You Are Here Comes to TV, Obit for Joseph Caldwell, Tryst Bookstore Opens in Walla Walla Washington, Obituary for Ursula Hegi, Secrets of the Catalogue by Amelia Spencer, Penitence by Kristin Koval, Sea of Charms by Beth Durst, The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman, and Look on the Bright Side by Kristin Higgins

The Dog days of Summer are almost over, though not without more high temps and thunderstorms, unfortunately. I've spent the past couple of weeks in and out of Emergency rooms, all to mostly no avail, as no one wants to get me an MRI for a very painful left knee. Still, I had my first paracentisis, and they took 20 pounds or 10 liters of water, the most they're allowed to remove, from my abdomen, which was amazing, but seems to have caused me to have Crohns flares that are increasingly more painful in the days following. Today I could barely sit up. But with some pain meds and tea and toast, I fight on. Here's some tidbits and a lot of reviews that I've been saving up until I was able to sit in a chair for longer than an half hour. Enjoy, and keep cool, Autumn is right around the corner!

I can hardly wait for this program to come on to a streaming service...it sounds fascinating. 

TV: You Are Here

Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) and Claire Foy (All of Us Strangers) will star in You Are Here, a BBC and Starz adaptation of David Nicholls's bestselling novel. Deadline reported that Nicholls has written the eight-part series, which will be produced by Element Pictures. Lenny Abrahamson (Normal People) is the director.

Set along the coast-to-coast walking trail from the Lake District to Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire in England, You Are Here will be filmed in the Lake District and around Manchester. Deadline shared the synopsis: "When a mutual friend throws them together, Marnie and Michael unexpectedly find themselves setting off on an epic walk. Against the odds, they end up on the brink of a relationship that neither was looking for, but which might be exactly the one they both need."

"I'm so delighted to be working on You Are Here with Element, the BBC, Starz, and Lenny, whose work I've admired for many years," said Nicholls. " We can't wait to bring Marnie and Michael's journey to the screen."

I used to watch Dark Shadows with my brother, and was terrified of Barnabas Collins, so much so that my mother banned me from watching the program...of course, as I got older, I watched reruns, often laughing at how cheesy the melodrama was. My late husband adored DS, and collected books and videos of the program. He never met a cheesy program he didn't love.

Obituary Note: Joseph Caldwell

Joseph Caldwell, an award-winning novelist whose fiction explored faith, love, loss and moral ambiguity, and whose earlier career helped shape the cult television phenomenon Dark Shadows, died of a stroke on July 13. He was 97. 

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Caldwell was a playwright, memoirist, television writer and actor, though he became best known for a series of acclaimed novels that earned praise from critics for their precise yet elegant prose and psychological depth. His honors included the Rome Prize in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the John Golden Fellowship in Playwriting from Yale University and the American Broadcasting Company Fellowship in Playwriting.

Before turning to fiction, Caldwell devoted himself to theater and television writing. After becoming disillusioned with several theatrical productions, he joined the writing staffs of the daytime dramas Love of Life and The Secret Storm. He later became a principal writer for the Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, where producer Dan Curtis asked the writing staff to create "a vampire for the kids for the summer." Working with fellow writer Ron Sproat, Caldwell helped create Barnabas Collins, the reluctant vampire who became the series' defining character.

Caldwell later said that giving Barnabas a conscience provided the writers with "something always to play against," transforming him from a conventional monster into a tragic figure. The character's popularity propelled Dark Shadows to an audience of about 20 million viewers and secured its place in television history.

Raised Roman Catholic, he moved to New York in the 1950s, where he began living openly as a gay man while wrestling with the tensions between his religious faith, his sexuality, and his artistic ambitions. That lifelong conflict found its fullest expression in his memoir, In the Shadow of the Bridge (Delphinium, 2019). The book recounts his youthful relationship with an emotionally distant photographer and traces its consequences across decades. It culminates in his volunteer work with AIDS patients through a program at St. Vincent's Hospital, where he ultimately cared for his former lover during his final illness.

Caldwell turned to fiction in the late 1970s. His first novel, In Such Dark Places (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1978), follows a gay photographer who witnesses a stabbing and searches for his stolen camera, believing it contains evidence of the crime.  His final novel, Lazarus Rising, published on the eve of the Covid pandemic, tells the story of an artist whose unexpected recovery from AIDS leads to unforeseen tragedy.

Whether writing about rural New England, contemporary New York, Naples or Ireland, Caldwell returned repeatedly to characters seeking grace after loss. His work examined the difficult coexistence of faith, desire and conscience with quiet compassion, qualities that earned him the admiration of critics and a devoted readership. --Joe Olsham and Carl Lennertz

I really wish that I could investigate this delightful sounding bookstore just a couple of hours from where I currently reside in MV, Wash. 

Tryst, a Romance Bookstore Debuts in Walla Walla, Wash.

Tryst, a romance bookstore, hosted a grand opening celebration, which "saw lines out the door from the pink bookstore," on July 28 at 39 E. Main St. in Walla Walla, Wash., the Union-Bulletin reported, adding: "While small, the store is stocked with a broad range of subgenres including queer stories, paranormal pieces and everything in between."

"Since I was little, I thought that having a bookstore would be the perfect thing, the perfect job," said owner Jen Sharon, who has also worked as an independent proofreader and editor for fiction writing for the past four years, with a number of her clients writing romance. After seeing many romance-specific bookstores open in the Seattle area, Sharon and her husband, Jim, saw a niche they could fill in Walla Walla.

"The classifier of a romance novel is that it has a happily ever after ending," she said. "So, who doesn't need to feel happy and read happy endings in this world?... I want to carry what the people in town want to read." Sharon envisions the bookstore as a gathering place, with customers able to participate in different book clubs with a cozy seating area. She plans to expand programming to hold author signings and book release parties.

After the grand opening, Sharon posted on social media: "I want to thank everyone who came out for Tryst's grand opening yesterday! I was blown away with how many people were ready and waiting for the doors to open! That was a lot of people in my tiny store all at once, but we made it, and I hope you all enjoyed your visit. I already need to restock! And also thanks to everyone who suggested a favorite author or title. I'll be keeping a list."

Stones from the River was brilliant, and I'm sorry to see this great writer hang up her pen. RIP U.H.

Obituary Note: Ursula Hegi

Ursula Hegi, "a novelist who drew on her childhood in post-World War II Germany to write searing books about silence, community, and historical memory," including the bestselling Stones from the River, died on July 27, the New York Times reported. She was 80. Born in the western half of occupied Germany just after WWII, she immigrated to the U.S. after high school and became an American citizen, though her native country served as the wellspring for much of her writing.

She was best known for a cycle of four novels, set during the first half of the 20th century, that take place in the fictional German town of Burgdorf. Beginning with Floating in My Mother's Palm (1990), the quartet explored the ways in which the people of the town both acknowledge and ignore the dark passage of history around them. Burgdorf, she wrote, was the sort of provincial locale where life "happened slower and later than in most other places."

"Hegi's genius lies in her ability to recreate the Nazi era without ever calling up its nomenclature," Barbara Finkelstein wrote in a Chicago Tribune review. "There is not a word in here about gas chambers, Gestapo agents or Jews."

Hegi's second Burgdorf novel, Stones from the River (1994), launched with a modest original print run of 25,000, but in 1997 Oprah Winfrey chose it for her year-old Oprah's Book Club, driving the book onto bestseller lists and prompting the publisher to print 1.5 million hardcover copies and 500,000 paperbacks.

Stones from the River revolves around Trudi Montag, a dwarf who is "both an outcast and a fixture of town life, an indispensable gossip and fixer," the Times noted, adding: "In Ms. Hegi's hands, Trudi becomes a sharp lens for examining the ways in which Burgdorf--and Germany writ large--responds to the Nazi era."

