Tag Archive for: friendship

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

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When Constable Penny Martin pulled over the minibus she didn’t know what to expect having followed it with flashing lights for quite a while. On boarding Penny is met by a mixture of mostly septuagenarians and children. Lydia, the 53 year old driver, didn’t stop because they urgently need a bathroom and she was hopeful the police were clearing the way.

When they hear Penny stopped them to apprehend someone from the bus, the confessions begin. First Lydia, then an elderly man confessing to an unnamed crime, a teen with a baby promising to not do it again, followed by two elderly women – one declaring its art not crime, the other saying they all died of natural causes. But the one Penny is looking for just crossed the highway. Who knew someone that old could move so well?

Thus begins How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley. Pooley’s beginning prologue is actually almost the end of her story and we have to go back three months to find what transpired to have this mismatched crew on a bus ready to confess.

Lydia, an empty-nester with a dismissive husband, needs to fill her time. She takes a job running the Senior Citizens Social Club at the community center. Her advertisements nets her six members to begin the club.

Art is an out of work actor who is estranged from his family and a kleptomaniac. William Is retired paparazzo and Art’s best friend. Ruby is an avid knitter but seems to have trouble with proportion as everything she works on seems three sizes too large.

Anna is a retired driver with a love of vivid hair color. She is widowed five times over and uses her walker like a plow to clear her path. Pauline, a retired headmistress, seems to bully her way through life. She brought her dog, Margaret Thatcher, and defies Lydia’s reminder that dogs aren’t allowed.

Then there is Daphne. Daphne carries an air of superiority and dresses like she is having tea at the Ritz. She has lived as a recluse for the last fifteen years and the Social Club is step one in her quest to change.

Lydia has a stereotypical vision of those over seventy and thinks they’ll be working puzzles and playing bingo. The members however have other ideas – skydiving, target practice, speed dating and karate to name a few.

Before they can make any plans, Pauline has shared her opinions on several things including Lydia’s capabilities as a leader. Lydia has barely completed her silent thoughts on where Pauline can go when there is a loud crack and the ceiling falls – right on top of Pauline.

Everyone is ok including Margaret Thatcher but Pauline is dead – from a stroke not the ceiling collapse. Feeling responsible, Lydia takes Pauline’s dog home with her. To make the dog more acceptable to her husband she declares “Maggie” is a bichon frise not the mongrel she obviously is. Her husband still objects so she devises a plan to have other members of the Social Club share dog ownership with her.

Art needs a dog to perform in a talent show so he readily agrees. Daphne, surprisingly, also agrees to help. But dog ownership is secondary to the notice they find on the community center door. The town council is holding a meeting to decide the fate of the building. The town has not kept up maintenance and the collapse is a small part of larger issues plus a development company is keen to own the site.

If they close the center where will the club, the Lamaze class and Alcoholic Anonymous go? Not to mention the nursery across the hall. A lot of people depend on the council nursery, including Ziggy.

Ziggy is finishing school and had plans to study computer science at the university. An ill-considered tryst at a school dance resulted in the birth of Kylie. Saying no to adoption, Ziggy and his mom are raising his daughter alone. He already has to navigate being a single father at school and the gangs in his neighborhood, losing the nursery may be the last straw.

But this group of seniors is not willing to accept what may be fate. Art has the initial idea to partner with the nursey on their mandatory nativity program. Then Daphne, the master planner, steps in.

Together they will deal with Lydia’s philandering husband and Art’s addiction to liberating things from store shelves; protect the yarn bomber whose public yarn pieces are creating a stir; help Ziggy; and try to save the community center.

Daphne is a woman with a past and was a recluse for a reason. With the publicity they generate, can she see all her plans through before the past catches up with her?

Filled with interesting characters this is a humorous read with heart. You’ll find it in the large print section at Joplin Public Library.

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Review by Patty Crane, Reference Librarian

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

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Emma Wheeler has been the full-time caretaker for her father, who suffers from a traumatic brain injury, for a decade, while her younger sister Sylvia finished high school and college. On the day her sister is due to arrive home, after graduating from college, Emma gets an unexpected call from her manager Logan.

Typically Logan passes along writing opportunities like movie reviews and magazine articles so that Emma can support herself while also having the time to work on other writing projects that she enjoys in her downtime. But Logan’s phone call is not typical. He makes Emma an offer that she can hardly refuse – real writing work, doing what she loves – writing a romantic comedy.

Okay, maybe not writing it from scratch, but re-writing it. And the best part is that it is a re-write for (and with) her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates. He is legendary in the writing/television world and has won numerous awards for his writing. Emma is a super fan that has followed him and his work for years.

She cannot believe that she has been offered the chance to work with Charlie Yates. The CHARLIE YATES! After the initial shock and excitement, reality sets in and Emma realizes there is no way she can leave her father and spend six weeks in Los Angeles. She is resigned to turning down the offer; however, after she tells her sister about the opportunity, Sylvia insists that she go. She assures Emma she will stay and take care of their father. After all, it is her turn to help.

After some convincing, Emma is soon headed to Los Angeles, but after Logan picks her up from the airport and takes her to meet Charlie, she realizes that not all the things Logan told her are true. Instead of her dream writing experience she is soon playing a starring role in a drama where Charlie Yates, who turns out to be a grump, is refusing to work with her.

Little does Charlie know that Emma is not one to give up so easily on her dreams. Based on her conviction that love matters and that it is her duty to stand up for rom-coms she devises a plan for getting the script rewritten and if she can change Charlie’s mind about love, all the better.

Bestselling author Katherine Center has outdone herself with her newest book. It is funny, clever, sassy and relatable. Her character development with Emma and Charlie is superb and they both feel like real people. Both have their insecurities and flaws, but they are also likable, well–round characters. Even the secondary characters are well done.

This book was a delicious treat to read and I would recommend it to those looking for a romantic comedy without any spice. Emma and Charlie’s relationship is sweet and the witty banter and humor they have with each other is spot on. I would give Center’s latest addition to the rom-com genre a perfect ten.

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director

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When you are a single woman in her twenties and starting a career, saying yes to new adventures and possibilities is fun and thrilling. Saying yes when you are 20-25 years older with an established career and a family can be exhausting. And, as the four ladies in Gretchen Anthony’s new novel find, it can also jeopardize a friendship.

Tired Ladies Take a Stand introduces us to Emma, Fern, Carolina, and Andi. Emma, a teacher recently divorced from an unfaithful husband, has a daughter getting married in six short months. Fern is a writer who can’t find anything she wants to write about. She and her husband have two sons in college and a daughter ready to graduate and head to a university on the east coast. Carolina, a corporate executive with an exercise fetish, has an understanding partner. And Andi is a human rights attorney currently handling way too many cases, leaving her husband to parent their teenage son.

These four ladies became fast friends after they formed a book club. They encouraged each other to try new things and were there with support when life didn’t go as planned. After her writing career started Fern wrote essays about some of their adventures and lessons learned. She pulled those together into a book called “Smart Girls Say Yes”. She didn’t use full names but anyone who know Fern can identify them. She also didn’t ask or inform her friends about the stories she was sharing.

But these ladies have always had each other’s back, at least until the night of the engagement party. Emma has to make a toast at her daughter’s party. She really wants to do well and outshine her ex who brought the woman he was cheating with. She needs the support of her friends but when her moment comes only Carolina is there to cheer her on.

Andi left to find coffee so she can stay awake and Fern is in the bathroom hiding while she texts and makes phone calls. Smart Girls Say Yes has found a resurgence through TikTok and Fern just got an offer to option it. Fern, however, is the only one thrilled with the news.
Hurt and fed up, Emma tells them each what they are ignoring. They need a lesson in learning to say no. Andi’s humanitarian work is exhausting her, Carolina is a workaholic that exercises way too much, and Fern wrote a book about them without changing their names and included moments, one day in particular for Emma, that they didn’t want shared. Now she wants it made into a movie? Emma says no.

Anthony tells these ladies’ stories in chapters alternating with excerpts from Smart Girls Say Yes. So you get a glimpse of what they were like when young and relatively carefree and now when responsibilities weigh them down.

In the six months from the engagement party in March to the wedding in September, each lady will have decisions to make. Fern’s is a decision that will affect them all. If she says yes it will be a dream come true and give her family much needed financial support. But what are the consequences of that decision for her friends?

Andi’s clients need her and the number keeps growing. But what is the travel and workload doing to her son and husband? Carolina seems to be on top of everything at work but exercise is her stress reducer and her stress is off the charts. What happens when her body and her partner say enough?

Emma has said her no but can she stay the course? She has a wedding to make perfect and a single life to navigate. Plus she has tasked herself with being the buffer between her daughter and Doris, the passive-aggressive future mother-in-law. Then there’s that long ago day that Fern included in the book. The incident on that day is one that will do damage to someone with a lot to lose.

