The Denver Post Book Review Roundup
From a coming-of-age novel set in Scotland to a Colorado Rockies historical adventure, these are some of the latest books reviewed by our writers—showcasing both national and local writers.
“Tough Luck” by Sandra Dallas
St. Martin’s Press, 2025 – 3 stars (out of 4)
This 1863-set historical novel traces 14-year-old Haidie and her small brother as they flee an Iowa orphanage to track down their long-gone father in the Colorado goldfields. Along the way, Haidie both encounters kindness and brutality in traditional frontier fashion. Sandra Dallas, a seasoned author and Denver Post contributor, brings 19th-century dialogue and hard-boiled Western realism alive vividly. Readers familiar with Colorado will be amazed at the raw, living towns of yesteryear.
— Reviewed by Kathleen Lance, Denver
[Untitled Review]
Despite the title, not a single cephalopod makes an appearance. Penelope Winters is whom readers meet, a Canadian university student studying abroad in Edinburgh, living, loving, and becoming who she is. Wry, fast-talking prose gives rise to a coming-of-age tale that feels more historical in its presentation than our times—there are a few nods made to the modern, however, including the adoption of chat apps. The characters, while engaging, fall back on familiar archetypes. A Read With Jenna book club selection.
— Reviewed by Neva Gronert, Parker
“The Bookbinder of Jericho” by Pip Williams
Ballantine Books, 2023 – 3 stars (out of 4)
From the author of The Dictionary of Lost Words, a poignant World War I-era novel of British twin sisters, Peggy and Maude, employed in an Oxford bookbindery. Maude, autistic, displays echolalia, and Peggy grapples with providing for her sister and taking advantage of a rare opportunity to attend college. Densely historical, especially about early 20th-century bookbinding, the novel also incorporates recurring characters from Williams’ previous novels.
— Reviewed by Diana Doner, Lafayette
“Naked” by David Sedaris
Little, Brown and Company, 1998 – 3 stars (out of 4)
Sedaris fans will find the irreverent humor they’ve come to love in this first book of essays. From a nudist camp encounter (“Naked”) to an offbeat family Christmas (“Dinah, the Christmas Whore”), Sedaris balances absurdity with some emotional depth underneath. Less self-reflective than his subsequent work, this volume portends the sadness hidden behind the brashness of his comedy. A genre classic for those who appreciate offbeat, unapologetic writing.
— Reviewed by Bonnie McCune, Denver (bonniemccune.com)
“Trouble Island” by Sharon Short
Minotaur Books, 2024 – 3 stars (out of 4)
This breathless mystery unravels on Lake Erie, where bodies—and secrets—are added to the tally quickly. Based on the author’s own family lore and local history, the book features bootlegging, lethal storms, and island feuds. Allegiances blur, twists fly rapidly, and readers won’t know whom to believe until the final pages.
— Kathleen Lance, Denver