In addition to her nine novels, Hegi wrote two books of short stories, a children's book, and a nonfiction work, Tearing the Silence: On Being German in America (1997), for which she interviewed hundreds of German Americans who had been born around the Nazi era.

"If you want to look at fiction as the building, I had the building but I also had the scaffolding that helped me to build this building," she told Focus on Literatur. "And if we were to leave the scaffolding on the building it would be very ugly. So it was a real challenge and took a lot of revisions to massage the research into the text."

Secrets of the Catalogue by Amelia Spencer is a bizarre dark fantasy that starts out with an interesting premise, but loses steam about halfway through, becoming boring and pedestrian. Here's the blurb: When Emerson Blackwell discovers a secret library in New York City where the books are doorways into magical worlds, it seems like she's found the perfect adventure. But as Emerson begins to explore the Catalogue, she is drawn into a world filled with secrets and more questions than answers.

Eight years ago, Emerson Blackwell’s mother died in a tragic fire and she booked a one-way ticket to New York City to escape her grief. But the trauma of her past comes rushing back when she uncovers a Library in the heart of the city where the books are doorways to magical worlds. However, The Central Library responsible for publishing books in the Catalogue is banning books and hunting down authors that The Central Library claims are dangerous. When Emerson finds out her mother is alive and publishing banned books, the question arises--are these books dangerous? Or is The Central Library hiding something?

As Emerson becomes entangled in a web of secrets, political rivalries, and conspiracies, she rekindles a romance with her first love, who is secretly working with her mother against The Central Library. However, tensions rise when Emerson finds herself drawn to the son of The Central Library’s Head Librarian--her mother's greatest enemy.

Secrets of the Catalogue is a dark academia fantasy romance set in a hidden New York City library where the books open portals to magical worlds. Secrets of the Catalogue is a captivating tale of love, adventure, and the blurred line between fiction and reality. Perfect for fans of political intrigue, slow burn romance, secret societies, and hidden libraries!

 

I wish that there had been more focus on the books in the hidden and forbidden libraries, and less on the wimpy and sad protagonist, Emerson, who clearly has mommy issues and doesn't really do anything about them other than harbor resentment and anger, all while cavorting with two men who are both controlling jerks, using her for their own ends. Both Silas and Adrian don't seem to understand that NO is a full sentence, and that consent is important. They jerk around Emerson (and she lets them, for reasons that are never fully explained) and go on to try and force her to choose sides in the library wars, though her mother, who abandoned her at a tender age, is the general on one side, while the head librarian is the general (and former friend of her mothers) is on the other. There's a lot of time spent on tattoos that glow gold if they're good, and red if they're bad, and also a lot of time spent in various worlds inside of books, most of which are scary and full of creatures who want to destroy the librarians hopping in and out of their world. The prose, which was sturdy in the first half, started to crumble in the second, and there was no actual ending to the novel. It just stops at a bit over 300 pages. Ugh. I'd give this disappointing novel a C, and only recommend it to those who don't mind an interesting premise destroyed by a flagging plot and dull prose.

 

Penitence by Kristin Koval is a family and coming of age novel that reads, at least to me, like one of those drippy family sagas from the 1970s. Boring. Here's the blurb: For readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng, Penitence is a poignant exploration of love and forgiveness. It’s a suspenseful, addictive page-turner filled with literary insight that compels readers to consider whether the worst thing we’ve ever done is all that defines us.

When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn’t just legal counsel—she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them.

Spanning decades, from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the streets of pre-9/11 New York City and back again, Kristin Koval’s debut novel Penitence is an examination of the complexities of familial loyalty, the journey of redemption, and the profound experience of true forgiveness. 