This book is a fun read. The characters are likable with issues a lot of working women recognize. I will admit that the format threw me at first because it was hard to keep everyone straight. Once I had the characters identified, I really enjoyed this story about strong women and friendship.

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Book review by Patty Crane, Reference Librarian

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

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For twenty years, each time Daphne Bell meets a new man the universe sends her a sign for how long their relationship is destined to last – Noah, five weeks; Hugo, three months; Tae, two years and two months – but this time, as she heads out for a blind date with Jake, it’s different. His name is there, but the expiration date is missing.

She is both taken aback, but also giddy, because she is convinced this must be the start of her final relationship. The one without end, or at least the one she is going to marry and live out her life with.

Her date with Jake goes well and they have a good connection. He is caring, attentive and a steady presence at all times. However, as their courtship and eventual engagement progress Daphne finds herself feeling unsure and questioning the universe on the lack of timeline it has assigned for Jake.

Through the help of her friends – Hugo, an ex boyfriend turned best friend; Irina, her boss; and Kendra, a previous co-worker – Daphne learns the importance of opening up and sharing the truth, even if it is difficult. She learns that it is up to her to choose her destiny and not to depend on anyone else to decide for her.

I have enjoyed Rebecca Serle’s previous books – IN FIVE YEARS, THE DINNER LIST, ONE ITALIAN SUMMER – and her latest offering is no different. I love that this book feels different than her previous books. I am always impressed at her quiet, calm way of writing a story. The set up is always key and usually there is a missing piece, and this title is no different. The pacing is exact and the character development is a focus. Each relationship Daphne has is meaningful, whether it is her best friend Hugo or her boss Irina. Even Murphy, her dog, has a personality and special connection with Daphne.

One reviewer called this book “a sugary confection.” I think this is the most perfect description – “sweet, light, enjoyable, fun” – all the things I look for in a quick summer read. This one may have gone a little too quickly though, because I did feel like I needed to know more about what happened to Daphne after the book ended. Or maybe that is just because I was curious about her? Either way, I thought it was compulsively readable and a page-turner. Readers will want to grab this one quickly, before summer expires.

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director

Find the book in the catalog.

The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand

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Hopefully the idea of summer reading brings to mind getting outside, perhaps on the beach, and taking time to get lost in a good book or two.  In Libraryland this type of book is usually called a beach read, even if you’re not at the beach. They usually end up being some of my favorites each year. In my mind beach reads are light, fluffy, hard to put down quick reads that one would want to take on vacation.  They can be hardcover or paperback, but softcovers are my go to, since they are lighter and take up less space, allowing me to pack even more books.  Which do you prefer: hardcovers, paperbacks, or maybe even your Kindle or iPhone for eBook reading?  

Either way, you cannot go wrong, reading is reading, and as we move into a time of warmer temperatures and greener spaces, I love to think about what my summer reading will shape up to include.  One title that I would recommend adding to your list now is THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand. It has all the elements of a great beach read – summer setting, compulsively readable, and just a hint of romance.

From her social media accounts Hollis Shaw’s life looks picturesque and perfect.  She’s married to Matthew, a heart surgeon, lives in a large, modern house, spends summers in Nantucket, has raised a smart, accomplished daughter who is away at college, and has a popular food blog called Hungry with Hollis. 

But after a winter-time accident that takes Matthew’s life right before Christmas, Hollis’ world comes crashing down. She tries to find comfort in her work and her daughter, but neither offers the support she needs. The only bright spot is a woman who she met through her blog – Gigi Ling.  Gigi offers a compassionate, listen ear and Hollis is so thankful for her friendship. However, after Hollis makes a heartbreaking confession about having a fight with Matthew before his accident, Gigi disappears, too.

As the seasons change from winter to summer, Hollis does what she normally does, returns home to Nantucket.  She hopes this might help improve her mental outlook, but it is only harder because Nantucket contains a version of Matthew that was more relaxed and fun when they were there.  The memories are unbearably hard for Hollis.  She is having trouble sleeping and eating, until one day she finds an article on the internet about what another widow did to help herself after the death of her husband.  It’s called The Five Star Weekend.

The premise of The Five Star Weekend is that you invite one friend from each phase of your life, for a total of four friends, on a trip, or as Hollis does, to your home, to spend the weekend together celebrating the friendships that have helped make you who you are today. 

Hollis loves this idea – “five women together for the weekend, and a weekend filled with elevated experiences worthy of five stars.” She immediately starts to organize her own Five Star Weekend with her friends and plans to have them visit in two weeks.  She invites her childhood best friend Tatum, her college best friend Dru-Ann, her “prime of life” best friend Brooke, and she struggles for a fourth friend, but finally settles on Gigi Ling.  

