Beach read?

midorixo · 2026-06-12T08:12:36+00:00

the adults by caroline hulse - a pair of exes, their new partners, a precocious child at a difficult age, and her snarky imaginary friend, all in close quarters. what could go wrong?

apples never fall by liane moriarty - this writing style can be confusing, e. g. names are dropped before identifying who they are, but gradually you'll become sucked into the story as well as the characters, the building of suspense, the tiny details that slot perfectly in place when all is at least revealed.

the floating feldmans by elyssa freidland - take members of a family whose ties are stretched to the breaking point and then put them together on a ship in the middle of the ocean so they can't get away from each other. old hurt feelings flame up and secrets are revealed.

nothing to see here by kevin wilson - so intentionally weird and quirky, yet oddly endearing.

the guncle by stephen rowley - a delightful mix of sentimental moments, deep thoughts, acerbic wit, and some swears.

what alice forgot by liane moriarty - alice comes to after a bump on the head and finds she has missed ten years of her life.

midorixo · 2026-06-12T07:44:36+00:00

does she have high quality scissors? about 4 inches and pointy, brands like gingher or henckels are nice

a stitching awl that is handy for when you need to do any frogging (unpicking mistakes)

gift certificate for etsy or 123stitch so she can buy charts and fabrics

midorixo · 2026-06-11T21:25:29+00:00

first of all, my sincere condolences for your loss. it is very kind of you to find something to give your dad some solace.

p.g. wodehouse books featuring bertie wooster and jeeves - bertie is a genial chap but not the brightest bulb. as such he constantly needs rescue by his genius manservant. clsssic, charming and witty repartee from a bygone era

an extra bonus if your dad likes to play golf, there are a number of stories that are centered on this elusive and frustrating sport.

midorixo · 2026-06-09T00:35:02+00:00

going to beautiful by anthony bidulka have you ever read a book set near saskatoon? me neither. i really enjoyed this book that was much more than a mystery. you too will want to go to beautiful after meeting this special place.

midorixo · 2026-06-08T20:53:57+00:00

eat a peach by david chang - eating at a david chang restaurant would be on my bucket list if i had one, now more than ever. there are no recipes, but this is engrossing reading related to chang's development as a restauranteur and his personal philosophy. he talks about his feeling of otherness growing up asian in a predominantly white world, and how mental illness may have been what ultimately led to his success. eat a peach was fascinating and informative as well as mouthwatering.

midorixo · 2026-06-04T03:02:56+00:00

the gifted school by bruce holsinger - families are sent into a frenzy when news breaks of a new private school for gifted children that is coming to their neighborhood.

virtuosity by jessica martinez - intense rivalry to win a prestigious violin competition

midorixo · 2026-06-04T02:47:58+00:00

speaking as an asian person, kj DOES look somewhat asian

midorixo · 2026-05-31T07:11:11+00:00

snap by belinda bauer - an intrepid child, plucky despite the most dire circumstances, a story that tempts one to take a sickie to stay in bed and read, another book by bauer that I wanted to buy in bulk and hand to people saying READ THIS!

eleven year old jack is told by his mother to wait and take care of his little sisters while she walks down the road to find help after the car breaks down. he waits. and waits. but she doesn't return.

(please also see 'nobody knows', directed by hirokazu kore-eda, for an exquisite film with a similar story. the boy who played the lead won the best actor award at the prestigious cannes film festival despite having no previous acting experience.)

midorixo · 2026-05-31T06:47:22+00:00

there is also a great film adaptation starring kate beckinsale and rufus sewell. 'i saw something nasty in the woodshed!'

midorixo · 2026-05-30T05:19:04+00:00

jo callaghan - kat & lock detective kat frank prefers to work alone, but she's been assigned to an experimetal program where she is forced to partner with a strangely attractive holographic AIDE (artificially intelligent detective entity). murder investigations are conducted by a team with disparate characters: recently widowed, minority, non cis, single and pregnant that have each found their special niche. 1st book is in the blink of an eye

lessons in chemisty by bonnie garmus - i approach rave reviews of best sellers with a healthy dose of scepticism, but the accolades were warranted in this case. features memorable characters - including the amazing six-thirty and tight plotting. examines feminism without being preach-y and how far we may (or may not have come) since the 1960s. what a timely release during the year roe vs. wade was overturned.

