“Cairo In White” by Kelly Ann Jacobson
Eighteen-year-old Zahra has been climbing over the wall to Jamila’s house and sneaking into her girlfriend’s room for years, but that night was different…
“The Taker” by Alma Katsu
The Taker seamlessly blends history and the supernatural in a thrilling story of unrequited love and heartrending betrayal.
“Habana Libre” by Tim Wendel
Pilar has everything a young Cuban woman could want: she’s the most beautiful and talented performer at a luxe resort; she’s newly married to Omar Silva, Cuba’s star baseball player; and her uncle is one of the most prominent businessmen in the country. But she wants more. She dreams of a life outside of Cuba, in “El Norte,” and she will do anything to get there.
Politics & Prose: Revisiting First Impressions
Politics and Prose has no small claim to bookselling fame; it is one of the most successful independent bookstores in the country. The store is perhaps best known for its author events, which attract legions of famous writers and large crowds.
“American Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld
Alice Blackwell can’t stop thinking about the man camped outside the White House. He won’t leave, he pledges, until he can convince Charlie Blackwell, to end the war in Iraq. For the first time in many years, Alice begins to agree with the man: her husband, the President of the United States, is wrong.
Top Ten DC Authors
When I first began this site, my reviews were limited to DC books, authors, bookstores, and events. Though I’ve since expanded my reviews to cover all of my interests, you never forget your first love. And so, I give you my top ten list of DC authors!
“The Nobodies Album” by Carolyn Parkhurst
Can you rewrite the past?
Bestselling novelist Octavia Frost would certainly like to. And though she can’t erase the painful past that haunts her, she can change the only thing it seems she has any power over: her work.
“Wanderlust” by Elisabeth Eaves
To say that Elisabeth Eaves has caught the travel bug is to put it lightly. She is obsessed with seeing new places and meeting new people. She begins her travels by babysitting for a summer in Spain, where she has a short fling with a young waiter named Pepe.
“Skipping a Beat” by Sarah Pekkanen
Julie and Michael Dunhill have it all: a gorgeous mansion in DC, a multi-million dollar business, co-ownership in the local basketball team. But everything they have fought for in life–the money, prestige, popularity–have only driven them further apart.
“I’d Know You Anywhere” by Laura Lippman
Eliza Benedict leads a very normal life. She ought to; she’s worked hard enough for it. But there are some things Eliza can’t forget—and some things that she cannot leave behind.
“Fly Away Home” by Jennifer Weiner
For the thirty-plus years of her married life, Sylvie Woodruff has carefully monitored her words and appearance in the glare of the unforgiving spotlight trained on her, the New York senator’s wife. She works unceasingly to keep the pounds off and to support her husband’s career; even though some, like her mother, disapprove of Sylvie’s unflinching devotion to Richard, Sylvie is happy with him and the life they have built with their two daughters.
“Sweet Magic” by Michel Richard
Chef Michel Richard, owner of Citronelle restaurant in downtown D.C., is known for his savory yet unfussy cuisine. But he started out as a pastry chef, and he has returned to his roots in this book of elaborate-looking but surprisingly simple desserts.
“How to Read the Air” by Dinaw Mengestu
How to Read the Air is about failed relationships and imperfect people, and about the lasting effect of relationships on identities—for better or worse. Unfortunately, between the slow plot and the flat characterization, there was very little to draw me into this story, and even less to keep me hanging on. As a big fan of Mengestu’s first book, The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, I was disappointed in this, his sophomore offering.
“The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears” by Dinaw Mengestu
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears is a powerful story of loneliness and loss, but also of renewal and self-discovery. The spare, efficient prose is slow-moving at times, but that only showcases a narrative that is simultaneously rich and raw.
Melody Schreiber 