What could possibly go wrong?  Hollis soon finds out that her vision of a low-key weekend is not to be had.  Her friends are there to support her, but they all have past or current drama that keeps getting mixed in with the girls’ weekend activities. Shenanigans ensue and secrets abound.  All making for a delightful, dramatic read.

Not everyone can go to Nantucket this summer, but readers can get a glimpse of what it might be like through Elin Hilderbrand’s eyes. THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND is a pleasure to read.  

Here are a few more of my favorite beach reads from year’s past: 

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director

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The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni

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Thanks to being born with red eyes, a condition known as ocular albinism, life for Sam Hill has never been easy. Fortunately he grew up in a loving home, where his mother continually assured him that he was going to have an extraordinary life. However, his life at school and in public were much different. From his first day of school, when the Catholic school’s head nun refused to admit him, through his high school graduation where he was overlooked as valedictorian, despite having the best grades, he has had to put up with bullying and discrimination. Classmates called him “Devil Boy” and “Sam Hell” and not only refused to play or interact with him, but actively bullied him.

His devout mother called his condition “God’s Will,” but Sam has never been sure. What he does believe is that God or the Blessed Mother or some form of divine intervention must have been responsible for Ernie Caldwell and Mickie Kennedy attending his elementary school and becoming his two best friends. The three outcasts band together throughout childhood and continue to be a support system for each other into the present day. Without his two friends, Sam is not sure where he would be today.

After some foreshadowing in the book’s foreword, the book alternates between Sam’s past and present life. Sam’s childhood nemesis David Bateman appears in both time periods and while not the entire focus of the novel, past and present revolve around many of the actions taken by David and Sam. And create a visual of how their relationship has been formed. Ultimately, a surprising turn of events causes Sam to question his life’s choices and eventually step away from the life he has created, seeking purpose and meaning elsewhere.

All the elements of the book come together to create a page turner that readers will find difficult to put down. I was immensely impressed with how the story came together. Good pacing, foreshadowing and alternating between past and present provide the hook to make most readers eager to finish.

While a completely separate book, without many plot similarities, Robert Dugoni’s novel reminded me a bit of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus. Especially because of the character. Sam, his mother, Ernie and Mickie are well developed, quirky, strong and mostly likable. I felt the same way about the characters in Garmus’ popular novel. Dugoni does a great job building his characters and sharing their motivations and desires. Most readers can only hope for family and friends as great as Sam’s. Dugoni shares at the end of the novel that his mother and brother provided the inspiration for the novel. That makes sense when considering how much the characters are the doorway into the book.

You will not want to miss The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell. It is truly EXTRAORDINARY.

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Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director.

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

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The setting for Lisa See’s latest New York Times bestselling novel, LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, is fifteenth century China.  A place where women are encouraged to follow a traditional path, usually one dictated by their father or husband. 

Tan Yunxian, the novel’s narrator, is reminded of this by her mother as the book opens.  Respectful Lady imparts, “Whether animal or woman, we are a man’s possessions. We women exist to give him heirs and feed, clothe and amuse him. Never forget that.” Her mother offers this advice as she and Yunxian are both trying to manage the pain of footbinding. 

Education is usually not part of the path set forth by men for the women in their lives, and the idea is reinforced by Confucius who is quoted as saying, “an educated woman is a worthless woman.”  However, Yunxian is different from most women in China. She has led a life of great privilege, thanks to the wealth of her family, and is surrounded by educated people, including her grandmother, who is one of a few female doctors. 

Yunxian’s path to medicine starts early, due to her ailing mother. During this time period, male doctors were not allowed to see or touch a female patient.  They needed another person, usually the husband, to serve as a go-between, to ask questions and provide the recommended treatment, but when Respectful Lady falls ill, Yunxian is chosen to carry out this task.  Despite Yunxian’s attention and care, her mother ultimately succumbs to an infection and the eight year old cannot help but feel like there should have been more she could have done to help. 

After her mother’s death Yunxian’s father must depart Laizhou for Beijing to take his next level imperial exams, so she is sent to live at her paternal grandparents’ compound in Wuxi. Medicine has been in her family for generations and both her grandparents are doctors.

After settling in, Yunxian’s grandmother begins to teach her medicine, specifically medicine to help women. Being a female doctor allows Yunxian’s grandmother the opportunity to properly examine women and treat them, unlike how it works for male doctors.