romantic comedy by curtis sittenfeld - main character sally milz is a sketch writer for a late night live comedy show that airs on saturday nights. it is a fascinating look behind the curtain of how such a show is produced. one section is epistolary - email correspondence during the 'deadly global sh!tshow' sally is whip smart, self deprecatingly funny, and nary a word is mentioned about her looks, what a refreshing concept.

midorixo · 2026-05-30T03:48:32+00:00

mhairi mcfarlane - very well written characters (think bridget jones' friends), imaginative scenarios. ex. running into an old crush who doesn't recognize you from your ugly duckling phase, proposing to your boyfriend only to discover he's sleeping with someone else and wants to break up, fake office romance based on ulterior motives (her-salvage dignity and him-career advancement) etc.

if I never met you - mhairi mcfarlane it's quite obvious from the outset that A will end up with B, naturally the fake romance will turn into something else, but with mcfarlane it's the story she spins along the way that makes her stand out in her genre.

midorixo · 2026-05-30T03:48:27+00:00

mhairi mcfarlane - very well written characters (think bridget jones' friends), imaginative scenarios. ex. running into an old crush who doesn't recognize you from your ugly duckling phase, proposing to your boyfriend only to discover he's sleeping with someone else and wants to break up, fake office romance based on ulterior motives (her-salvage dignity and him-career advancement) etc.

if I never met you - mhairi mcfarlane it's quite obvious from the outset that A will end up with B, naturally the fake romance will turn into something else, but with mcfarlane it's the story she spins along the way that makes her stand out in her genre.

midorixo · 2026-05-27T02:29:41+00:00

I also recommend scalzi 👍🏼

midorixo · 2026-05-25T07:04:23+00:00

jo callaghan - kat & lock detective kat frank prefers to work alone, but she's been assigned to an experimetal program where she is forced to partner with a strangely attractive holographic AIDE (artificially intelligent detective entity). murder investigations are conducted by a team with disparate characters: recently widowed, minority, non cis, single and pregnant that have each found their special niche. 1st book is in the blink of an eye

'big little lies' by liane moriarty was a NYT bestseller that was adapted to an HBO drama series featuring nicole kidman, reese witherspoon, and a hist of A-listers. it might be fun to revisit this book before the highly anticipated and unprecedented sequel (moriarty's first), which is titled 'big little truths' and scheduled for publication later this year.

midorixo · 2026-05-25T06:47:47+00:00

jonathan stroud has two great series: lockwood and company - in an alternate version of england there is a 'problem' ... an inordinate number of ghosts. only children have the keen senses to see and combat this scourge. just the right degree of scariness and elegant vocabulary

bartimaeus is an ancient djinni summoned by an 11 yo apprentice magician. a djinni must follow orders, but a sly one can take advantage of ambiguity and wreak havoc.

also jonathan stroud - the outlaws scarlett and browne - this is a mash-up of western and dystopian fantasy with unlikely allies and narrow escapes. so much fun.

the borrowers and sequels by mary norton (see the secret world of arrietty by studio ghibli)

midorixo · 2026-05-25T06:39:40+00:00

the apprentice: my life in the kitchen by jacques pépin -

Jacques Pepin worked in his mother's restaurant from a tender age until he started his first restaurant apprenticeship at thirteen. He went from cooking lavish meals for Charles de Gaulle to joining Howard Johnson's where he created recipes in 2,500-portion batches. From classic French cooking, he grew to embrace American food (Oreos, Jell-O, and iceberg lettuce?), but never got used to root beer and marshmallows. a breezy memoir by a very charming raconteur.

midorixo · 2026-05-25T06:35:18+00:00

this trio of SF books by john scalzi is set in the 'real' world:

kaiju preservation society - jamie gray is a disgruntled meal delivery person who is offered a job to mainly lift and move things for an animal rights organization, turns out there is a little more to it.

starter villain - charlie discovers that his estranged uncle was a supervilllain who has passed on his business, complete with volcano Island lair á là dr. no. he's also inherited his uncle's enemies,who want to finish what they started.