 

There's not a page that goes by that doesn't "examine" GUILT, and the desire for forgiveness for the unforgivable. There's a death that Julian was involved in decades ago that he can't really do anything about now, but he suffers from guilt nonetheless, and tries to provide help to Angie, his first love, when her daughter shoots and kills her son Nico, who was suffering from Huntingtons (and probably asked her at some point to end his pain before he died in horrific circumstances), and won't talk to anyone about why or what happened, as she claims to not remember. This is Julians "penitence" for being such a coward when he didn't help out a child who died during a ski vacation. Still, he gets the job done, but all the characters are still living under the haze of past guilt, so I don't see why this story needed to be told in the first place. It got pretty boring, but I did manage to finish it anyway. I'd give it a C+ for effort, and recommend it to anyone who likes impossible court cases.

 

Sea of Charms by Beth Durst is a cozy romantasy that takes place at sea, and is fully delicious and delightful, with Durst's trademark elegant and emotional prose. Here's the blurb: Author Sarah Beth Durst brings cozy fantasy romance to the high seas in Sea of Charms, the third magical adventure in the Spellshop series!

Marin had always belonged on the great blue sea. When the man she thought was the love of her life schemed to ruin her parents’ business, she did what her heart knew best: she fled to the sea.

Now working as a supply runner on her own boat, Marin sails from island to island, delivering a varied array of goods: letters, flour, stories, and even the occasional enchanted statue. It’s a lonely life, but it’s hers. Besides, she’s got the company of Perri the sea serpent and Ree the sailor shrub. They’re the best crew she could ask for.

On one of her routine trips to the capital of the Crescent Islands Empire, Alyssium, Marin finds the city on fire and a revolution underway—so she offers transportation to Dax, a composer friend who refuses to leave behind his instruments. What starts as a rescue evolves into a deal: Marin will keep Dax on as a (temporary) member of her crew if he becomes her pretend boyfriend at the End-of-Harvest Festival back home.

Against her better judgment, Marin finds herself intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, his charming smile—and realizes that perhaps she isn’t saving him. Maybe it’s the other way around.

Sea of Charms is a cozy fantasy romance about finding your crew, your family, and moreover, finding yourself. Read in whatever order your heart desires, but don’t miss The Spellshop and The Enchanted Greenhouse.

 
I read and enjoyed the Spellshop and the Enchanted Greenhouse, so I expected this to be just as wonderful, and I was not disappointed. This book takes place ina musical and magical world that I'd love to visit again and again. A world of beauty, acceptance and hope...ENCORE I say to all three! Though I adored Perri the sea serpent, Ree the bush's dialed up optimism and zero filter got on my nerves more than a few times. Dax and his crystal horns and musical genius made up for any and all annoyance, however, as he made the disparate crew into a sort of musical sailing family, and his love for Marin, though she tried to be emotionally closed off, was gorgeous and heart-rending. I'd give this book an A, and recommend it to any and all TJ Klune and Fanny Flagg fans. This is a book whose prose will grip you and take you on an adventure in a swift plot to an HEA ending.

 

The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman is a YA magical romantic fiction novel with heartfelt storytelling and a fascinating premise that will keep readers turning pages into the wee hours. Here's the blurb: 

With her signature blend of magical and heartfelt storytelling, author Jennifer Moorman returns with The Charmed Library, a love letter to libraries, favorite childhood stories, and readers who have fallen for fictional heroes.

 

Like many other public libraries, the one in Blue Sky Valley, North Carolina, is a haven for readers. But it's also unlike any other. In this library, fictional characters step off the page into real life. Assistant librarian Stella Parker has no idea. Still reeling from her father's death and--more recently--a breakup, she hasn't noticed. All she knows is she's stuck in a job she's overqualified for and stumped about what to do with her life.

 

Everything changes when she burns her beloved journal.

 

Words matter to Stella. For as long as she can remember, she's seen them. Words appear--in varying colors and fonts--rising from surfaces, bouncing over objects, and even wiggling out of people. Words give her insight into emotions and untold stories. But the words change for Stella after she burns her journal. Suddenly they're demanding, urgent--and painful.

