The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Time Traveler’s Wife is the story of librarian Henry DeTamble, who at any moment can disappear into the past or future as a result of some genetic anomaly, and Claire Abshire, an artist whose entire life has been shaped by Henry’s time travel. The novel alternates between Claire’s and Henry’s perspectives as they share the story of their unusual lives. As one might expect in a novel about time travel, the chronology of the book is not always linear, but it doesn’t suffer, for it is beautifully written and completely engrossing. The time travel elements to the story are subtle yet complex, and the book is endearing and tragic at the same time. Niffenegger has managed to weave together an intricate tapestry between the past and present to tell the complete journey of these two characters. Seeing how all the pieces fit together becomes completely absorbing. I read this novel for the first time years ago and have yet to find any book that sticks with me the way this one has. It’s the perfect blend of romance and science fiction.
Storm Front is the first of “The Dresden Files” series by Jim Butcher. Harry Dresden is a professional wizard living in Chicago; he can find lost objects and missing persons and occasionally consults with the Chicago Police Department’s Special Investigations unit — the team that handles all the “weird” cases. In this first novel, a serial killer is using black magic to rip out the hearts of his victims, and Dresden is recruited to stop him. I was immediately drawn in by Dresden’s narrative voice and humor, and his endless nerd-culture references never cease to amuse me. The best part about “The Dresden Files” is that they just keep getting better. Butcher recently released book 15 in the series, Skin Game, and it may be the best yet. The way Butcher is able to weave threads through the course of the novels fascinates me; in 15 books, he has yet to write himself into a corner, a great feat for any author of a series this long. If you’re a fan of Harry Potter and would like to find a more adult equivalent, Harry Dresden is your man. I highly recommend giving this series a chance.
If you’re a fan of British crime dramas such as Broadchurch or Wallander, you’ll definitely enjoy the novels of Tana French, whose Broken Harbor we reviewed earlier this year. In the Woods is the first of what have become known as the “Dublin Murder Squad” novels. Each book in the series is told from the perspective of one of the characters on the Murder Squad of the police force in Dublin, Ireland; In the Woods is from the point of view of Rob Ryan. When Ryan was a child, his three best friends disappeared and only he was found, covered in blood and terrified. Twenty years later, Ryan investigates the murder of a young child in those same woods. French’s novels are completely gripping and compelling and her writing style is brilliant; these aren’t action-packed adventures but completely character driven, and every detail is important. French is a brilliant writer who takes the reader on a winding path to obscure the ending from view. She creates vibrant characters with many layers to keep uncovering until the final pages. I’m not a big fan of the standard mystery novel, but these books are fantastic and hard to put down.
Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster
Really any book by Jen Lancaster would make great summer reading; I love her wit and sarcasm and her sense of humor. However, Bitter is the New Black is the first of her series of memoirs; while I’ve enjoyed each book since, this one remains my favorite. Bitter is the story of how Jen and her boyfriend Fletcher, both with successful jobs and a seemingly perfect life, suddenly find themselves unemployed and unable to pay their electric bill. Lancaster shares how she and Fletch hit rock bottom, then pulled themselves back up again, with many humorous anecdotes along the way — including the decision to get married just so people would have to buy them gifts or give them money. Lancaster’s bluntness and humor may seem abrasive to some; I see her as the friend who says everything you’re thinking but wouldn’t dare speak out loud. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Lancaster in person and can tell you that “book Jen” is not a persona; she is just as witty and fun as she comes across in her books. If you’ve never read anything by Lancaster I recommend starting with Bitter. Then, the rest of her books can be read in any order you choose.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
If you’re a fan of young adult fantasy but are tired of sparkly vampires, you might enjoy the “Mortal Instruments” books by Cassandra Clare. City of Bones is the first of this series about a race of nephilim (part-angel warriors) known as Shadowhunters that fight demons, vampires, and other creatures. When I first read this book, I was anticipating your typical fantasy romance; girl meets guy, becomes involved in whatever supernatural world he’s a part of, girl and guy fall in love, girl is placed in mortal danger and must be rescued, both live happily ever after. This was not one of those stories, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. While some of the twists are easy to figure out before they happen, I still didn’t feel like anything in this book was as predictable as most YA books tend to be. I also believe Clare writes for a more intelligent audience, not simpering teenage girls who are looking for the next Edward Cullen. The final book of this series was released just a few weeks ago, but if you enjoy the world Clare has created, there is also a prequel trilogy to check out, plus she has plans for another series within the world of the Shadowhunters.