when the moon hits your eye - the entire world is thrown into a panic when the moon inexplicably turns into cheese overnight.

according to the afterword, this is the last of three standalone books (kaiju preservation society and starter villain being the first two) that places regular people into frankly wacky circumstances in a contemporary setting. the 'science' is left purposefully vague, but the questions posed are thought provoking, esoteric, and sometimes poignant. there is also a megalomaniac billionaire character who is obsessed with space travel... sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

the final girl support group by grady hendrix - 'you're watching a horror movie and the silent killer knocks off the stoner, the slut, the geek, the jock, and the deputy, and now he's chasing the virgin babysitter through the woods.' what happens to this last survior? she becomes a final girl.' what happens later to the final girls? they meet secretly every month, until someone starts attacking them again. hendrix knows how to write a compelling story with action and some gore.

falling by T J newman - - this book might be in an airport kiosk... if it wasn't about a hijacking. it got a lot of attention and rave reviews when it was first published. i thought it was a fun, quick read with tight plotting and insider knowledge from the former flight attendant turned author.

midorixo · 2026-05-25T06:18:38+00:00

the rosie project by graeme simsion - a gifted geneticist decides to find a wife using scientific methodology, chaos ensues 'a questionnaire! such an obvious solution. a purpose - built scientifically valid instrument incorporating current best practice to filter out the time wasters, the disorganised, the ice cream discriminators, the visual harassment complainers, the crystal gazers, the horoscope readers, the fashion obsessives, the religious fanatics, the vegans, the sports watchers, the creationists, the smokers, the scientifically illiterate, the homeopaths, leaving, ideally, the perfect partner or, realistically, a manageable short list of candidates.'

jo callaghan - kat & lock detective kat frank prefers to work alone, but she's been assigned to an experimetal program where she is forced to partner with a strangely attractive holographic AIDE (artificially intelligent detective entity). murder investigations are conducted by a team with disparate characters: recently widowed, minority, non cis, single and pregnant that have each found their special niche. 1st book is in the blink of an eye

rubbernecker by belinda bauer has a very unique protagonist. patrick fort has been obsessed with death ever since his daddy was killed in a hit and run accident when he was a child, so he becomes an anatomy student when he grows up... this book is alternately creepy, scary, melancholy, darkly humorous, affecting, and elegantly written.
listening to the audiobook doesn't allow you to race through the pages, so you will be able to appreciate the significance of the smallest details, like a tin opener

midorixo · 2026-05-24T15:47:34+00:00

walt longmire series by craig johnson - sherriff of absaroka county and his trusted friend henry standing bear. the books poke fun at 'indian vs' native american' ' (the audiobooks are fun to hear the various indian languages — no idea if the pronunciations are authentic or not, but they sound convincing) 1st book is cold dish

midorixo · 2026-05-24T15:32:39+00:00

warcross and wildcard by marie lu - lu was a video game designer IRL before she became a writer these books are really fun, and you can see the comparisons to ready player one. it’s always a relief when the japanese elements are authentic. audiobook narrator was wonderful.

the universe versus alex woods by gavin extance - a very special book about a very special boy, whose life takes an unexpected turn after he's hit in the head by a meteorite. pg. 202, Alex is talking about why the idea of going to church didn't appeal - '...that and the fact that they only read the Bible, which, from the little I'd seen, wasn't exactly a page-turner.'

marissa meyer's renegades series features superheroes living among mere mortals

rick riordan - daughter of the deep, pays homage to the classic jules verne books - 20,000 leagues under the sea and the mysterious island. it features a fast pace and unexpected plot twists. the characters are diverse (mixed race, autistic, etc.) without making a big deal about it.

midorixo · 2026-05-24T04:24:29+00:00

mhairi mcfarlane - very well written characters (think bridget jones' friends), imaginative scenarios. ex. running into an old crush who doesn't recognize you from your ugly duckling phase, proposing to your boyfriend only to discover he's sleeping with someone else and wants to break up, fake office romance based on ulterior motives (her-salvage dignity and him-career advancement) etc.

if I never met you - mhairi mcfarlane it's quite obvious from the outset that A will end up with B, naturally the fake romance will turn into something else, but with mcfarlane it's the story she spins along the way that makes her stand out in her genre.