Then Stella stumbles upon strange characters in the library after hours. One is an oddly familiar World War II soldier who introduces himself as Jack--Jack Mathis, the main character from her favorite book. A fictional hero and Stella's first crush. Standing in front of her in the flesh.

 

Jack tells Stella about the magic hidden in the library. Skeptical, Stella rashly invites a villain to visit, and chaos ensues. As she discovers the importance of protecting the library's secret and gets to know the real Jack, words continue to appear. What are they trying to tell her?

Much too quickly, Stella is faced with the reality that all stories must end, and magic comes at a price. The characters who visit the library can only stay for fourteen days. And Jack's time is almost up.

A cozy, Hallmark-esque rom-com, The Charmed Library invites readers to escape to a world where words come alive and book boyfriends leap off the page.

 

I was totally on board with the book boyfriend idea, having had more than a few myself over the years. Though Moorman takes it a step further by trying to force a way for Jack and Stella to be together forever, though she knows that fictional characters are only allowed out of their books for two weeks, lest they escape and their books disintegrate forever, as if they'd never existed. While its never actually outlined why Jack is such a hero, he proves himself by helping Stella corral other fictional characters longing to escape into the real world, damning the consequences. I love that Stella sees important words and phrases all around her, and that she tries to be practical amongst all the magic of the book characters coming alive, allowing them to pretend to be actors to do readings and reinactments at book festivals and holidays. Moormans prose is rock solid, and her plot takes interesting twists and turns. I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to anyone who has ever forged an emotional connection to a fictional character.

 

Look on the Bright Side by Kristin Higgins is a family rom-com that is fun and satisfying, and zooms along on a breezy plot with sunny prose. Here's the blurb: From the author of Pack Up the Moon comes a funny, romantic, and deeply moving novel about the unexpected rewards that come from life’s detours.

Lark Smith has always had a plan for her life: find a fantastic guy, create a marriage as blissful as her parents’, pop out a couple of kids and build a rewarding career as an oncologist.

Things aren’t going so well.

For one, the guy didn’t work out. Theoretically, she’d love to find someone else, but it hasn’t happened. Two, she’s just been transferred out of oncology for being too emotional. (Is it her fault she’s a weeper?) Three, her parents just split up.

Deviating from the plan was…well, not in the plan. A potential solution comes from the foul-tempered and renowned surgeon Lorenzo Santini (aka Dr. Satan). He needs a date this summer for his sister’s wedding. His ancient Noni wants to see him settled. In exchange, he could make a few introductions and maybe get Lark back into the field of her choice.

As a sucker for old people and fake relationships, Lark agrees. Teeny problem—she instantly falls for his big, warm family. Especially his estranged brother.

Meanwhile, Lark’s mom has moved in with Lark’s colorful landlady, Joy, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. The three women have a long summer and a big beautiful house on the ocean to figure out what’s next…and quite possibly learn that the best things in life aren’t planned at all. 

 

I loved Lark and her mom and Joy's relationship, all of which were inspiring because they involved women helping lift up other women, and allowing themselves to grow into specific situations. I'm glad that Lark realizes early on that Dr Satan (the surgeon, and surgeon's being cold-hearted asshats is so familiar its almost a cliche), will never change, and that she is better off falling in love with his brother, who is a nice guy, diametrically opposed to his cold and cruel sibling. Lark also realizes that she doesn't need to honor a family member who died of cancer by becoming an oncologist. She flourishes in the ER, where her talents as a quick-thinking diagnostician are needed and valued, vs the oncology ward, where her emotions often get the better of her when faced with daily death sentences. There's a lovely HEA that doesn't stint on the warm fuzzies, either. I'd give this fascinating and warm beach read an A, and recommend it to anyone who needs a change in their life and career path.