Hi bookworms, how are you doing? This post is named after a book title so I’m just putting that qualifier out there, lol. I know it’s been a particularly difficult news week with the tragic Air India flight and the awful news out of Minnesota … in addition to the political strife and the Middle East developments, so I’m hoping to keep things on a lighter note with more happy dog photos.
Last week I posted a photo of our 4.5-year-old Labrador Willow, so this week it’s Stella’s turn. She’s a happy dog and proud as you can see after a swim in the river. We took the dogs on a hot evening last Monday and they are always so happy around water and swimming. Stella is our wonder dog. We got her as a puppy in 2012 and on July 3 she will turn 13, which in dog years is like 91. She’s been an amazing dog and part of the family, and we hope to give her a big birthday party on July 3. She deserves a little ice cream and cake, lol. But she’s nuts about any kind of food in general.
In book news, the Women’s Prize for Fiction was announced on Thursday and the debut novel The Safekeep by Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden won. I was glad to see it win since I had liked the novel and felt it was a pretty powerful story set in postwar Netherlands. It beat out Elizabeth Strout’s novel Tell Me Everything and Miranda July’s All Fours among others.
In nonfiction the book winner went to British doctor Rachel Clarke for her book The Story of a Heart about an organ transplant between two children. Tina over at the blog Turn the Page had great things to say about the book in her review.
Also the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction was announced and English writer Andrew Miller won for his novel The Land in Winter, which is set in a remote English community during the long, hard winter of 1962/63. Apparently it’s about two couples whose lives begin to unravel during this particularly harsh winter. Miller’s book beat out Kevin Barry’s novel The Heart in Winter and Yael van der Wouden’s The Safekeep among others, so that’s saying something. I have not read the author before but requested that my library get a copy since it’s not in their collection.
And now I’ll leave you with reviews of what I finished lately. Both of these novels below were on my summer reading list and both made for pretty gripping audiobooks. The protagonists in each are flawed individuals who go through much emotional angst and take you along with them.
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall / Simon & Schuster / 320 pages / 2025
4.3 stars. Brief Synopsis: In 1968, Beth and her husband Frank are living life on their Dorset farm caring for sheep with the help of Frank’s brother Jimmy, but are still missing their nine-year-old son Bobby who died in an accident two years earlier. Then an old flame of Beth’s — Gabriel Wolfe, a famous novelist, returns to town with his son Leo and Beth reconnects with Gabriel, over his son who reminds her a bit of Bobby and things begin to turn dicey.
The novel follows timelines in the past about how Beth, Frank, and Gabriel came to know one another during their schooldays, and in the present with their current relations … as well as chapters of a murder trial, which takes a while to piece together who’s died and who is on trial. But soon enough it all becomes clear and the consequences for all weigh heavily on the line.
Oh what a weaved web it becomes, and towards the end there’s a couple of twists that might surprise you. Perhaps there might be one turn or twist too much near the end, but it still felt feasible. The story is told from Beth’s perspective and you feel for her, though she’s flawed and you wish she had more of a backbone to her on what her actions are going to set off and to make better decisions. It’s a bit of an intense love story but clever in ways it comes together and is well told. It could be up for: the page-turner of the summer … as it has a bit of romance, a bit of violence, and much sadness and regret but also a bit of latent hope.
Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell / Algonquin / 400 pages / 2025
4.5 stars. Brief Synopsis: In Dublin, a pregnant woman with two little girls flees a controlling, volatile husband, who pretends there is nothing wrong and that he provides well for them. Ciara is at the end of her tether with Ryan, who she decides to leave after another incident. While he’s at work, she leaves with the girls in their beater car and goes to the homeless shelter, which is full up, that sends them to a rundown hotel. She tries to make a new life for herself and the girls, but Ryan is besieging her with texts to come home and that if she doesn’t he will sue for full custody and win.
The novel, told from Ciara’s perspective, is truly squirm-worthy as you follow her daily struggles just to get by with the girls, and how she will navigate Ryan’s manipulative ways. Her anxiety and fears are palpable, and she’s unable to go to her family’s in England as the law forbids it without her husband’s permission, (ugh), which he bars.
A court case looms for custody of the children, along with the baby she is about to have, that is a nail biter along with the months after the trial. At times, I wished Ciara was much stronger in facing up to her husband and not giving in to his demands, though in some ways I gather it was a bit of a realistic portrayal of a person who’s been psychologically abused for a long while … who is unsure of the path forward and thinks appeasement might work. This is an intense novel but also the writing makes it quite a notable debut.
So these first two books on my summer list turned out to be winners. Both are a bit emotionally intense, but if you don’t mind that, you might be gripped by them as well.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read these and if so, what did you think?
Wow! Good to know both books are outstanding reads. I put Broken Country on hold at the library, and I will be reading Nesting sometime after the summer. Great to see Stella enjoying the river and fetching a ball. It’s been a while since she hasn’t been featured in the blog. Have a nice reading week ahead!
Thanks Carmen, we’re hoping swimming helps Stella’s arthritis and of course she loves it. 🙂 I did feel both books were strong, though maybe I rated them a bit too high. Still they were solid 4+ stars for me. Broken Country maybe has one turn/twist too many near the end but it still seemed a bit feasible. See what you think. I might have the memoir The Last Secret Agent next up. And I still need to finish Ferrante’s book 2 … nearing 90%. Hope your reads are going well. Have a great week.
Thanks for the happy dog pictures! Stella sounds like a sweetheart and certainly doesn’t look her age! Yes, good doggies always deserve a treat! It’s been a crazy week and while that is a book title I do think it’s fitting for the US. I actually have that title from my library right now and I hope I have enough time to listen to it before it expires.
Hi Rachel, I hope you have time for Broken Country. I would be interested to see what you think. It’s a bit crazy, lol. It’s surely puzzle-worthy.
And Stella is a sweetheart, though she’s a bossy girl too, ha. She’s always after her next treat. Hope you have a great week.
More titles for my TBR list. What a lovely dog Stella is.
Thanks Dorothy. Stella is a bit of legend around these parts, ha. These two books definitely are squirm-worthy page-turners. Enjoy your week.
Oh, what a sweet girl Stella is!
Glad you enjoyed both of your books!
Have a great week!
Thanks Marg, Stella is a special girl, lol. And these books were pretty good page-turners. Enjoy your week too!
Nesting certainly sounds like a powerful and well-written story. Broken Country sounds good, too.
Thank you for sharing photos of your happy dog during these difficult times. They are consoling.
Hi Deb, perhaps Nesting is a bit stronger in its situation than Broken Country and well done, though both are pretty quick page-turners and squirm-worthy reads.
If the world continues this way, I will need to post more happy dog photos. Or perhaps we will need more animals here. I still hope to get donkeys someday though it might not be this year. Wishing you a peaceful week. Happy reading.
At the rate we are going here in the US, you will need to find a zoo of happy animals, Susan.
Ha. I know. And I don’t think I have enough happy dog or animal photos for the next four years. Sigh. I don’t see anything stopping the madness. Will the midterms offer anything? We can only hope.
Love the pictures of Stella. She’s doing well for 13. We have two granddogs, Max and Luke. Max is also 13 and beginning to have some issues with things. Luke is still mostly a puppy, though he is very big and enthusiastic. Our daughter and son-in-law do a great job of taking rescue dogs and giving them a great home. The books you shared do sound good, but I’d have to be in the mood for them I think. Right now I’m being more drawn to mysteries (some of them rereads). Have a good week!
Hi Kay, thanks. It’s endearing to hear that your daughter gives Max, Luke, and other dogs such a great home. We worry about Stella and her age but are trying to give her the best life. She’s been an incredible dog.
You are certainly a mystery expert and have read so much. I’m not a big mystery buff but I enjoy reading your posts about them. Enjoy your week as well.
I found that the new post reminder for your posts that I was getting in email was going to Spam. I should pay more attention to that but don’t usually have much problem losing stuff that way.
Stella is one sweet dog and she is having so much fun.
I am happy for Yael van der Wouden whose debut novel won such an important prize. I lean more toward reading that book than the two you reviewed because of the postwar setting in the Netherlands. But still probably darker than I am interested in at this time. Broken Country and Nesting both sound good but more intense than I can deal with right now.
I am reading a book from my 20 Books of Summer list, Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson. It is maybe too silly and sort of flippant for a mystery, but it is fun and diverting and that is what I need right now.
Hi Tracy, I’m glad you are finding the Stevenson book diverting and I look forward to hearing about it. Yes sometimes these reads are too intense for what’s going on at the time, so it’s better to skip at the moment. And I too was pleased for Yael for winning the big Women’s Fiction prize. That book is about various things which makes you think it over a bit, such as: a relationship, but also Dutch Jews, and repression during postwar days. Good luck with your Summer List.
I hope Stella has a wonderful birthday! Broken Country sounds intense but well worth reading. I sense secrets are revealed and twists can be good provided they are plausible. And a nice title for this blog since so much in the world right now feels broken. Great post as always.
Thanks Kathy. I guess this post title could be construed as a double entendre … it is worrisome what is happening in the world right now. Scary. And I hope all out war in the Middle East doesn’t ensue.
