This contest period's winners were Gerry D., Roxana G. and Shelby S., who each received a copy of FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston and THE STORM WE MADE by Vanessa Chan.
Richard N B
Solito by Javier Zamora
This is a memoir of the author’s own harrowing journey from El Salvador to the USA when he was only nine years old. He started out with joy and excitement, anticipating a couple of weeks of adventure ending in a reunion with his parents. But the reality was a month's-long feat of endurance, deprivation and courage.
Rose
The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year-Old Man by David von Drehle
A truly remarkable story about a man who lived through the majority of the 20th Century. Born in middle America, Charlie traveled to LA, attended Northwestern University, became a doctor, and served in the war. He was also married several times. I found this story to be fascinating, especially with all the unique things that Charlie did. Very enjoyable story about this remarkable man. Lesson to all - speak to your elders and learn their story. They are fascinating!!! Cherish those that have gone before us and have paved the way.
Rose
The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken
I read this after hearing Ann Patchett recommend it. However, I didn't love it as much as she did. The book is about a writer grieving the death of her mother, and how difficult it is to deal with the loss and her grief. She had visited London with her mother, a larger-than-life personality, and now that her mother died, she goes back to London to wander the streets alone. She remembers various things they did and tries to work through her sorrow. She is also trying to deal with sale and disposal of her mother's house, which she really can't deal with, and lets it go without truly dealing with it. This book reads like a memoir, although it is a novel.
Rose
Cutting Teeth by Chandler Baker
Ugh - a book where children bleed their parents dry by drinking their blood? YUCK. I know this is to be darkly humorous, but I think the book would have been good without the drinking blood portion, and depicting children as evil. I am not a fan of books that paint children with an evil or sinister purpose. The mystery of the murder and the scandal around a few of the people was good without the macabre portion of the story.
Susan
A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan
Extremely interesting about the KKK during the 1920s. Egan did an excellent job in researching material for the book. This is the second book by Egan that I have read. Excellent writer.
Dianne
The Maid by Nita Prose
Another wonderful portrayal of autism as Molly solves a mystery.
Susan
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
My favorite book this year. It not only deals with racism and class but deals with all of dealing with lies and secrets never told. Does it matter if we learn the secrets after our loved ones are gone? Do we forgive or not? I thought it was powerful and makes you think and ponder.
Sandra
The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
So interesting.
Michelle
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
Retired spies living in Maine? This was an exciting start to what will be a series. Gerritsen’s extensive catalog of crime novels is apparent - her smart plot line and snappy dialog made this a 5-star read for me and I can’t wait for more in the series!
Karen
The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel
Heartwrenching but a must-read.
Rosa
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Another wonderful novel from Ann Patchett. It is spring 2020 and Lara and Joe Nelson and their three daughters, Emily, Maisie, and Nell, are together at their family's cherry orchard in Michigan. It is harvest time. While picking cherries, Lara uses the time to tell her daughters about the time in her young life when she dated the famous Oscar-winning movie star, Peter Duke. Patchett skillfully tells Lara's story and weaves it into the present time. The storytelling (Lara's and Patchett's) is the thing. The words are beautiful and the theme of family is stunning. I savored every sentence.
Jeanne
We Three Kings by Crystal Claudill, Cara Putman and Angela Ruth Strong
WE THREE KINGS is a delightful collection of three Christmas novellas which perfectly blend together the Gilded Age, World War II and then into a more modern-day setting. It is about the wealthy Weise family and three generations of Weise men who are searching for love during the holiday season. "Star of Wonder" by Crystal Caudill is an enchanting love story centered around Aldrich Weise. "Beauty Bright" by Cara Putman is centered around Lieutenant Charles Weise as he sails on the Christmas-themed luxurious family steamer ship. "Perfect Light" by Angela Ruth Strong centers around Brandon Wise who is feels an attraction towards his event planner for his magnificent Christmas festival. All three of these stories delighted and enchanted me.
Cheryl
Absolution by Alice McDermott
I listened to this book and rewound it over and over again just to hear the words again and again. I went out and bought a hard copy and reread it. I also bought copies to give as Christmas gifts. Alice McDermott is one of the greatest writers of my generation. Her prose is magical and lyrical.
Karen
West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
The best book I read this year. Good story, great feel for the history of the time, good characters!
Donna
The Whalebone Theater by Joanna Quinn
Excellent read. A tale of intertwined lives and fates.
Amy
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
Very thought-provoking - plan to select it when it is my turn to pick the book for.
Marilyn
The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
Well written, interesting story and viewpoint.
MH
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Delightful book by the author of THE MAID. The maid solves another mystery using her powers of observation and the wisdom her grandmother passed on to her. Be sure to have read THE MAID before you read this one as there are several spoilers in this one.
Gerry
Founding Partisans: Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams, and the Brawling Birth of American Politics by H. W. Brands
This was an excellent choice for an audiobook rather than print because so much of the book consisted of quotes from letters or other writings by historical figures themselves. H. W. Brands did a fantastic job of following the thread of history while enhancing it greatly with first-hand accounts by the participants. The end result was an engaging, never dry or boring, account of the early years of our nation as we moved from a loose confederation of states that banded together only to throw off the oppressive rule of the British king into a united country that sought to balance the needs and rights of individuals, states, and the country as a whole.
Gerry
Small World by Jonathan Evison
This was an amazing book, so well written and cleverly organized into short chapters that gradually unfolded the story of American expansion across the continent, the coast-to-coast connection formed by the transcontinental railroad, and the generations of Natives, immigrants, and enslaved persons who built this country as they built their own lives. Highly recommended.
Gerry
Absolution by Alice McDermott
After hearing Alice McDermott talk about this novel at the Free Library of Philadelphia last month, I was eager to read it. The novel is in the form of letters between two women who met in Vietnam in the 1960s. Tricia was a shy newly wed whose attorney husband was working with the US Navy. Rainey was then the young daughter of another Navy wife, Charlene, who took Tricia under her wing and drew her in to her many projects helping poor Vietnamese women and children. The letters are written decades later, when both Tricia and Rainey -- the latter now an adult and a wife and mother -- had both returned to the US, and were prompted by Rainey's effort to learn more about her mother's experienced in Vietnam. Very engaging and informative.
Gerry
This is Happiness by Niall Williams
I listened to the audiobook, which was wonderfully narrated in a true Irish accent. This story of a young boy coming of age in a small Irish village in the 1950s had many appealing parts, but moved too slowly to hold my interest consistently. Definitely a character-driven novel, with poetic writing and beautiful imagery.
Gerry
The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt
The first quarter of this book was engaging and I felt a sense of empathy for the main character, a man of about my own age -- though he seemed much older to me -- who had lived for years with limited engagement with or connection to other people. After that, the story moved to the past, to describe events from earlier years, which quickly devolved into the farcical, not a style of humor I generally enjoy. I kept reading, looking forward hopefully to the resolution of the cliffhanger that ended the first section, but was again disappointed, after slogging through some silly backstories, that the ending was equally silly.
