What's on Katie's Nightstand

There’s stay-up-all-night-til-you-finish good. For my pale Labor Day self, though, Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend turned out to be burn-your-back-because-you-can’t-put-the-book-down-to-reapply-sunscreen good. I chose this one because of Jodi Piccoult’s ringing endorsement, but didn’t find it to be quite as original as she promised. Rather, it felt like a mix of the compulsive creepiness of Room and the fascinating mind exploration of The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-time -- a highly readable mix nonetheless!

Then there’s linger-like-you’re-in-a-lovely-dream good. Tigers in Red Weather is that sort of historical reverie that loosens my grip on reality, taking me pleasantly away from the everyday and entangling me in its alter universe. And when the alter universe is vintage Martha’s Vineyard with a punctual afternoon cocktail, my own un-mopped floor doesn’t seem that pertinent. Like some other recent time-period faves -- The Paris Wife and Rules of Civility -- I may have reread the last few chapters to delay the inevitable wake-up-to-modern-day-reality.