Chapter 14 - Love in the Time of Cholera

Most of us are if not self-isolating, spending more time at home and less time in stores or among crowds. While that leaves us more time for reading, it can be a stressful time regardless. So I took a Facebook poll of our friends and asked what books they were reading to keep their minds off COVID-19.

Here were some great suggestions:

Pawley's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank - One of our friends figured if her spring break was cancelled at least she could travel by book. Pawley's Island is a terrific book, laugh out loud funny, with well developed characters and storyline. Just read it with a pina colada in hand and pretend you are on the beach.

This Tender Land by William Kent Kruger - The friend who suggested this book had never read Kruger before but indicated she would again. The story takes place in 1932 and is about four children who escape from a brutal Indian Training School and discover what being a family is really about.

The Paris Orphan by Natasha Lester - Based loosely on the life of World War II era Lee Miller, a model turned photojournalist. the book is about an orphaned French girl who is taken in by a group of American soldiers. While photojournalist Jessica May combats sexism as she tries to get her stories, the friendship of three people, one of whom is the Paris orphan, change her life forever.

The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva - In The Kill Artist, Daniel Silva introduces Gabriel Allon, an art restorer who has worked for Israel secret service in the past. After 12 years of "retirement" he is called upon once more to handle someone who is killing prominent Israelis.

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter - This standalone novel by Slaughter, (she has a few series), tells the story of two sisters who suffered a traumatic event as children. Now, years later, when a similar event happens again, secrets are unburied.

The Black Ice by Michael Connelly - This book is one of the Harry Bosch series by Connelly. "Black Ice" is a dangerous concoction of heroin, cocaine, and PCP manufactured in Mexico and shipped through our porous borders. Harry Bosch gets pulled into the drug underworld while investigating the death of a dealer.

What are you reading to keep you sane during these times of stress?