Gerry
Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia
I loved the sensory images in this novel; they brought Cuba vividly to life through sights, sounds, and smells. Interesting women were portrayed, all strong characters, held together by bonds of family loyalty even as they were torn apart by conflicting political beliefs as Cuba was torn by revolutionary fervor. The plot was somewhat difficult to follow, both because of frequent shifts back and forth in time, and also because of the frequent insertion of magical realism. Overall, a good novel I’m happy to have found, and a chance to revisit Cuba in the decades long before my actual visit.
Gerry
A Kind of Freedom by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
A KIND OF FREEDOM tells the story of three generations in a Creole/Black family in New Orleans, always striving to make their way in a world that puts up so many barriers. Evelyn and Reynard are the first generation, a couple who met before WWII, were separated when he enlisted, but reunited after his discharge and raised two daughters. Daughter Jackie is a single mom struggling to raise her son even as she grieves the loss of her husband and her son's father to drug addiction. And finally, there's TC, Jackie's son who is determined to be present for his child in the way his own father never was. I found this novel somewhat depressing (though likely realistic) as the family's struggles became greater with each new generation. 3-1/2 stars.
Gerry
The Bodies Keep Coming: Dispatches from a Trauma Surgeon on Racism, Violence, and How We Heal by Brian H. Williams
This very well-written book is equal parts personal memoir and exploration of the impact of systemic racism on health care outcomes in the US, and it's one I recommend highly. Dr. Brian Williams was the trauma surgeon on call during the incident in Dallas on July 7, 2016, when a Black shooter targeted White police officers during an otherwise peaceful protest over the deaths of Black men at the hands of police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota earlier that week. Dr. Williams' visceral response to the trauma he witnessed that day and on so many others days went beyond heartfelt sympathy for the victims, and led him to begin exploring the increasing frequency of gun violence in our country, and its intersection with poverty and racism.
Gerry
Class Mom by Laurie Gelman
Cute and enjoyable story about the trials and tribulations of the classroom mom for her son’s kindergarten class.
Gerry
Go as a River by Shelley Read
3-1/2 stars. This book held my interest for the most part, but it was never one I couldn't wait to get back to. A young girl of seventeen encounters a stranger, an unfamiliar young man, and there's an intense mutual attraction that changes the course of both their lives. Set in the post-WWII years in rural Colorado, GO AS A RIVER is a coming-of-age novel that follows the main character for about three decades as she copes with obstacles and difficult decisions, learning along the way to trust her own judgment and forgive herself for what she perceives as her failings.
Gerry
Deep Places: A Memoir of Ilness and Discovery by Ross Douthat
Douthat is an excellent writer, no surprise given his long career as a journalist. His account of his ten-year struggles to get an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Lyme disease is a window into the limits of medical knowledge and practice. More importantly, he offers an empathetic perspective on chronic disease and the toll such conditions take on sufferers who are too often treated with paternalistic condescension by physicians who can’t help them and conclude their symptoms must be imagined or exaggerated. I’ve known several individuals who struggled with Lyme, chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia, and found this account helpful to better understand what they’ve gone (or continue to go) through.
Gerry
She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders by Jennifer Finney Boylan
I was introduced to Jennifer Finney Boylan as the co-author with Jodi Picoult of MAD HONEY, and was pleased to discover this memoir as I sought to learn a bit more about her journey. An excellent writer (not surprising, as she's an English professor as well as a writer), Jenny very openly shares her struggles from early childhood with feeling that her "self" didn't match her body. It wasn't that she believed she "was" female, but that she felt, to her very core, that she "should be" female. She spent many years fighting against those feelings, trying to suppress and ignore them, until she was finally diagnosed by a mental health professional as transgender. This memoir tells the story of her transition and its impact on her and her family.
Donna
The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe
Madeline Force is a youngster when she first caught a glimpse of John J. Astor and immediately fell in love. He meets her when she is 17 years old and falls in love with her. She is from the upper middle class and he is way above her in wealth and society along with being 30 years older than Madeline. She becomes the target of the press and society. They marry when she turns 18 and she soon becomes pregnant. Their honeymoon is spent on the Titanic and tragedy enters their lives. Shana did considerable research for this novel and the detail is magnificent. She places the reader in every location and experience.
Gerry
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore
Fascinating book by the current governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, which examines the many commonalities and contrasts in his own life and that of another young man, also a Baltimore native, who shares his name. Based on years of interviews not only with the "other" Wes Moore, but also with other people who'd known one or the other of the men, this book tells the sad story of one young man who lost his freedom forever after becoming more and more deeply involved in the gang culture and drug trade, and another far luckier man, who was born into similar circumstances but who experiences vastly different circles of support and was able to complete high school, college, and even a prestigious graduate program before launching a successful career.
Donna
Star Crossed by Heather Dune Macadam and Simon Worrall
1940 Paris: WWII has reached Paris and the Nazis are tightening their hold of the city. Annette, is a 19-year-old Jewish girl who has just been accepted at the Beaux-Arts to study drawing. She spends much of her time in cafes surrounded my other artists and falls in love with Jean, a Catholic poet. Both of their families are against their plan to marry. The night before their wedding day, Annette is arrested and sent to prison. She eventually ends up in a concentration camp.
The author has done extensive research that includes letters, manuscripts, drawings, photographs and interviews of this true love story. It is a heartbreaking account of family, friends, dreams, love, the challenges and affects of the Holocaust.
Gerry
Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
This was an outstanding novel based on historical events in pre-Civil War Virginia. Pheby is the daughter of an enslaved woman and her White plantation-owner "master". She had long been told that the master had promised to free her at age 18, but shortly before that long-awaited birthday, her mother died, and the mistress of the plantation, who'd always resented both mother and daughter, took the opportunity to sell Pheby while her husband was traveling. Bought by a crude White man deeply involved in the slave trade, Pheby must adjust to her new life that requires her both to witness the cruel treatment of enslaved people and even to participate in preparing them for sale.
Donna
The Pre-Nup by Arianne Richmonde
Ava is pregnant and is suspicious that her husband, Lucas, is having an affair. Her suspicions prove to be true and she confronts Lucas threatening to leave him. Lucas claims he loves her and will do anything to save the marriage claiming that his current affair is over. Ava discovers that it isn’t over and that he is still communicating with the other woman. Ava needs to make some decisions about her future. This is a very clever story and just when you know what’s going to happen, there is a well-planned twist.
Gerry
The Armor of Light by Ken Follett
Ken Follett never fails to delight with his historical fiction. His writing is simple, direct, and easy to read, as short vignettes move the plot forward. He manages to include a great deal of history without ever getting bogged down in excessive detail. He's a master storyteller! His latest installment in the Kingsbridge series takes readers from the late eighteenth century through most of the nineteenth, ending with the Napoleonic Wars that consumed so much of Europe, and through well-developed characters at various levels of British society, which shows reader the tremendous impact of the changes wrought by the industrial revolution.
Donna
For Rosie by Marnie Vinge
Winona’s best friend, Rosie, from her childhood had been brutally murdered five years ago and Winona hasn’t recovered from this loss. She is engaged to a caring and patient man, has a good job and has been seeing a therapist since the murder. Rosie’s murderer was never caught and now, five years later, two more women have been killed and Winona is convinced that its by the same person. She becomes obsessed with finding out who killed her friend and goes down a dangerous path to discover who it is.
