Reader’s Cafe

Laila Lalami’s Dream Hotel: A Cautionary Tale

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Sara Hussein is a woman whose life requires juggling multiple balls. She is an archivist, a mother of toddler twins, and is for the most part happily married. She had been having trouble sleeping. A working mother with twin babies. Who wouldn't welcome a harmless device to help deepen the little sleep she was getting. It was a no brainer and decided to have a device implanted that promised to improve and deepen her sleep. Dreamscape, a tech company, marketed this as a sleep aid but is, in fact, sharing its data. No one was more surprised than Sara.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Latest Novel: A Dream Count Unpacked

Posted on by Jan tramontano

In this latest novel by Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, she explores the idea of dream count, a backwards look at the past in the hope of arriving at a better future. If the past is filled with so much unrealized potential, how can the failed affairs of old be transformed?

Unraveling a Dark Legacy

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Just out today... a good choice to read by the fire on a snowy night. Storm Publishing 2025 The Hunt is the third book in Dunnett's Erica Sands mystery series. While I have not read the first two, I was totally engaged and never felt at a loss. In a nutshell, DCI Sands is the … Continue reading Unraveling a Dark Legacy

Cape Cod’s Literary Gems: ‘The House on Oyster Street’ Review

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Cape Cod. I’ve been going there for summer vacations since I was a child. For years, my husband and I have made the trek to Provincetown, the excuse being the Tennessee Williams Festival. True we love the festival but it is only a solid reason not … Continue reading Cape Cod’s Literary Gems: ‘The House on Oyster Street’ Review

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson: A Story of Resilience

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This novel by Charmaine Wilkerson explores themes of loss, grief, and family trauma within a well-educated Black family in Connecticut. It follows Ebby, a survivor of her brother's murder, as she grapples with her past while reclaiming a family heirloom. The narrative, told through multiple perspectives, adds depth and emotional resonance.

Everything We Never Had, A Story of Fathers and Sons

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This beautifully crafted novel was written for a young adult audience but I would recommend it for teens and adults alike.Long listed for the National Book Award it is the tale of four generations of Filipino Americans grappling with identity, past trauma and the long reach it has into the future.

Slipping into the Past

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This book is not an easy read. If I had read it a couple of years ago, I would have been reminded of how far we've come from the days of back alley abortions, substandard reproductive health care and forced adoptions. Although abortion laws in Canada are still in place, we have taken a giant leap backward with the Dobbs decision overturning Roe. It changes what should have been a historical perspective into a frightening look at where we are heading. I would say this book may now be categorized as historical fiction but if we stay on the current trajectory, it will read as a contemporary novel.

Predicting Death: A Review of Moriarty’s Latest Novel

Posted on by Jan tramontano

n Liane Moriarty’s tenth novel, she once again throws her characters into spontaneous crisis. The book opens with a scene we are all familiar with. A flight delay. The cause doesn’t really matter. It sets the reader up to relate to what starts out as a very common day we’ve all experienced and then abruptly becomes a life changer.

Cork O’Connor’s Latest Mystery: Ojibwe Culture Explored

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This is the 20th book in the series featuring Cork O’Connor. Set in northern Minnesota, these mysteries highlight issues facing the interplay of the white population and the Ojibwe. Cork O'Connor, half Irish and half Ojibwe, always finds himself negotiating the two worlds. I have read about ten of these books and although I missed many … Continue reading Cork O’Connor’s Latest Mystery: Ojibwe Culture Explored

There Are Rivers in the Sky: A Single Drop of Water Connects Then and Now

Posted on by Jan tramontano

It’s hard to know where to begin talking about this book. Its breath is massive. It is the story of three characters, two rivers, the Tigris and Thames, and an ancient poem. And beneath it all, it connects us all through a single drop of water. Where else can you find a story that begins … Continue reading There Are Rivers in the Sky: A Single Drop of Water Connects Then and Now