If you’ve come to talk books, you’re in the right place. If books are slowly stacking up on your windowsills and countertops, or in the nooks and crannies of your home, you’re a kindred spirit. CrookInABook is a place for all things literary: from book reviews and recommendations to literary gossip and industry news.
While you’re here, if you feel inspired to order a new book, be sure to check out the bookshop, where you can support independent bookstores with your book purchases. And don’t forget to come back and share your own thoughts after you read!
The latest from the blogs…
Isaac’s Storm, by Erik Larson
I don’t read a ton of non-fiction, but I picked this one up in anticipation of an upcoming trip to Galveston, and I am SO glad that I did. It’s hard to even believe that Isaac’s Storm is non-fiction, because…
A Ghost in the Throat, by Doireann Ní Ghríofa
I got this book as a recommendation from the @FictionMatter’s Instagram, one of my favorite readers to follow, and I was really glad I picked it up. From the very first pages of A Ghost in the Throat, I felt…
Things My Son Needs to Know About the World, by Fredrik Backman
Currently, I only have a daughter, but a parent I trust recommended this book to me and told me I didn’t need a son to enjoy it. And she was right. This book is charming and lighthearted, humorous and relevant…
The Year of the Horses, by Courtney Maum
I was really excited to receive an advanced reader copy of The Year of the Horses, a memoir by Courtney Maum that is forthcoming from TinHouse Books. I have to admit, I was really intrigued as I started this memoir,…
Gilead, Home, Lila, & Jack; Four novels by Marilynne Robinson
Okay, it’s been quite a while since my last post. That’s partly because there’s been a lot going on (Springtime! Olympics! Travel!) and partly because I held off on reviews until I finished all four of Marilynne Robinson’s novels set…
The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy
I’d heard of “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy many times. I finally decided to pick it up after a recommendation from a favorite fellow Bookstagrammer, and oh, my heart. This book is so subtle and poetic, tragic…
Three short story collections to pick up during your next coffee break
I have a confession to make: sometimes, I’m not in the mood for a novel. Sometimes, I want to sit down with a cup of coffee (preferably in a gorgeous mug from Sound Ceramics) and read something start to finish.…
A Sounds Ceramics Collaboration & Circe, by Madeline Miller
I’m so excited to be kicking off a collaboration with Sound Ceramics, in which we will be pairing gorgeous mugs with my latest book reviews, as well as some of my old favorites. Be sure to visit the Sound Ceramics store for more…
No One Is Talking About This, by Patricia Lockwood
There was so much buzz about Patricia Lockwood’s No One Is Talking About This, that I couldn’t wait to dive in. And now I can definitely say I understand why it received so much praise in terms of timeliness and…
Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel
If someone had given me a synopsis of this book before I dove in, I probably would have rolled my eyes. A global pandemic? I would have said I’ve had enough of that to last a lifetime, thank you. But…
The Whole Brain Child, by Daniel Seigel & Tina Payne Bryson
As you may know, I’m not particularly big on non-fiction (outside of memoir), and it has been a struggle to find many parenting books that really grab my attention. But The Whole-Brain Child was recommended to me several times, so…
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
I’m someone who really likes classics, even really long, slow ones, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith, is definitely both of those things. In that sense, I have to admit that this isn’t a classic that everyone…
Memorial, by Bryan Washington
I’ve been wanting to read Memorial all year, partly given it’s broad acclaim and partly out of a desire to support my fellow UNO alum, Bryan Washington. So naturally I started this one as soon as I got it (as…
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
I think I keep saying this but: I’ve been meaning to pull this book off my shelf for quite some time (and of course, to watch the film adaptation afterwards). Well, I finally got around to it, and I see…
A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara
I’d heard this was a beautiful, sad story before I started it, and that was about all I knew. But both words – beautiful, sad – are woefully inadequate to describe this novel. This is a story about the power…
The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
I’ve been meaning to read this one for a very long time – in fact, I’ve been meaning to read anything by Margaret Atwood for a very long time, and I finally got around to The Handmaid’s Tale this month.…
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