Gerry
The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie
This sweet story featuring generations of stitchers making, and using Singer sewing machines brought back a lot of memories of my own mother, a very talented seamstress. But it relied a bit too heavily on unlikely coincidences for my taste.
Gerry
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
3-1/2 stars for a novel that started off strong, but for me, began to bog down at about 2/3 through as the family faced one failure or delay after another. I found the narrator somewhat endearing in the early chapters, but less so as the novel progressed. Oliver too began to wear on me with his perpetual optimism and poor business sense that left him at the mercy of those who were all too willing to take advantage of him. Stegner did convey a very clear sense of the struggles faced by families as they sought to settle and build lives in the American West in the late nineteenth century, as well as the stark beauty of their surroundings. Definitely a book I'm happy to have read, though I enjoyed it less than CROSSING TO SAFETY.
Donna
The Exchange: After the Firm by John Grisham
15 years ago, Mitch and his wife went into hiding when the corrupt legal firm connected to the mob was exposed and all the lawyers were going to jail. Now he and his family are back in the states living in Manhattan and he is a partner at the largest law firm in the world. The daughter of a friend and lawyer in Italy has been kidnapped by terrorists and a ransom of $100,000,000 is to be paid or she will die. Mitch has been selected to bring her safely back to her father. This is a legal thriller that is more real than we want to know.
Donna
California Girls by Susan Mallery
Finola, Zennie and Ali are sisters and are happily anticipating their futures. Finola is excited about taking a romantic vacation in Hawaii with her husband. Zennie is dating a nice fellow and Ali has just sent out the invitations for her upcoming wedding. All three of the sisters lives are changed when they are dumped on the same weekend. How are they going to put their lives back together and continue with their lives? This is a interesting story and keeps the reader turning the pages to see how the sisters handle their challenges.
Gerry
Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash
This was a warm, relaxing story centered on a young British girl and the American family who sheltered her during WWII. I found the characters endearing for the most part and enjoyed spending time with them. The ending was perhaps predictable, but still felt just right.
Donna
Dreaming of Water by A. J. Banner
Astrid left Heron Bay seventeen years ago vowing never to return after the drowning of her younger sister. She has carried questions, doubt and guilt throughout this time. She receives an urgent phone call from her aunt to return because she has some letters to show Astrid. When Astrid arrives, her aunt has fallen and is in a coma. Astrid finds the mysterious hidden letters and attempts to find answers to questions about how her sister died. As pieces of the mystery come together, her life is threatened. This is an excellent psychological family drama with interesting twists.
Donna
The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy
1925-1994 in Germany. Max, a Jewish architect and Bettina, a German painter, met and fell in love. The war is just beginning and, eventually, their relationship is forbidden. On the day they plan to escape out of Germany, Max does not meet up with Bettina. She learns that he has been sent to Dachau. She goes to extreme measures to meet up with him to let him know he has a daughter named Clara. 1993-Cincinnati: Bettina passed away three years ago and Clara is seeking information about her father as her mother would not talk about her past. This is a heartbreaking love story taking place during WWII and the efforts and sacrifices made to survive.
Donna
Where the Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling
Packard has only been in Sandy Lake for three years and is an outsider selected to be the acting sheriff. He receives a call early one morning for a home invasion, robbery and murder. As the investigation progresses, the list of possible suspects increases as it’s obvious that people are lying. This is a twisted family drama includes police procedure, Book 2 of a standalone series that leaves you anticipating the next book.
Donna
Tracks to Freedom by Michael Reit
This is the follow up novel to BEYOND THE TRACKS. This novel can been read as a standalone. This book is based on true accounts from survivors of the Holocaust and their experience at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The details are difficult to read even though they are written with a sensitivity to the situations. The prisoners are hopeful, determined, proud and resilient. They know that they face certain death as this is a death camp, but they don’t give up regardless of the pressures and horrors they witness and experience. Survival is necessary so their stories can be told.
Donna
Into the Pines by Ryan Lill-Washington
This novel is a heart-pounding. alternating story between two women who are separately running and hiding out from a killer in an unfamiliar forest. The conclusion is a shocker.
Donna
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
If you like fantasy and gore, you will probably love this book about a 17-year-old boy who goes underground to another world that was once beautiful and was taken over by evil. He is declared “the prince” who will be the savior of the remaining people. To be fair and honest, I must admit that I do not enjoy or choose to read fantasy or sci-fi books. This is a very long book and one that I trudged through because it was selected for my book club. I felt that the author had a notebook of bizarre stories and strange things and was checking each one off as he wrote the book. I gave it an additional star rating for creativity.
Donna
Audrey Kills Again! by J. K. Ellem
One serial killer unknowingly targets another serial killer, not once, but twice. Marty, a washed up detective, is still determined to end the reign of one of the killers. This is a fast-paced, page-turning novel with a interesting conclusion.
Donna
House on Fire by D. Liebhart
Bernadette is a nurse, married and has a volatile teenage son, though they don’t live together. Her father is suffering from dementia and her mother is exhausted with caring for husband. Her best friend is killed in a car accident. Burnadette’s life is in turmoil and she is faced with challenging decisions. Her father made the family members promise to never put him in a nursing home when she was six years old. The family is trying to honor their promise even though it’s not the best option to keep this promise. This is a novel about life decisions containing a dysfunctional family, euthanasia, death and mental illness.
Donna
The Secret They Hid by Roberta Kagan
This novel takes place in Germany prior to WWI and the beginning of WWII. 1915: Leo is a responsible, kind and studious brother to, Alex, who is a handsome playboy and is often in trouble. Leo has spent his entire life protecting and cleaning up his brothers mistakes and problems. Alex marries, Adelaide, and the have two daughters. He fathers a daughter, Margot, with a Jewish whore. Leo claims the baby is his and Adelaide raises Margot. 1933: Margot marries a childhood friend, Max, though she is in love with Ben, a Jewish man she met in school. She is unaware she her mother was Jewish. Hitler is chancellor, hates Jews and is causing hardships for the Jewish people. This story involves multiple love triangles of family drama,
Donna
The First Shot by Liv Constantine
Amber, a small town girl, has big plans for a future of living a life of luxury. She does her homework, finds her mark, changes her identity and makes her move. She is successful in marrying a very rich man, but things don’t work out as she had carefully planned. I have not read but I’ve been interested in reading THE LAST MRS. PARRISH for some time. This prequel has peeked my interest even more.
Anne
The White Hare by Jane Johnson
Captivating and intriguing novel which is fascinating. Filled with vivid descriptions of the setting and excellent character portrayal.
Sharon
The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis
As Ashlyn picks up a used book that someone loved or cared about, she feels vibrations, feelings about the person who resonated with the book. And a couple of older, beautifully and identically-bound books stir very strong feelings, especially as she realizes that they are written by two different people, each expressing their understanding of the relationship they had. A mystery to be solved!
Susan
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
Heartbreaking is the word that kept recurring while reading this novel. The plot of a missing child is not unique nor is the format of several family members' grief filled lives after the disapperance. Yet the characters will stay with you in their attempts at moving on.
Beth
Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt
The book provided some history I didn't know about Nantucket, but the story felt a bit contrived and preachy.