In addition to Confucius teachings not valuing women, midwives are considered less than doctors because they soil their hands with blood during labor and delivery, so it is necessary for a doctor to work closely with a midwife. Yunxian’s grandmother values the help of midwives and works closely with a woman named Midwife Shi. The midwife’s daughter, Meiling, is apprenticing for her, and she and Yunxian become best friends as they help with the medical work. 

For seven years, Yunxian learns alongside her grandmother and Midwife Shi. While Yunxian is learning medicine, her bride price is also being negotiated, so at fifteen she marries the son of a wealthy merchant. 

After her wedding, Yunxian goes to live with her husband’s family. Her mother-in-law, who is in charge of the household, forbids Yunxian from not only treating women in the compound, but from corresponding and being friends with Meiling. Yunxian is left feeling isolated and alone.  

 The remainder of the book reflects on the struggle that Yunxian faces in reconciling her education and upbringing with her married life. As the book title suggests, it is only possible due to her “circle of women.” 

Lisa See’s newest offering is phenomenal! I love how she based the book on the true story of Tan Yunxian. The characters are well drawn and Yunxian felt like a living, breathing person to me.  Not only does See’s research and the history she incorporated shine throughout, but the plot is compelling and relatable. I could not stop reading this novel. Readers will feel like they are part of the Ming dynasty thanks to See’s descriptions of daily life – the food, the culture, the traditions and the scenery. Also, note that Lisa See’s headshot for the book was taken in front of the marriage bed that has been in her family for generations. I highly recommend this one.

Find the book in the catalog. 

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director. 

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

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In April, the Library hosted bestselling author Shelby Van Pelt.  Following her presentation, during the Q&A, an audience member asked what she was currently reading.  She shared that she had just finished a new book by Steven Rowley called The Celebrants. She loved it and thought that it was a powerful, thought-provoking read. 

I am a Rowley fan, so I knew I had to read his latest and immediately added myself to the Library’s hold list.  Several weeks later, the book was ready for me and I could hardly wait to start reading it.  

It is the story of five long-time friends – Jordan, Jordy, Craig, Marielle, and Naomi.  A pack that used to be six, but a few weeks before the group’s graduation from Berkeley, their friend Alec died. His death, right on the cusp of their group entering the adult world, without each other, left them shaken and questioning what their lives and connections would look like after graduation.  

After Alec’s funeral, the friends gather at Naomi’s parent’s house in Big Sur, and spend the time comforting each other and rehashing Alec’s death. During the visit, Marielle suggests the remaining friends make a pact. The rules of the pact being, they will drop everything and get together when one of them calls and requests it. They will throw the requestor a living “funeral.” A group celebration to stop and remind themselves that life can be hard, but worth it, especially with one’s friends in their corner. During times of need these gatherings will be pockets of time where they share their love for one another.  

During the next 28 years, the five friends meet up for “funerals” on three occasions, but the newest call to action is different. Jordan has something he has been keeping from the group and it will not be an easy secret to share, and for the group, not something easy to process.  

Rowley has crafted a beautiful composition to the power and beauty of friendship and what lifelong support looks like. This is not a sappy story, more of the matter-of-fact, read between the lines, style that Rowley is known for, but the elements combined to make an emotional (grab the tissues) and heartfelt offering that reminds readers to not leave anything unsaid. 

Full disclosure, I did not love this book when I first started reading it.  Some, if not all, of the characters are not very likable, at least not from the beginning of the book. They are flawed, and Rowley’s writing style and the way the book jumps between points of time, make this more challenging. But I am so glad I stuck with and finished it. 

At one point, it all just clicked and I was able to realize why he had written it to move from present day to past events in the uneven manner that he did.  The story and the friendships really resonated with me. Friends are there to provide hope, encouragement, and to remind you why this life is worth living. Kudos, Steven Rowley, you have crafted another winner. 

Find the book in the catalog. 

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director

Happy Place by Emily Henry

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With summer on the way, it is a good time to start thinking about what books to take on vacation. To me, vacation reading has become synonymous with a category of fiction called Beach Reads.  These are some of my favorite books to read while sitting at the beach enjoying the sand, surf and summer vibes or even on a staycation where I am nowhere near the beach. 

Beach Reads, according to Book Riot, are “light, fluffy, or compulsively readable novels that are perfect to take on vacation.”  One of my favorite authors, Emily Henry, has a brand new addition to the Beach Read genre, just in time for summer, and it is my pleasure to share about it. 

