Jeanne Blasberg is a novelist, travel writer, and adventurer. She is a voracious reader and regularly reviews books on her blog, Goodreads, BookBub, LibraryThing, and Amazon.
Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Loved this book in its fun beginning and extremely profound ending – it’s an amazing explanation of the predicament we find ourselves in, with all of our choices and ambition and the pulls on our being. What’s more, the narrative structure was so clever and the writing so smart. I highly recommend.
This insider’s view into the world of therapy was fascinating. I learned a lot about my own issues in the process and often found myself thinking, maybe I should talk to someone. An entertaining and human examination of our ability to transform and heal.
This a realistic portrayal of conflicting loyalties. When women play so many roles and aim to please – not easy. I loved this novel for tackling modern challenges so well, not to mention grief. It’s the type of book that keeps you turning the page to see how Samantha copes with something not far flung, but all too familiar.
Sparse, raw. Engel can be succinct because her word choice is expert. I loved Sabina’s imperfections, her doubt, her confusion, her humanness. Engel is one of a new generation ushering in the literary tradition of American coming of age protagonists with one foot still in another place and a stained America. I read this book during the same period as I listened to T Kira Madden narrate her own memoir and the crossover was magical. What may have seemed like a particular experience in an earlier decade, is becoming universal with writers like Engel are giving readers insight into the experience. Grateful for this book.
Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden
This memoir was beautiful in that it truly credited the reader with the ability to carry threads through chapters and scenes that were not always linear. It was smartly written and left room to be smartly interpreted. The use of language was sparse yet elegant and moving. Madden used imagery and language in a way that evoked raw emotion. It was brutal yet compassionate and written from a place of love instead of spite – something I truly admire in accounts of painful childhoods. We do love our parents, despite their imperfections and long absences.
I just read The Body Papers by Grace Talusan and am also reading Vida by Patricia Engel – the themes and characters/narrators are very complimentary. I am so inspired by this generation of memoirists.
A Better Next is Maren Cooper’s touching debut detailing one woman’s journey through divorce and professional challenge. Jess Lawson is devoted to her family and its veneer of perfection, but in her preoccupation with work, she fails to acknowledge her disintegrating marriage. This novel explores healing, recovery, and the satisfaction one gains from enduring friendships. Featuring a strong female protagonist who takes charge of her life, A Better Next would be a fitting and meaningful read for those entering new chapters in their lives.
I loved this book in its beautiful portrayal of three women, who in the hands of a less gifted and insightful writer, might have come off as stereotypical. I could identify with each of these women in some way and felt true empathy for them. Taddeo has the ability to distill ages and ages of female experience into concise phrases and descriptions. She gives poetic voice to what others may have written as tawdry or crude. This is book is mainly about female desire, but also about body image and self worth. And heartbreakingly, it is about the female friends and acquaintances who are often times the first to bring you down.
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
A very touching love story. Set against the backdrop of the Iranian revolution, The Stationery Shop is also a story of what we cling too after suffering loss. The interplay of 1953 Iran scenery against the 1960’s in America was artfully arranged and compelling as well.
The Body Papers: A Memoir by Grace Talusan
This memoir is written as a collection of essays. The author’s story is a complex weaving of the “American Dream” with the sacrifices and struggles her family must deal with. Talusan approaches themes of race, abuse, and illness with such perspective, compassion and intelligence. She has created a beautiful, and important book that describes painful loss, but mostly the human spirit’s ability to be resilient.
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I listened to the audio version which was superbly performed. Such a unique structure for a novel, it captured the group dynamic and the time period so well. TJR wrote with expert musical authority and a knowledge of song writing. A great novel that memorializes an era of great rock bands.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb 
Appearances by Sondra Helene
Vida by Patricia Engel
A Better Next by Maren Cooper 
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo