This contest period's winners were Debbie G., Sharon P. and Wendy G., who each received a copy of SYMPHONY OF SECRETS by Brendan Slocumb and WITH MY LITTLE EYE by Joshilyn Jackson.
Jane
Just A Cowboy's Convenient Marriage by Jessie Gussman
This is my first book to read by Jessie Gussman. Won't be my last. A crazy woman comes running into town chasing a cow chasing a pig. This is how Smith first meets her. He is planning to ask Aunt April about the ranch she said she would give him. Aunt April has to decide what to do because she doesn't want to make Abrielle have to move out. So she poses a convenient marriage between Smith and Abrielle. They have one week to decide. They both live in house for that week to get to decide. Smith not Abrielle likes the idea but both want the ranch. Will it or will it not work? Good clean book.
Beckky
Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig
So, neither of the two wars did I know much about before I read this. I don’t know a lot more after finishing the book. Greece and Turkey in 1897 got into pitched battles over I’m not quite sure what and Betsy Hayes, Smith College graduate, decided she needed to be a nurse and save lives. Unfortunately, she was NOT a nurse and, in fact, she knew little about nursing. But Betsy was determined to do whatever SHE wanted, and so she cajoled her way into a nursing cohort. It was nothing like she imagined. A year later, the United States and Spain got into a bitter war. And Betsy talked her way into a Red Cross nursing unit. Her reasoning is complicated. (Read the book.)
Alyson
The Mayfair Bookshop by Eliza Knight
Of course, books play a prominent part in this story about a bookstore. It's a novel of Mary Mitford and the pursuit of happiness.
Rose
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Such a clever story!!! A crime writer tells a story about a crime committed by his brother, and then also recounts how all the other people in his family have killed someone. Much of it is explained throughout the story, with the narrator, Ern, short for Ernest, telling you where you should look for clues and murders. He also mentions rules for writing a crime novel and things you should not let fool you. This was such a clever way to tell a story, and it kept me interested the whole time. I loved it!
Ann Marie
The Eden Test by Adam Sternbergh
I liked this. I listened to it on audio. It was a fresh plot. I couldn't stand how corny Daisy and her husband were but I did like the twist at the end. I'd recommend it, though it's not for everyone.
Joan
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
The story is beautifully told, and the main character is so very likable. A book I will not forget!
Kaley
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
Tessa Bailey has really done a fantastic job with the two books I’ve recently read of hers. Specifically with HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER she’s keep me wanting to read more and more. Very descriptive and edgy.
Laurie
Coronation Year by Jennifer Robson
THE GOWN by Jennifer Robson has always been a favorite ‘royal-adjacent historical novel but now readers, who enjoy that genre, have an excellent new chapter to enjoy in CORONATION YEAR!
The three main characters are very different, interesting and colorful as they converge on the day of Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation. A very timely read!
Judy
The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki
So many wonderful segments to her life, including the building of Mar-a-Lago later in her life. The establishment and growth in the Post company that changed our way of buying and making our meals is so interesting. Worth your time to read.
Mimi
Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
Some people will say it is too soon to read a book about the pandemic, but I think Jodi Picoult does an incredible job describing two sides of the event that brought the world to a standstill. Diana is stranded on an island of the Galapagos while her fiancé is in NYC on the front lines as a doctor. Two very different different perspectives. Yet at the same time, both individuals wondering what their lives will be like if they “survive” the pandemic in their own way. Picoult is once again giving the reader all the details and shying away from nothing!
Sharon
I Will FInd You by Harlan Coben
Loved this book!
Nancy
This Isn’t Going to End Well: The True Story of a Man I Thought I Knew by Daniel Wallace
Daniel Wallace’s book about his friend and brother-in-law William Nealy reminds us that people hide their deepest mental distress. They don’t talk about the most awful things that happen to them. You can see their struggle in their choices, self-destructive or acts of self-hate, or the aspiration to prove their worth through sacrifice and risk. But we are, in the end, strangers to one another. Wallace couldn’t stop trying to understand Nealy. After his suicide, after his sister’s death, he discovers Nealy’s journals. Private or not, he had to read them. And he discovers the man he never knew. A shattering memoir that offers compassionate insight.
Mickey
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
Alice discovers the ability to time travel and tries to find a cure for her ailing father. I really enjoyed this book and it resonated with how I’ve been feeling lately with loss of my dad.
Richard N B
Death on the River of Doubt by Samantha Seiple
Subtitle: Theodore Roosevelt's Amazon Adventure. This book details the expedition to chart a previously uncharted tributary of the Amazon. To say that this journey was treacherous is an understatement. It’s a great introduction to Roosevelt for the younger set, and it piqued my interest sufficiently that I’m moving Candice Millard’s book on the same episode farther up on my TBR list.
Sharon
Homecoming by Kate Morton
Filled with twists, clues, love, passion, pain, sorrow, and mysteries galore, this is probably the best book I've read in the past year.
Elizabeth
Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls
Really enjoyed this story. It has it all - fast-paced plot, compelling characters and a setting that is sets the plot in motion.
