We have a memoir and two novels for your reading list. The Beauty in the Breaking is a poignant and deeply reflective memoir. All the Colors of the Dark is a whodunit that is a richly layered tale of longing and obsession. And Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way is a poignant novel about the very heart of community.

A Poignant and Deeply Reflective Memoir

The Beauty in the Breaking by Michele Harper is a poignant and deeply reflective memoir that explores the intersection of personal healing and professional life as an emergency room physician. Michele Harper is a female, African American emergency room physician in a profession that is overwhelmingly male and white. Brought up in Washington, D.C., in a complicated family, she went to Harvard, where she met her husband. They stayed together through medical school until two months before she was scheduled to join the staff of a hospital in central Philadelphia when he told her he couldn’t move with her. Her marriage at an end, Harper began her new life in a new city, in a new job, as a newly single woman.

In the ensuing years, as Harper learned to become an effective ER physician, bringing insight and empathy to every patient encounter, she came to understand that each of us is broken—physically, emotionally, and psychically. How we recognize those breaks, how we try to mend them, and where we go from there are all crucial parts of the healing process.

Harper’s journey is both inspiring and thought-provoking. GET THE BOOK.

~ Cheryl Benton, Publisher The Three Tomatoes

A Richly Layered Tale of Longing and Obsession

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker is an epic story that takes place over 25+ years from 1976 to 2001. The book is set largely in the small town of Monta Clare, in the Ozark mountains of Missouri, and follows the central characters of Saint and Patch from teenagers to adulthood. It is part crime fiction, part coming-of-age, and part heartbreaking love story.

Thirteen-year-old Joseph “Patch” Macauley was born with one eye, so he wears an eye patch and imagines himself a pirate. Saint is a talented pianist, a good student, and aspiring beekeeper living alone with her grandmother Norma, who plays a significant role in the plot. The special relationship of grandmother and granddaughter is touching.

Saint and Patch become loyal friends and then tragedy strikes. Patch witnesses a masked man assaulting a girl in the woods, interrupts the attack so that the girl gets away, and becomes the victim of the predator instead. He is kidnapped and kept in total darkness in a cellar where he is visited by a different girl, heard but always unseen.

He learns her name is Grace and that there have been other girls down there before. Grace paints vivid pictures of the places she’s been, the books she’s read, the world at large. Patch eventually escapes, but Grace is nowhere to be found. During his absence, Saint has spent many months trying to bring him home and is instrumental in his release, hoping to pick up their friendship where they left off. Patch, on the other hand, has become focused on Grace, the mysterious girl who shared in his trauma. Her voice and stories inhabit his memories and dreams, and he grows obsessed with finding her.

From here the novel unfolds over decades as Saint, Patch and other members of their small town live out their lives. Searching for Grace is the underlying thread in a complicated quest that takes unexpected turns over the years and might well bring heartbreak. In his quest to find Grace, Patch encounters many other grieving families searching for missing girls, a grim theme with a compelling and complex plot. This is much more than a whodunit, however, it is also a richly layered tale of longing and obsession. GET THE BOOK.

~Joan Pagano, NYC, owner Joan Pagano Fitness

A Poignant Novel About the Very Heart of Community

Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way by Jeffrey Blount is a poignant novel that takes the reader into the very heart of a community.  Blount has beautifully written a story that is both deeply personal and universally relatable.  It captures the essence of a neighborhood through the eyes of its beloved character, Mr. Jimmy.

This story is set in a close-knit community where Mr. Jimmy, a kind-hearted and wise older man, becomes the role model.  His actions and behavior are an example of hope and guidance for the younger generation.  His life lessons, shared through everyday life, resonate with profound wisdom and simplicity.  Jeffrey Blount’s descriptions are vivid, so much emotional depth, making the characters and their experiences come alive on the page.

This book explores themes such as mentorship, resilience and the importance of preserving cultural heritage.  Mr. Jimmy’s influence goes beyond just advice, he exemplifies the spirit of the community.  He reminds readers of the impact one person can have on so many other people’s lives.  The story shows the true meaning of “it takes a village.”

This story takes a deep dive into showing the power of a community.  It also shows the importance of always doing what is right.  I loved this book so much.  This story will stick with you long after you have read the last page.  I grew up with a father who helped others and taught us the meaning of hard work, respect, and kindness. I really related to this book.  This was my first Jeffrey Blount book, but it won’t be my last.  Highly recommend this five-star read.  GET THE BOOK.

~Francene Katzen, Richmond, Virginia, advocate for parents who have children with drug addictions.