In Henry’s latest offering, Harriet, Sabrina and Cleo have been inseparable friends since they were assigned to room together their freshman year of college. Years later, the trio have grown up and added partners Wyn, Parth and Kimmy to their group, but they still meet yearly, at Sabrina’s family’s house in a small coastal Maine town for the annual lobster festival.  This is one of Harriet’s happy places and she is excited to see her friends again. 

Currently, Harriet is a determined surgical resident who tries to keep the peace wherever she goes. If her friends argue, she provides a distraction.  This has been one of her key life skills since childhood when her parents and her older sister would get into giant fights.  Harriet is the peacemaker and it has served her well over the years.  She is always trying to make others happy.  So much so that in her own life she is not sure what actually makes her happy.  

This, and a combination of other events, have led to Harriet and Wyn splitting up, however; her friends are unaware because neither of the pair have told anyone.  Wyn agreed he would not attend the trip, making up an excuse so their friends would not find out, so Harriet is shocked to arrive at the cottage and find Wyn in the kitchen. After a big announcement from Sabrina, the pair have to quickly figure out how to handle the situation and what they will do for a full week in the presence of their closest friends. 

Soon they are rooming in one of the primary bedrooms, which offers no privacy, all the while trying to avoid each other at all costs.  What could possibly go wrong? 

Emily Henry is one of my favorite authors.  Her books always have strong, flawed characters that are struggling to figure out life. Her writing is witty and I like how she draws the story out. The reader never gets the full story during the introductory part.  She leaves clues and hints and parcels it out a bit at a time. It keeps readers turning the pages and guessing what will happen next. While this newest title reads a little predictably, I loved the themes of connection, growth and soul searching that were included.

Happy Beach Reading this summer! 

Find the book in the catalog. 

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

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I first stumbled upon author Sabaa Tahir when her fantasy series An Ember in the Ashes was suggested to me. While this book review does not cover that series it was fabulous and I have since suggested it to those interested in the fantasy genre. So when Tahir released a standalone book in 2022 I knew I had to read it, and I am so glad that I did. Something that has drawn me to Tahir is her prose. Tahir is an author that can invoke in readers the emotions that her characters are experiencing, possessing a talent for bringing to life emotions that typically can only be felt. That being said, Tahir’s writing might not be for every reader as she does not shy away from “negative” emotions or topics; on the contrary, she explores them, putting them right in your face, and makes you listen. All My Rage follows two Pakistani American high school students as they navigate trauma and healing, and how to do so together.

Misbah is from Lahore, Pakistan, where she married as a young woman before her and her new husband immigrated to California to experience the American Dream. Misbah’s dream comes to life when they become owners of a motel, which she names The Cloud’s Rest Motel. Misbah takes care of the motel and the finances as her husband struggles with alcoholism. Misbah’s passions are the motel and her son, Salahudin, and Salahudin’s best friend, Noor. 

Salahudin (Sal) has never entirely fit in with his fellow students until, in elementary school, a new student walks into his class: Noor. Noor is like him, a Pakistani American struggling to make friends and find a place in the world. This instantly draws the two together and they become as close as family until high school when they have The Fight. Now they aren’t talking and everything is going wrong. When tragedy strikes Sal is faced with an impossible situation that brings Noor back into his life. 

Noor moved to America when she was 6 years old following a tragedy that put her in the care of her uncle, who owns a liquor store in California. Noor finds kinship with Sal, a fellow outsider, and Misbah, who is like a mother to her. Despite this Noor struggles to both be accepted and fit into the culture around her, yearning for the culture she never got to fully experience in Pakistan. Noor’s uncle is impossibly strict, and when Sal and Noor get into The Fight, Noor is left feeling completely alone, even cutting communication with Misbah. When Sal attempts to save The Cloud’s Rest Motel Noor is caught in the backlash, forcing both of them to discover what friendship is worth.

All My Rage is narrated by these three complex characters, jumping to the past for Misbah’s narration, and the present for Sal and Noor’s. All three characters are simultaneously reeling from the tragedies of their past while facing down the tragedies of their present. Intermixed they are also finding love and friendship. Sal and Noor have a friendship that, even in the wake of The Fight, runs deep, providing moments of hope and laughter within the novel. The novel highlights, among many other things, the struggles individuals who immigrate and their children can go through, and how dark life can be. Yet within that darkness Tahir also provides light, layering devastation with a story that is truly moving.

Note: If you are considering reading All My Rage I suggest looking at the content warnings before reading. 

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Review by Sarah Turner-Hill, Adult Programming Coordinator