Beth
The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
I started THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR with the wrong expectation. I expected this to be a reimagining of Agatha Christie's 11 days when she went missing. While that's true, THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR is even more about Christie's first husband's mistress, Nan. She is really the main character, and she tells the story that is so full of thrilling twists and turns, I enjoyed it more than I ever enjoyed an Agatha Christie novel.
Donna
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
Mia is a 20-year-old college student who is back home during the pandemic with her parents, twin brother and younger brother who has a form of autism called Angelman Syndrome. Her father vanishes and evidence points to a conflict with her younger brother who is non-verbal. I loved the family relationships and the insight of living with a special needs person from a sibling's point of view.
Nicole
Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
Loved it. Like the best of Stephen King’s work, there is a well-drawn cast of characters and a tight plot. Enjoyed it so much I then read THE BOOK OF ACCIDENTS (even better!), and I'm now reading WANDERERS.
Sheree
We Must Not Think of Ourselves by Lauren Grodstein
This is so relevant to the times we are living in now. Everyone should read this to develop some empathy! It was so sad to read what they had to endure and so painful to think it is still happening! I would highly recommend this book!
Donna
The Radcliffe Ladies' Reading Club by Julia Byran Thomas
Pacing at the beginning was little slow but the portrayal of women coming of age in the fifties and and the mindset of these women was very well done. Thomas gives us four women from different backgrounds thrown together at Radcliffe and how they are influenced by their "book club". A good read.
Beverlee
The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers
Great book about the tobacco industry in the 60s. The role of women as the "trophy" wives in the industry and small town, and the impact of a 15-year-old girl on the status quo make this an interesting read in my favorite genre of historical fiction!
Jill
Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda Flower
The title of this book is from the poem by Emily Dickenson. A pair of amateur sleuths, Emily Dickinson and her housemaid, Willa Noble, form a friendship and look for the murderer of Willa’s brother, Henry. The Dickinson family is a complex family with Emily’s cold father, Congressman Edward Dickinson and Emily’s sister, Lavinia, who is controlling and haughty. We get a glimpse of the politics going on in the country in 1855. Corruption, generations deep is rooted in their town of, Amherst, Massachusetts and Emily and Willa set out to uncover the truth about Willa’s brother, Henry. A light and fun read.
John
The Mistletoe Bet by Maren Moore
This is a taut medical thriller in which the protagonists face tough, life-changing decisions!
Cheryl
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
It was a fun, quirky book. It was wonderful how the author described the various cities along their route. The characters were interesting and entertaining. Wouldn't it be wonderful if a bookshop could give you the exact book you need at the moment...
Tina
The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar
I loved this novel. The author never disappoints.
WENDY
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
So, you’re a grown woman, happily married with three grown daughters. When your daughters are curious about your past, who you dated, how you met daddy and fell in love and got married, I’m sure it’s very exciting and interesting for mom, Lara, to relive the story telling it to her daughters. As far as I am concerned, not being one of her daughters, I found Lara’s story that of a small town resident who led an ordinary life. I did not find Lara’s life either exciting or interesting. Meryl Streep narrates it well; it’s not her fault the content was boring.
WENDY
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
The berry pickers are native Indian people in Nova Scotia hired to pick blueberries. Ruthie’s family earns money this way. Ruthie, at four years old, is too young to work but she goes with her parents and four siblings to the fields every day. The day that changes everything is the day that Ruthie goes missing. Nobody can find her and this sets this family on a sadder, unimaginable path. Ruthie, now Norma, lives with her mother and father, who have much lighter skin than she does, different eyes, and Norma just feels a little off as she grows up. This is the story about how Ruthie/Norma grows up and how what happened to her as a child affected her, her family, and her second family.
Jean
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
It's long, but I was a little sad when I got to the end. The characters are likeable and intriguing. The story is complex and thought-provoking. You won't be bored reading it.
carol
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
This book gives Christmas a bad name.
Kathleen
Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes
A fun book with underlying, important issues that effect our society.
Linda
Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce
On the surface this novel is a wild adventure to find a rare gold beetle in New Caledonia; but it's so much more - an unlikely friendship, pursuing your vocation, etc. And I have a newfound respect for the lowly beetle!
Sandy
The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister
The past week I have been starting books and putting them aside looking for something that I would enjoy reading. Finally found one!! THE SCENT KEEPER was wonderful!! I finished it in two days and would recommend it to anyone!
Rose
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. When Patrick's best friend and sister-in-law dies, his brother asks Patrick to take the kids while he grieves and deals with his own addiction. So, he becomes Guncle (gay uncle) to the children. Patrick is not only grieving the loss of his best friend, he is also trying to come to terms with the loss of his lover. At times this story is quite funny as when he explains all the things he does to stay thin and tan, and all the portmanteaus. Other times, the story is poignant.
Rose
The Strangers We Know by Pip Drysdale
I liked this book, mainly because the character spoke directly to the reader, keeping you advised of their thoughts. But, some of it wasn't believable. Charlie thought she had the perfect marriage to Oliver. He was handsome, smart, and successful. But, one night while she was out with her friend, Tess, she thought she saw Oliver's profile on a dating app that Tess was using. She couldn't believe that he was cheating on her, and he denied it. But, Charlie wouldn't let it go, so she snooped, and found more than she bargained for. Additionally, strange things were happening that she couldn't explain, and then one day - it all blew up.
Katrina
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Amazing sequel to FOURTH WING. Cannot wait for the third installment.
Jill
Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro
This is a story of family secrets and how they can cause ripple effects for years afterwards. Meet the Wilfs - a terrible car accident happens and the family covers up the fact their son, not their eldest (daughter), was driving the car at the time. Their actions taken to cover this fact up takes a terrible toll on the family for years. Waldo, a 12-year-old neurodivergent boy, who lives across the street many years later, helps this family face what happened. An aura of magic surrounds Waldo, making him a most endearing character. The author lets us get to know these people and their interior monologues so well that we are vested in them. Well done.
Rose
Sacrifices for Kingdoms by Patricia D'Arcy Laughlin
This is an epic novel following Elizabeth, a Trinidadian woman, as she travels with her aunt and uncle to Europe. While there, she meets Michael, a European prince, and falls deeply in love. However, she warns him that they must not act upon their feelings. Elizabeth has a deep secret and she is afraid that Michael will hate her once she tells him. Also, Elizabeth is involved in a charity, and also has deeply researched religion and the roles of men and women. She gives talks called "God Has No Gender". These talks divide the audience, and Michael believes that she is in danger as a result. The novel is LONG - 640+ pages. Much of this is filled with Elizabeth's love scenes. The ending leads you to believe there will be a sequel.
Debbie
A Christmas Vanishing by Anne Perry
This is the last Christmas novella by Anne Perry who died in 2023. I will miss her numerous series: William Monk, Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, and various others. This novella features Mariah Ellison, Charlotte Pitt’s grandmother. Mariah goes to visit her friend, Sadie Alsop, but Sadie has disappeared and no one knows what has happened. Mariah enlists the help of many local residents, especially Oliver Mallard, a local shopkeeper. The gist of the story involves personal secrets that many people wish to remain secret, but Sadie has learned these secrets. Blackmail enters the picture, and who has the most to lose to protect a secret? A short and bittersweet story.