I was trying to think if Broken Country was plausible with its twists and I guess it still is. Both books are a bit intense but good, so it’s okay to skip at the moment. Hope you have a great week.
Yea, I love the photos of the dogs and Stella looks so happy. She does indeed deserve a great birthday celebration. We don’t know Loki’s actual birthday so we celebrate his Gotcha Day.
Thanks for the shoutout on the book Story of the Heart. It will go down as one of my favorites in nonfiction along with the book Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home by Jessica Fechtor. maybe I should start a tab of absolute favorites and link the books. That might be a fun project.
The Land in Winter and Broken Country will be added to my Goodreads list. I think I may own Nesting, will check.
We are moved in and if you need a box I am the one to contact! Still unpacking and figuring out where things go, getting Loki settled. Hope to blog soon and answer emails!
Hi Tina, thanks Stella is pleased to show off, lol. And I’m glad to hear — you’re getting settled and unpacking. What does Loki think? Hope you all are liking the house.
It was a great win for Rachel Clarke’s book Story of a Heart. I might add that later in the year. These books reviewed were certainly page-turners.
I finally finished Ferrante … and I’m reading some nonfiction at the moment.
Hope you have a great week. talk later.
Broken Country sounds exactly like something I’d enjoy. Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) my library doesn’t have a copy, but I’ve added it to my wish list. Lovely photos of your dog. We certainly need something to cheer us up these days.
Thanks Stargazer, these two dogs we have certainly like to swim. If the world news continues to be bad, I’ll have to keep up the dog photos, lol. But I hope things improve.
It’s had to believe your library does not have Broken Country … It’s a UK book and a good seller and page-turner. Hmm go figure. Hopefully they will add it before summer is over. Enjoy your week.
Yes, those are some very emotional books to read to kick off a hot summer in troubled times. Your dog photos definitely lifted my spirits–what lovely companions, and happy birthday to Stella. Thirteen is a very venerable age.
Broken Country does appeal to me, and I really need to find time to read The Safekeep. A hard pass on Nesting–sounds more wrenching than I can handle, but the cover is striking.
Thanks Jane. I might have to keep going with the dog photos in order to stomach world news. The two books were pretty emotional reads but I devoured them fairly quickly. Also The Safekeep is pretty short & quick. Some can handle it, others cannot. See what you think. Hope you have a great week in the garden. They’re predicting heavy rain here this weekend … which is unusual. So we will see. Cheers.
It has been a tragic week and I’ll admit I have been avoiding too much news so that I don’t get pulled under by it all. A real privilege to be able to avoid it like that.
I was on a small holiday over the weekend and had such a wonderful time that I am carrying that around with me this week.
Hi Helen, sounds good that you had fun over last weekend and are continuing on with it. Summer is busy, isn’t it? And like you, I’m avoiding – mostly the political news, as it drives me crazy. Hope you have a great week.
Willow is soooo adorable! Looks like she enjoyed her day. I’ll check out these books. Thanks!
Hi Lux, thanks for stopping by. fyi – The dog pictured up top is Stella (so she will like your compliments), though Willow was pictured last week. They get jealous if one gets the attention and not the other. Hope all is well where you are.
Your summer reading is off to a strong start! Not sure I’ll get to either book, but am glad you enjoyed them. Sweet Stella… still loving life at 13!
Thanks JoAnn, yes Stella is still loving life … and went swimming again yesterday evening. I’m glad to mark these two books off my list and I find myself reading nonfiction this week – oddly enough. Hope you’re enjoying your reads.
Great photo of Stella! Looks like she loves to swim.
Sigh. Broken Country is really where we are right now, isn’t it? Air India crash, the assassinations in MN, ICE raids, and now the bombing of Iran. I can barely stand to look at any news reports online, opting to get outside in nature as often as possible. I fear for this country of ours…
But back to your joyful photos. So great that Stella has such longevity in her genes!
Broken Country and Nesting are both on my TBR list and I’ll see about getting them on audio. I need to get back to listening to my current book (The Night We Lost Him), which I haven’t listened to in over two weeks! I hope I can remember what’s going on. RV road trips with friends aren’t very conducive to audio listening, I’m afraid.
Hope you have a lovely week, Susan.
Thanks Lesley, Stella is quite a luv and we’re so thankful she’s still with us. Both dogs just love swimming in the rivers here, but we wait for hot 80 degree days.
And it seems like: Broken Country indeed. I think getting outside into nature is the best way to cope. And maybe I’ll get to the next protest … to find like-minded people who are as worried.
The audios of these books were good. I’m curious about when you’ll get back from your RV trips. It seems they’ve been a good success for the book tour. And I like seeing all your scenic photos on your trips. Have a great week.