Recent Reads

The Ship Beneath the Ice by Mensun Bound (2024)

Ever since I learned about Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 27 being marooned on the ice near Antarctica in 1914-1915 following the sinking of their ship, Endurance, and ultimately all surviving the ordeal, I have been fascinated.  I was so happy to come across this book by Mensun Bound, which details his two expeditions to the site of the sinking to attempt to locate the Endurance at the bottom of the Weddell Sea.  Bound is an incredible storyteller, setting up the book in a sort of diary format of each day of the voyages, giving background on Shackleton and his voyage mixed with happenings from Bound's own.  Even if you don't know the entire Shackleton story, Bound does a great job of providing you with details both big and small.  He also explains the technology and science behind his own expedition in an easy-to-read way.  Readers will feel his disappointment at not finding the Endurance during the first trip and elation at the discovery during the second.  Overall, a must-read for Shackleton enthusiasts but also a great read for those new to the subject.  4.5 stars

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez (2025)

After a not-so-meet-cute and an unforgettable first date, Samantha and Xavier decide a relationship between them can go no further, as Samantha is moving 2,000 miles away to help take care of her mother.  But, the two can't seem to forget each other and commit to making it work.  This was a rough one for me, not in that it was a bad story at all, but it was just so heavy and often sad.  I loved Samantha and Xavier together, and the way Jimenez juxtaposed their desire to make lasting memories and create a life together with the way Samantha's mom was being lost to dementia was especially poignant.  But their time together was often pierced with hardship, and it made me wonder if, despite their love for each other, it was really worth it.  It just seemed like hardly anything went right for them, and that made it a tough read.  I felt like Xavier was perhaps a little too perfect - yes, he had a terrible childhood, but as an adult, he always seems to say and do the right thing at all times and it felt unrealistic.  And with Samantha's family, I was a little confused at the beginning; we were just kind of dropped into their situation with not much explanation.  3.5 stars

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