Suzanne
Alex Cross Must Die by James Patterson
This is a very good Alex Cross storyline. Some of the previous Alex Cross books were not as compelling to read. The main mystery is about a plane that is shot down killing one hundred passagers, everyone on board.
Francisca
Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer
Several bad decision derailed Mercer’s journalism career in Canada, so he ran to Paris, where he stumbled upon Shakespeare & Co on a rainy afternoon and wound up being offered a bed in one of the many rooms of this crowded book shop. I found this very entertaining. I loved reading about his adventures scrounging for the cheapest food, picnics with friends along the Seine, the joys of free museums, and the eccentric residents of the shop, not least of which was the owner.
Sandy
Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich
I was pleasantly surprised by this, but I have quit reading the series. Time to end the series I think.
Beth
Israel by Noa Tishby
Everyone should read ISRAEL by Noa Tishby. Most people NEED to read it. As her subtitle says, it's "a simple guide to the most misunderstood country on earth." I'm not Jewish, and I don't live in Israel. Many times I've tried to read other history books or books pertaining to present-day countries in other parts of the world but gave up on them before I finished.They were like homework. Not ISRAEL. Every sentence interested me and kept my attention. Rather than repeat what Tishby tries and succeeds in making clear, I'll say that ISRAEL is an easy-to-read book that corrects misunderstandings. Read it. You may end up wanting to buy a copy for everyone you know.
Debbie
Simple French Baking by Manon Lagreve
I am really enjoying a new book club that I joined that focuses on cookbooks. I am learning so much about vegan cooking, holiday treats, and now French baking. The 80 recipes in SIMPLE FRENCH BAKING by Manon Lagreve span many areas: desserts, pastries, afternoon snacks, and sweets. So difficult to pick a recipe to make and present to the class. The recipes all require golden caster, which I have never used. The metric system is the mode of measurement, but Manon supplies the Imperial system for those American bakers unfamiliar with the metric system. The recipes are easy to follow and I am anxious for my venture into French baking.
Sean
How To Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
DNF!! I made it over a quarter of the way through but it's not worth my time. I bet some people will really love this but it wasn't for me. It's clever but too clever for its own good. Yu writes in such a way that I could skip two pages and not lose anything. That's not good. Overall, simply not for me.
Tessa
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
“Some words are more important than others – I learned this, growing up in the Scriptorium. But it took me a long time to understand why.” Esme is a wonderful character, maturing from an innocent child to curious adolescent to determined young woman, and living at a time when the Women’s Suffrage Movement was very active in England and World War I was looming. I like the way that Williams puts the focus on the “missing women” in history. She’s far from strident, but she is insistent and caused this reader to think about all the missing women is “HIS”tory.
Janet
When I Was You by Minka Kent
Interesting story. Brienne is attacked in broad daylight and left for dead. Now she is afraid of being alone in her home, so she takes in a tenant, Doctor Emberlin. So begins the gaslighting, with all its twists and turns.
Janet
I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
This kind of reads like a Hallmark movie, but the characters make this a more interesting. Who will Poppy end up with? Could it have something to do with what she found in the trash? Fun story.
Gretchen
Things I Wish I Told My Mother by Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo with James Patterson
Years ago I was a big Patterson fan. Once he started having a co-writer I found I was not happy with the results and gave up reading Patterson books. Previous to this book, the last that I read was in 2014. I friend handed me this book saying that I would enjoyed it. Yes, I did enjoy it. Would I go out and buy it on my own - no. I admit to being surprised to the ending and it did make me feel sad.
Sandy
More Than Words Can Say by Robert Barclay
This is the first book I have read by Robert Barclay and it won't be the last. Chelsea Enright has inherited a cottage by Lake Evergreen when her grandmother dies and she goes there to decide if she is going to sell it. She meets a wonderful man who is her neighbor and together they read a journal her grandmother wrote during World War 2II. This is a wonderful love story.
Rose
Drink Deep From the Well of Good Intentions by Donald Montano
John Sampson fought in the Civil War. Now that it is over, he is searching for something to make him feel again. As he wanders across the country, he finds himself in the Colorado territory. When he wanders onto the Marco Ranch, Jeffrey, the owner, believes John is there to cause trouble. He believes John was sent by Rand Calder to take their ranch. Hannah Marco doesn't feel the same. John meets Max R., owner of the next ranch, and his daughter, Arley. Arley hates Hannah and is trying to get back at her own father for loving Hannah. She takes up with Calder.
A lot of gunfighting and wrangling over land in this story. I enjoyed it, but it could have been 100 pages shorter.
Liz
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
This was the best book I read in 2023.
Rose
The Power of Dao: A Timeless Guide to Happiness and Harmony by Lou Marinoff
This book is a philosopher's depiction of the teachings of Dao. I was okay reading his descriptions and explanations of how to be happy, and how to accept things, or to make things positive, or how to achieve your dreams and not let someone take them from you. However, there were a few areas where I vehemently disagreed with the author. 1) Where he states that women are biologically manufactured to find an attractive mate so they can procreate (as if the only reason a woman exists is to make babies), and 2) This line: In the U.S., the feminist-dominated higher education system and radical left-wing media have brainwashed women, making them believe that their true happiness lies in adopting the lifestyles of men. Give me a break.
Francisca
A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe by Jessica Clare
This is the second book I’ve read in this series set in and around Painted Barrel, Wyoming. It is, of course, a holiday cowboy romance. Sage Cooper is the nicest gal in town but nobody’s girlfriend. Jason is a veteran of Afghanistan trying to run from his PTSD by working on a ranch (something he’s never done before). I’m sure you can guess the plot. It’s a fast read and there are the requisite hot-and-steamy sex scenes. Not to mention a great dog, Achilles.
Vesna
The Silent Woman by Minka Kent
Easy to read in one sitting, great to get out of a reading slump. Although a bit predictable, it was still an enjoyable read.
Rose
Being a Witch, and Other Things I Didn't Ask for by Sara Pascoe
Cute story about a young foster child, Rachel/Raya who is concerned that she may exhibit signs of schizophrenia like her mother. She begins hearing voices and runs away from her foster home. But, before she does, she hears Oscar the cat's thoughts, as well as the social worker, Bryony's thoughts. She realizes that she has the powers of a witch. Some of the book involves time travel and Raya is transported with Oscar to England in 1645. She is sentenced to be hung for being a witch. Then she is in Turkey, and in another predicament. The story is ultimately about friendship and being true to one's self.
Rose
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
Lara Jane writes love letters to the boys she loves, but never sends them. She seals them and puts them in a hat box. Then, one day, the letters are gone - sent without her knowledge. Her neighbor, Josh, who is her sister's boyfriend, gets one. The cutest boy in school, Peter, gets another. Lara Jane is bewildered. How did they get sent? But, she decides to make the best of it. She tells Josh it was nothing. Peter, who recently broke up with his girlfriend, asks Lara Jane to pretend to be his girlfriend. But, after "dating", Lara Jane starts to wonder about her feelings for both boys. Really cute, and very funny at times. A sweet story.