MH
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Although I don’t usually like romances, this one had an added layer. I found the insight into abusive relationships helpful; the subject was treated with sensitivity. In addition, there were heartbreaking scenes with the homeless boy Atlas.
Vesna
The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci
First time reading this author, and it did not disappoint. Fast-paced thriller that had me reading till all hours of the night. I'm definitely going to read more titles by the author and am looking forward to discussing this with my book club at our first in person meeting for the year next week.
Niki
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
A somewhat dysfunctional family depending on their wealth for a good life finally grow up in their adult years and become real humans.
Kathy
The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
I wish I had read this in a class, where there would be on-going discussion and explanation. It is a story of good and evil, opposing each other. We had a lively discussion about this, comparing it to what is happening in our country now, with the forces of evil hard at work! A complicated old classic, but well worth the effort!
Gerry
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
3-1/2 stars for a mostly engaging novel centered on a female Soviet sniper during world War II. Lyudmila "Mila" Pavlichenko was a single mother with a young son when she enrolled in a marksmanship training program, determined to prove to herself and to the man who'd fathered the boy that she could teach him anything he needed to learn. Proving to be an exceptional student, she enlisted in the Soviet army as a sniper after the Nazis invaded her homeland, and became famous as "Lady Death" the marksman who was personally responsible for at least 309 kills. In 1942, she was a member of a Soviet delegation to the United States seeking to persuade President Franklin Roosevelt to support the Soviets in their fight against Germany.
Gerry
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
This was an incredibly powerful novel, structured as a story within a story within a story. Sage is a young woman whose parents are both dead; she's also estranged from her sisters so is largely alone in the world, except for her grandmother, with whom she is very close. She works as a baker, an occupation that allows her to work alone at night and have minimal contact with other people. After she befriends an elderly man who is a customer at the bakery cafe, he confesses to her the terrible crimes in his past, and asks her to help him die. The well-written story explores themes of guilt, redemption, and forgiveness, and though it can be brutally difficult to read at times, could also be the basis for an excellent discussion.
Gerry
Spare by Prince Harry
Much of this memoir by Prince Harry struck me as overwrought whining, and I came very close to putting it aside a few times. Only in the final third of the book, with the focus on his relationship with Megan and their eventual departure from the Royal Family, did Harry's story engage my interest and my sympathies, and generate some real anger at the treatment meted out to them by the press, the "paps" (paparazzi), the staff of the royal household, and especially by Harry's brother William, and his father, now King Charles. I'm certain William and Charles would tell a very different story, but somehow, Harry's version of this part of his life rings true for me.
Gerry
The Human Origins of Beatrice Potter and Other Essential Ghosts by Soraya Palmer
For me, listening to the audiobook may not have been the ideal choice for this book. While the narrator was excellent, I often found it challenging to follow the twists and turns in the story, as it moved back and forth between Brooklyn and Trinidad, between the past and the present. Zora and Sasha were interesting characters, and I enjoyed following their ups and downs as they coped with their parents' erratic and sometimes violent behavior, explored their own sexuality, and dealt with peer issues typical of teen years. Beatrice's story was painful but did help flesh out her character and make her more understandable, if not particularly likable. Nigel, their father, is equally unlikable, moving in and out of his daughters' lives.
Gerry
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
This was a light, easy, and mostly enjoyable glimpse into the lifestyle of the truly wealthy, the 1%. The Stockton family are "old money" and have long dominated the real estate investment market in Brooklyn. Their three adult children have never had to worry about money, being endowed with substantial trust funds from both sets of grandparents in addition to the largesse of their parents. The story follows the the parents, their children, and the children's spouses through various changes that impact relationships within and among the pairings, meandering to a bland ending. 3-1/2 stars for a novel that didn't quite live up to prepublication hype.
Gerry
Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict
Interesting historical fiction about Rosalind Franklin, a scientist whose research using x-ray imaging was instrumental in (and perhaps stolen by) Crick and Watson’s development of their model of DNA.
Gerry
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
Angie Kim’s debut novel, MIRACLE CREEK, was wonderful, but she’s surpassed even that with this second novel about a family in crisis. Twenty-year-old twins John and Mia have grown apart in recent years, but they need to work together more than ever when their father fails to return home after a visit to a nearby park with their younger brother Eugene. Eugene returns, bloody and clearly upset, but he can’t tell them what happened; he is unable to speak due to his dual disabilities, autism and Angelman’s Syndrome. Narrated by Mia, the novel is focused on the search for their father but also explores each family member’s relationship with Eugene and the nature of disability, language, and familial bonds.
Gerry
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
ALL MY RAGE is a YA novel centered on two teens, both immigrants from Pakistan, who met as young children in California and bonded over their mutual "outsider" status. Salahudin, called Sal, lives with his parents at the motel they purchased after coming to the U.S. His father is an alcoholic and leaves most of the work of running the hotel to his wife, who becomes seriously ill but is unable to obtain needed care because the family has no health insurance. Noor was orphaned in Pakistan and brought to the U.S. by her uncle, who resents having given up his own dream on going to college in order to care for her, and who is mired in bitterness and anger. Both Sal and Noor hope to escape their small town and their small lives.