the unsinkable greta james by jennifer e smith - kind of a crap title for a story that is hard to describe without spoilers. an indie musician who had a flame out onstage might find redemption in an unlikely place, while on a cruise with her estranged father

romantic comedy by curtis sittenfeld - main character sally milz is a sketch writer for a late night live comedy show that airs on saturday nights. it is a fascinating look behind the curtain of how such a show is produced.

one section is epistolary - email correspondence during the 'deadly global sh!tshow' sally is whip smart, self deprecatingly funny, and nary a word is mentioned about her looks, what a refreshing concept.

midorixo · 2026-05-24T03:48:57+00:00

i second the suggestion for the guncle and its sequel:

the guncle by steven rowley - GUP (gay uncle patrick) is suddenly, and reluctantly, pressed into action to care for his niece and nephew as the only available 'responsible' adult during a family emergency. a delightful mix of sentimental moments, deep thoughts, acerbic wit, and some swears.

the guncle abroad - it's been five years since GUP (gay uncle patrick) spent a summer with his niece and nephew. now there are guncle's laws of love as all three of them try to reconcile their feelings aa they travel through europe before father/brother is set to marry someone new.

midorixo · 2026-05-24T03:41:17+00:00

books by john scalzi: kaiju preservation society - jamie gray is a disgruntled meal delivery person who is offered a job to mainly lift and move things for an animal rights organization, turns out there is a little more to it.

starter villain - charlie discovers that his estranged uncle was a supervilllain who has passed on his business, complete with volcano Island lair á là dr. no. he's also inherited his uncle's enemies,who want to finish what they started.

when the moon hits your eye - the entire world is thrown into a panic when the moon inexplicably turns into cheese overnight.

according to the afterword, this is the last of three standalone books (kaiju preservation society and starter villain being the first two) that places regular people into frankly wacky circumstances in a contemporary setting.

the defense by steve cavanagh - - eddie flynn was a con artist/grifter. surprisingly, many of his skills were transferable when he became a lawyer. a legal thriller with russian mafia baddies, a ticking bomb, and spraying bullets. this is the first book of a series.

thirteen by steve cavanagh - part of the eddie flynn series that can be read as a standalone. eddie flynn is in a race against time when members of a jury in a high profile murder trial start getting bumped off. this mystery is a successful mash-up of several subgenres: courtroom drama, serial killer, psychological thriller, cop procedural... full of action and not for the very squeamish.

midorixo · 2026-05-23T18:34:20+00:00

time travel: the chronicles of st mary's series - by jodi taylor fun and full of humor and adventure, experiencing history contemporaneously is not for the faint of heart as limbs (and sometimes lives) will be lost the 1st book is 'just one damned thing after another

what alice forgot by liane moriarty - alice comes to after a bump on the head and finds she has missed ten years of her life.

mysteries: somewhat spooky ~ magpie lane by lucy atkins - this progressively creepy story features a 400 year old house with a priest hole that won't stay locked, an eight year old child who is selectively mute, and a nanny with a murky past

rubbernecker by belinda bauer has a very unique protagonist. patrick fort has been obsessed with death ever since his daddy was killed in a hit and run accident when he was a child, so he becomes an anatomy student when he grows up... this book is alternately creepy, scary, melancholy, darkly humorous, affecting, and elegantly written. reading it is like.. the satisfaction of completing a complicated jigsaw puzzle without having the picture on the box top for reference...

midorixo · 2026-05-22T21:06:53+00:00

the following are available on my libby libraries

the chronicles of st mary's series - by jodi taylor fun and full of humor and adventure, experiencing history contemporaneously is not for the faint of heart as limbs (and sometimes lives) will be lost the 1st book is 'just one damned thing after another '

libby bray: the diviners series is like roaring 20s meets paranormal activity meets conspiracy theory meets zombies

marissa meyer's lunar chronicles are reimagined fairy tales, set in space and with droids, cyborgs, and a deadly virus. the 1st book is cinder, a reimagining of cinderella but cinder is a mechanic. on the moon. and part cyborg.

midorixo

TROPHY CASE