Monthly Book Review

Emily Henry’s latest book “Funny Story” is truly a fun and funny story.

In his award-winning book, “The Emerald Mile,” author Kevin Fedarko described the great Colorado River’s 1983 Grand Canyon flood. In his latest effort, “A Walk in the Park,” Fadarko along with his friend photographer Peter McBride, relays a more focused and record-seeking exploration of the entire length of Grand Canyon National Park on foot.

Percival Everett’s new novel “James” was short-listed for the 2024 Booker prize. It is a re-envisioning of Mark Twain’s classic, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” In Everett’s novel it is Jim, the enslaved runaway who finally gets the chance to tell this story — his story.

“The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA” by Liza Mundy is an eye-opening narrative about the previously overlooked and undervalued roles and contributions made by women in one of the most secretive organizations in the world. The book details how despite heavy gender-based bias and discrimination, women rose to prominence in a heavily male-dominated environment, forcing critical institutional change along the way.

Would a play written by any other name than Shakespeare be as impressive; even if that name was Bassano—Emilia Bassano? Jodi Picoult’s latest novel “By Any Other Name” allows us to explore the answer to that question.

Some novels take us back to a critical time in history seen through the eyes of someone with an uncommon perspective. “The Women,” by Kristin Hannah, is such a novel set during the Vietnam War.

A great choice anytime, Claire Lombardo’s “Same As It Ever Was,” is a beautifully written novel perfect for an end of summer page-turner. This family drama challenges us to think about the relationships we choose to invest in and when we may need to them go.

It’s summer, a perfect time to indulge our travel bugs. Whether you’re spending this summer crossing exotic locations off your destination wish-list or staying put right here in the Wasatch back, “The Paris Novel” offers a tasty escape.

Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s historical novel transports readers back to Depression-era Colorado and provides an intimate look at a multicultural family in the American West. Here is this month’s book review of “Woman of Light” - 2024’s One Book One Community selection.

“Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano is a richly woven novel about the complex bonds of family and friendship. It lays bare our vulnerabilities as human beings, exposing the power of relationships and how deeply the past can shape the present.