jaya plunges into a whole new world she had never been exposed to as her grandmother struggles with love and loss in India during a time of British occupation. This story is real and raw as the characters face honest trials and tribulations as sometimes the answer to the future can be found in the past.
“Squeeze Me” By Carl Hiassen
“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.’ That’s from Emerson, by the way.”
Carl Hiassen never disappoints. In his latest adventure with the colorful Skink, Hiassen delivers impenetrable humor and creativity after the First Lady of the United States encounters a massive snake in the road along with her secret service agent and secret boyfriend, two senseless convicts, and the fearless reptile wrangler. This was one book I couldn’t put down and as always Hiassen blew me away with his creativity and wit. Tying the book into recent political times, Hiassen creates a laughable and enjoyable story taking place in his Native Florida. It all starts with a python.
“A murderer should probably do many things, but he should never, under any circumstances, come home.”
Released in 2018, “Bridge of Clay” is the story of five brothers who survive trials and tribulations after the abandonment of their father. A more serious book, “Bridge of Clay” takes its time to allow the reader to see the solemnity of these five brothers. Told through parallel storylines between Clay Dunbar in the future and his mother, Penny Dunbar in the past, this story spans a great period of time and is difficult to describe in its impact and complexity. Above all else it’s a story of persistence, working through trauma, and learning that your family, chosen or not, will always be there for you. Markus Zusak is precisely perfect for those looking for something more serious.
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