Roxana
Between Two Strangers by Kate White
Skyler receives a call letting her know she's been left with a significant amount of money in a trust by a man she spent one night with 12 years earlier. During that time her life changed forever when her younger sister was found dead on the grounds of a friend's house and her death remains unsolved. Secrets come to light and Skyler soon realizes that everything is connected. Great story but the end left me wanting more.
Geovanna
The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
The second book of a series of novels,The Cemetery of Forgotten Books. This a marvelous and passionate tale of love, regrets and tragedy.
Rose
Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister
DCI Julia Day is out to dinner with her family, a rare treat, when she receives a call that a woman has gone missing. Olivia has been reported missing by her housemate. Her father is quite upset that his daughter is missing and he makes sure that his daughter's case is in the forefront. The case reminds Julia of another missing person, Sadie, who went missing a year earlier. Now, Julia is confronted by someone involved in the case to go against her morals, in order to protect her own daughter. Working with her partner Jonathan, Julia is torn about what to do. Surprises right to the very end!
Rose
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land
Wow, this is quite an eye-opener. To read Stephanie Land's story of how her hard work to achieve her dream of attending college and become a writer is an inspiring story of perseverance. When she became pregnant, she made the decision to have her daughter, Mia, although her boyfriend was not very supportive. He, in fact, worked to undermine Stephanie's relationship with Mia, but Stephanie continued to do her best. The navigation of the system, in order to get benefits, medical care, and food for her child was heartbreaking. It was interesting to read about her various clients and the concern some had, and how others were indifferent. The conditions she worked in and lived in were concerning. So glad to have read this.
Tessa
Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu
First in a new cozy mystery series. I’ve visited Singapore and love the cuisine. And I love cozy mysteries with fun amateur sleuths. But I thought Yu was trying too hard to craft a complicated mystery and NOT doing enough to endear Aunty Lee and her trusty sidekick/maid, Nina, to the reader.
Laura Beth
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent
Seriously one of the most addicting eBooks I’ve read this year. It’s the perfect October creepy read. I will say that you do need to make sure the triggers aren’t too much if that’s an issue for you. The writing was impeccable and the audiobook narration was on point! This is a book like you’ve never read and won’t want to miss. I don’t want to say too much; I feel like it’s best just to dive in. You won’t hit pause!!!
Laura Beth
The Winners by Fredrik Backman
I took longer with this book, not because it was slow but because I wanted it to last. If you fell in love with this town and more importantly with these characters like me, you too will want to savor it. So much of this novel is foreshadowed. We know what is coming, and so I turned the pages a little slower so it wouldn’t get here. As always I loved the in-depth character dives in which Backman excels. I don’t think any can tap into emotion more with such sincerity. I am jealous of those readers first discovering this series and author. I thought the big gap in time between novels may lower my appreciation. Instead, I was back in step with a best friend from childhood. I don’t think these characters will ever leave me.
Laura Beth
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
First off, I would highly recommend this book to be consumed as an audiobook. The amazing Marin Ireland enhances every scene to its max capacity. For me my 5 stars come from the utterly witty dialogue and situations that made me snicker on numerous occasions. It’s not every day, you get an inside look at America’s 1% and this provides the perfect escape. At times it seems preposterous, but at the same time, it’s their reality. Even with more money than you can imagine, the Stockton family has its own set of issues which make this book into a delicious messy family drama. I categorize this as a read if you enjoyed MARRYING THE KETHCHUPS, WE ARE THE BRENNANS or even THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU, but of course in another financial stratosphere.
Laura Beth
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
I knew I wanted to read THE HOUSE OF EVE after breathing in Sadeqa Johnson's THE YELLOW WIFE. What I didn't know was how much I would absorb this historical fiction novel. It soaked into me day and night (whenever I could sneak a minute or two). We get two different paths to motherhood: one through the eyes of ambitious teenager hoping to break free of her family's poverty being the first of her line to go to college. The other is through the trials and tribulations of a lower middle class college student trying to find her place at Howard University while maintaining her own self-identity. It is so easy to get invested in these two remarkable women. No they aren't perfect, but their lives are real, moving quickly and so full of light.
Shelby
The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
THE LEFTOVER WOMAN by Jean Kwok intertwines the lives of Rebecca and Jasmine. Rebecca, a driven NYC publisher longing for a child amidst her demanding career, and Jasmine, a resilient soul from a Chinese village, are central figures in this gripping story. Jasmine’s traumatic life, sold at 14 into an abusive marriage in a culture favoring boys under the one-child policy, strikes an emotional chord. Her heartbreaking quest to reunite with her daughter, Fiona, snatched from. her, is utterly heart-breaking. Kwok’s narrative shines in her vivid portrayal of characters like Jasmine, navigating a harrowing existence, and Rebecca, torn between responsibilities and undisclosed truths.
Dawn
This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
A fantastic read! It’s a story about families, parenting, traditional roles and expectations, new roles and unexpected reactions. I loved this family.
Rose
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This is quite a remarkable story. Emma and Jesse have the perfect life. They travel all over, follow their dreams, love each other fully. High school sweethearts, they date for several years before they marry. Emma doesn't want to work for the family bookstore, Jesse also has wanderlust. But on the night before their 1st anniversary, Jesse goes on a helicopter trip to photograph Alaska, and is lost over the Pacific. Emma is distraught. She moves home to MA and begins to run the bookstore. There, she reunites with her old friend, Sam, who teaches her piano, and how to live again. They get engaged, and then Jesse calls to say he is alive. Now Emma is torn - who is her one true love? I knew who she would pick, but it still was heartbreaking.
Rose
Tell Me What I Am by Una Mannion
Nessa Garvey becomes suspicious when her sister, Deena, doesn't come to pick up her niece, Ruby. Nessa suspects Ruby's dad, Lucas, has harmed her. Now, Lucas has moved to VT from PA to avoid the accusations, but Nessa doesn't give up. Ruby lives an unusual life on Lake Champlain. She learns all sorts of skills, and is home-schooled, until the government comes to put her in school. Her father is over protective and keeps tabs on Ruby. Ruby doesn't have many memories of her mother and her mom's family, but small snippets come to her. She wonders where her mother is, what happened? Both Ruby and Nessa start to dig into the mystery.
Beautiful but sad story.
Kimberley
The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan
This is a beautiful love story. Natasha and her husband are returning from vacation with their young daughter. As it is a long haul flight, the family has a layover at a rental home in Vienna. Rushed to catch their final flight their daughter’s beloved toy, Moolah is left behind. The young mom does whatever she can to ease her inconsolable daughter’s pain. On social media, the toy is found by the man who rented the Vienna house after them. And here the real story begins. There are so many twists and turns. The reader is reminded to follow their heart as it is usually right.
Francisca
The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes
In 1946 some 650 women embarked on a six-weeks long journey to Great Britain, leaving Sydney harbor aboard the HMS Victorious, a royal navy aircraft carrier. The women were married to British service men whom they’d met when those men were briefly stationed in Australia during WWII. This is fact. Moyes own grandmother was one of those women and her story inspired this novel. I enjoyed this story.
Sandy
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
This is the story of Julia Power and three days of working in a hospital ward where she takes care of women who are pregnant and also have the flu. Parts are very sad but the ending was great!
Amy
Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
The second book in the "When in Rome" series and I enjoyed it more! I felt like I was able to relate to the characters more and it was just a wholesome book. Mostly closed-door romance if that's your sort of thing!
Donna
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Set in Jim Crow era Florida, this haunting, coming-of-age tale is heart-wrenching. A powerful story of racism, abuse and the unbreakable bond between siblings. This spectacularly-written masterpiece was inspired by a member of Due’s own family, her great uncle, Robert Stephens, who tragically died in 1937 at Florida’s Dozier School for Boys. This meticulously researched novel has earned a place as one of my all-time favorites. I highly recommend.
Donna
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
This is a riveting historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th century midwife. Beautifully written with a strong heroine who stood up for what she believed in, no matter what the cost, at a time when women were thought best seen and not heard.
Debbie
Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes
MURDER YOUR EMPLOYER begins with an interesting concept but quickly turns to a tedious journey into the curriculum of this “special” institution. The first story centers a Cliff Iverson, a recently fired worker, who plots to kill his boss who cuts corners in the construction of airplanes. Cliff actually attempts to kill his boss, Merrill Fiedley, by pushing him into the path of a transit train. The act is not successful and people immediately whisk Cliff to some mysterious school where how to murder stands as the field of study. Many words pop into the vocabulary, such as deletist - the person to kill, executor-the actual killer, and executive-the victim. Rupert Holmes inserts too many charts detailing courses of study and explanations.
Debbie
The Seafarer's Secret by Carol Ann Collins
THE SEAFARER'S SECRET by Carol Ann Collins enhanced my holiday. The story rests in Eden, North Carolina, and contains many interesting tidbits of this Outer Banks community. The characters enliven the story with the typical small town characters and the whole town knowing everyone. Two women supposedly drown, but each lady has an old ancient coin in her pocket. This leads to stories of Blackbeard’s hidden treasure. The interesting section of the novel contains tidbits of a 1700s woman’s journal. This jump into the past fired up imagination and intrigue into Blackbeard, but also pointed to the governor of the community at that time, Governor Eden. Motive must be found to find the killer.
Elizabeth
Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda
DAUGHTER OF MINE was a pleasant surprise. I hadn't read any of Megan Miranda's previous books. If you haven't either, this is a good one to start with. The daughter in DAUGHTER OF MINE is Hazel. She has two brothers. But when their father dies, he leaves his home to Hazel, alone. Why? Turns out her father wasn't really her father, and her brothers aren't really her brothers, which makes it even more mysterious. And there are so many more mysteries going on in this book, so many twists and turns! What was really going on with Hazel's father's first wife (before Hazel)? Could Hazel be mistaken about her mother (her father's second wife)?
Is there some significance to her father's to-do list. I received an ARC.
Katrina
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Excellent follow up to FOURTH WING. Highly recommend this series to anyone. I am not typically a fantasy person but this was amazing.
Donna
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
It takes someone with a special talent to transform dark aspects of their childhood into something beautiful, and that’s exactly what Trent Dalton has done here. Summing this coming-of-age tale up into three words: heartbreaking, powerful, original.
Francisca
You Sound Like a White Girl by Julissa Arce
3.5 stars. Arce came to the USA from Mexico as an eleven-year-old. She learned English, excelled at school, finished college, and was hired by Goldman Sachs. But she never felt that she fit in. Her take on this is that the white people in power will never allow brown and black people to actually assimilate in the USA culture. Arce gives many examples of ways in which white people have harmed indigenous populations, but the tone of her arguments was so angry and uncompromising that it turned me off. She has some valid points to make in this book, but in the end, I think “she doth protest too much.”
Andi
Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley
A bit of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan spirit! A cute story intersecting the lives of very different people all stuck in a town due to a winter storm. It was a bit cheesy and 'Hallmarky', but it was just what I needed. Loved how they celebrated with each religion. The characters were great, too!
Sandy
The Request by David Bell
Ryan Francis has it all - great job, wonderful wife, beautiful child, and he loves posting photos on social media. Until the night his friend Blake asks him to break into a woman's home to recover some letters that will destroy them both. When he arrives at the woman's home he finds her dead.
Determined to keep his life intact and clear his name Ryan must find the real murderer. As usual, David Bell keeps you guessing until the end. You won't believe who the real killer is!
Kimberley
The Friendship Club by Robyn Carr
This beautiful love story reminds us that we can find love and be joyful at any age. Our main characters have raised their children, lost a spouse, divorced or are set to be grandparents. Love seemed elusive as their busy lives took hold. It a sweet story full of hope, friendship, and powerful women.
Tessa
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
A particular coffee shop in a Tokyo back-alley has been serving customers for more than one hundred years. More than the coffee, the shop offers a unique experience – the chance to travel back in time to a particular moment. This was just a delightful surprise. I quickly became invested in each character’s life and his or her reasons for traveling.
Rose
One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus
Book 3 of the trilogy. The Bayview Crew is home for the summer. Addy is watching a press conference where it is mentioned that Jake may be released before a new trial. This brings up all the bad feelings and memories from when they dated. There is a billboard with a cryptic message, and the Bayview group: Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy, Nate, Maeve, Phoebe, Knox, Luis, and Kris are all targets. Jake and Chelsea/Edie have a major secret, and it could be deadly.
Chelsea-and the story of her father died is central to this story. Phoebe is kidnapped-Nate is injured, more death. Bronwyn and Nate reveal their feelings. Ashton, Addy's sister, is pregnant.
Exciting and satisfying ending.
Rose
Day: A Novel by Michael Cunningham
A look at a day in the lives of a family. Isabel and Dan, live together in Brooklyn with Isabel's gay brother, Robbie. Robbie is also in love with Dan. The book follows the family over three years, all on the same day - April 5. (2019, 2020, and 2021). So, the book looks at the pandemic and what the effects of it had on the family. The book read like a stream of consciousness, with the thoughts of the characters talking about their love and loss.
Rose
Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger
A quick Christmas thriller. Years earlier, Madeline Martin was the sole survivor of a killer. Her father, Sheriff James Martin, had been investigating the murder, and the disappearance of two young women who were Madeline's friends, until a stroke sidelined him. Now, Madeline owns a bookstore and is trying to put all this behind her. A podcaster, and sometimes author, Hayley Granger comes to town and wants to investigate the crime. Madeline wants to forget, but agrees. With the suspected killer, Evan Hardy, in jail, the community is stunned that more women have gone missing. With the help of her childhood friend, Badger (Steve Blacksmith), Madeline helps to solve the mystery.
Rose
Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry
Tom Kettle is retired from the police department and two cops come to interview him. Then, the chief comes to visit. They bring up an old case of priests who died. This causes Tom to reflect upon his life with his wife, June, and their two children. He remembers the details that June shared with him about her inappropriate treatment by the priest. He also remembers the children and what was and what could have been. But, then, are his memories real? Or are they just what his imagination has created. This book is odd because you never know what is real and what isn't.
Rose
The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis
Lauren, Alice, and Knox are all called to an old Wild West Inn by Eleanor. They are required to spend time renovating it before they can sell or claim their inheritance. Alice makes it clear that she doesn't want to be there. Lauren was her BFF, until Lauren's fiance-Alice's brother-died. Knox was Alice's high school crush, but Knox didn't know that, he was in love with someone else. Each of them had helped Eleanor, without knowing that she was actually helping them. The dialog is quick and witty and made me laugh at times. The realization of the love they shared and the gifts that Eleanor left them are touching. The rules they set in the beginning are doomed from the start - but quite funny.
Mary
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
This controversial novel was heartbreaking but stunningly written. I fell in love with each of the characters and felt very immersed in the story.
Donna
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
A stunning debut! A tale of love, racial brutality, and ultimately forgiveness. I devoured it in one day.
Liz
Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman
This is a story about the employees of a big box store. A management job has opened up and the employees go about either vying for the position themselves or trying to Saratoga the one they think will get it. I felt this book had too many characters and did not flow. One comment I read said it was an effervescent workplace comedy. I didn’t get that at all. I felt very sad for the workers and they way they were treated.
Rose
Wellness by Nathan Hill
This is ultimately a love story of Jack and Elizabeth. They secretly watch each other across the way in their apartment buildings until they meet at a club. From then on they are destined for each other, soulmates. They are in college in Chicago, Elizabeth majoring in multiple things, Jack in art. They date for 5 years, and are married for 15. Elizabeth tinkers with wellness and placebos, studying their effect. She is wondering if there is more to their life, to their family, to their love. She begins experimenting and looking for excitement elsewhere. They talk about a forever home, and sink their life savings into it, yet it is a building fraught with problems.
Jack is committed to Elizabeth. But is it enough to save their marriage?
Rose
The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
In 2019 Manhattan, a woman is cleaning out her closets and finds a diary written 30 years earlier. It is written by Ashley Smith, an American art student in London for her junior year. She is invited to her friend Emma's home for Christmas. The diary recounts how Ashley was invited by Emma and how she falls for Adam, Emma's brother. But, there is a mystery around Adam - did he kill Joanna, the young woman that Ashley resembles? Ashley's diary is at times funny and also an insight into what might happen. Now, 30 years later, the truth is revealed. This short novella is perfect to read in one sitting and a great little ghost story! I have been a fan of Peter Swanson for years and this did not disappoint.
Beth
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
Here is some of the best character-driven fiction I have ever read. Now at the end of 2023, I may be changing my choice for "best of the year" to Dennis Lehane's SMALL MERCIES. Background: the summer of 1974 in the housing projects of (Lehane's favorite) Boston, Southie to be exact. Everyone's upset about the new busing plan, that many Irish Americans will be forced to go to schools in Black neighborhoods and vice versa. This background is true. The story: Mary Pat Fennessy's 17-year-old daughter, Jules, goes missing after meeting with friends one evening. So Mary Pat looks for her, and she's not afraid of anyone. As time goes by and we learn along with Mary Pat what has probably happened.
Kimberly
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan
If you are looking for a great book to start off your New Year's reading, you can't go wrong with THE STORM WE MADE. I was amazed that this was Vanessa Chan's debut. It is so richly detailed and compelling that it feels like it was written by a highly seasoned author. I wasn't aware of any of the history involved in this story and found it to be brutal and heartbreaking. It is no wonder this beautifully-written book will be announced as GMA's book for the month of January. Add it to your list.
Anna
The Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand
I love Elin’s books so much. I don’t think I have ever rated her books below 4 stars. In this book our main character is struggling in a marriage of routine, so when an opportunity comes for her to head the local island charity gala, where all the wealthy islanders attend, she goes all in. Becoming wrapped up in an affair with a billionaire who is struggling in his own marriage as well only complicates Clare’s life further and she begins to lose herself in a tangled story of what really matters; the people that matter and that happiness is sometimes found in what we already have not what we think we need. This is the first book in a series that I plan to continue.
Kathy Levernier Goldin
The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
THE SPECTACULAR is set 1956 at the iconic Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, show plus a fabulous look behind the scenes of the famous Radio City Rockettes at beginning of their history following a 19-year-old dancer. You will get up close to this actual time in wonderful history told by a true Rockette. Plus a real NYC mystery from the 1940s, a New York bombing that went on over 16 years called the "Big Apple Bomber" who plants bombs in crowded places causing terror in NY for years. Tremendously fascinating and mysterious.
1992 as Marion Brooks is moving into Sutton Gardens an independent/assisted community. Where she feels she will live peacefully in her retirement in the comfort of her own home or join in an
Richard N B
The Last Ride of the Pony Express by Will Grant
Subtitle: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West. The Pony Express was a fast-paced horseback ride to carry the mail in the era before railroads had been completed linking the East and the West coasts of the USA. Grant decided to ride the same trail from St Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California to better understand the challenges and joys encountered by the pony express riders. I found his account very interesting. And I learned a few things about the history… and myth…of the Pony Express.
Judy
The Edge by David Baldacci
What can I say? Baldacci is always good. While this isn't his typical legal book, it is still very enjoyable.
Suzanne
Unnatural Death by Patricia Cornwell
One of my favorite authors. Another 5-star story!
Sandy
Cemetary Girl by David Bell
I usually love books by David Bell, but I didn't care for this one as much. Very disturbing and not a fabulous ending.
Lulu
My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff
A wonderful New York City/publishing memoir that also perfectly captures what it's like being a young, entry-level worker as a woman. I loved the nod to THE BEST OF EVERYTHING by Rona Jaffe at the beginning.
sherry
The Serpent Papers by Jeff Schnader
Interesting and informative about the Vietnam War and tensions in this country.
Donna
The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins
Because of its amazing character development, I would describe this as a literary thriller. It’s a brilliantly-written psychological thriller with a plot that is so much more than twists and turns for shock value. I highly recommend.
Francisca
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
3.5 stars. Decades ago, I read a children’s classic abridged version; I’ve also seen at least one of the film adaptations. I figured it was time to get to the original. It’s typical Dickens in that there are many characters and many hidden relationships between them, which will eventually be revealed and explain the seemingly “random” encounters. I enjoyed watching Pip mature from a child to a young man, and I loved his brother-in-law, Joe Gargery. On the other hand, I thought Dickens gave too little attention to the women. Miss Havisham and Estella would be ideal main characters but were relegated to supporting roles.
Katrina
The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding
I finished this book in 24 hours. Filled with twists and suspense the whole way through. Highly recommend to those who love thrillers.
Sean
The Chamber by John Grisham
John Grisham delivers another legal thriller set in the South but while compelling, this novel dragged along too many times throughout. The story is of a convicted Klansman sentenced to death who gets a new lawyer in the waning moments of his sentence, his unknown grandson. The book is heartfelt and definitely shines a light on the horrors of death row. The book is well written and proceeds as I expected, but there are some loose ends that I wished were tied up or never brought up. Overall, a decent read that will have readers feeling, but overly long and slow at times.
Rachel
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
I just love the character development of Molly in this sequel to THE MAID. Highly enjoyable.
Jeanne
The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel
THE PARIS DAUGHTER focuses on the aftermath of WW II and the effect it had on widows and children. There was fascinating detail about the lives and behaviors of artists during that time frame.
Beth
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
Of the four Ruta Sepetys books that I've read, I would rank THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE as her best. All four books bring light to history that is not widely known. But THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE is even more than that. It is unputdownable, a book that I did not want to end.