Gerry
The Foundling by Ann Leary
The author’s search for information about her orphaned grandmother was the impetus for her writing this novel set in a home for “feebleminded women of childbearing age” in the 1920s. The institution was run by a well-regarded female psychiatrist known for her advocacy for women’s rights. Mary, a young woman hired as a secretary at the institution is surprised to learn that her childhood friend from the orphanage where she was raised is now an inmate at the institution. The more she learns about the inmates and the practices at the institution, the more Mary begins to question its true purpose.
Dorothy
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
Excellent read from the beginning to the end. Loved it and have recommended it many times and all seem to enjoy it.
Marilyn
Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict
An enjoyable book experiencing a side of the Carnegie family through the eyes of the lady’s maid, who herself has insights into her employers and herself.
Elizabeth
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
Great. Based on true events.
Lindy Lou
Weyward by Emilia Hart
Well done!! The author simultaneously unwound three stories spanning three generations. I literally could not wait to turn the page.
Rosa
The Humans by Matt Haig
This book was a wonder. I read it for book club and I look forward to the lively discussion that I expect. The premise is interesting: an alien has arrived on Earth to murder Andrew Martin, a renowned mathematician who has solved the Riemann Hypothesis. In solving this puzzle, Andrew has unknowingly affected the future of the universe, and this alien is here to prevent that. Reading this masterpiece (and I believe this, that this book is a masterpiece) makes me want to start over and read it again. Which I will.
Denise
Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft
This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole ride! I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. The suspense was killing me! I didn’t want to do anything else while reading this!
Sheree
The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi
I love this author and I love this series. I got the audio version of this book and listened on the way to work every morning! I couldn't wait to go to work. It is the best series out there. I love family stories and this one is so good. I can't wait for the next book in the series come out! I would highly recommend this author and book!
Anne Marie
The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter
I'm hooked! The worse thing about Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series is that I'm not getting my work done since I am having a hard time putting the books down. While each book is a stand-alone read, I would recommend reading them in order so you can understand where Will, Faith and Sarah are really coming from and what brought them to where they are. I can't wait for this year's book to come out!
Lori
The Secret Life of Groceries by Benjamin Lorr
Interesting exploration of what it takes to get food to grocery store shelves. Particularly enjoyed the sections on the history of Trader Joe's and the trucking industry component. A bit dry and textbook-like in spots but overall a good read.
Lana
The Nazi Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
Although nonfiction history, THE NAZI CONSPIRACY is as fast-paced as any espionage thriller. About the Nazi plot to assassinate the three supreme WWII Allied leaders, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, during the Teheran Conference in Fall 1943, it delivers the planning and events leading up to the conference from the perspectives of the participating countries and Nazi Germany. I was particularly taken by the book’s identification and commendation of the individuals behind the scenes who literally put their lives on the line to protect the Allied leaders. The beginning of the book also gives an overview of Hitler’s and Nazism’s rise to power in a short time that gave me real pause in view of our country’s current political situation.
PJ
Second Shot by Cindy Dees
Great read with lots of action and twists and turns. Helen is a "retired" assassin for the CIA and now her family is being attacked. All she wants to do is to reconnect with her family and new granddog, Biscuit. Instead she's back to fighting and killing the bad guys. The book tracks two stories that come together at the end in a very interesting culmination of events. The events are very descriptive and the reader can almost feel like they are watching close by as the events unfold. This is book one of a new series and I can't wait for the next one.
Elizabeth
It's One of Us by J. T. Ellison
What a concept! Hard to put down...but I had to since it was due at the library! Reserved again and got it back!
Sonia
Fault Lines by Emily Itami
I loved this book so much that I started reading over again as soon as I finished.
Linda
The Rice Birds by Lindy Keane Carter
A historical novel that happens at a rice planter's Georgetown plantation and in Charleston, SC from 1849-1850. Two young women, an Irish indentured servant, and an enslaved African form a friendship and work together to endure and escape brutal conditions. The historical part was informative.
William
Collateral Damage by J. A. Jance
One of the best to date in Jance’s Ali Reynolds series. Ali’s husband, B. Simpson, is on his way to the airport in a hired car that is run off the road with both her husband and the driver seriously injured. Ali and the rest of the High Noon Enterprises team rush to uncover who was the target of the intentional attack - the driver or B. Simpson? An outstanding book.
Nicole
No Exit by Taylor Adams
I don't know why this sat unread on my shelf for so long! I could not put it down. Never again will I view rest stops the same! Great thriller!
Nicole
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Chessie and Emily have an interesting friendship. Details about it are intertwined with what took place in their vacation villa years ago. I thought I had it all figured out, and then there was that plot twist that got me!
Nicole
The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
Kubica never disappoints me. This sat on my shelf unread for awhile. Once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. It kept me guessing and every time I thought I had it figured out it twisted in another direction. I'd recommend this one.
Nicole
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
I enjoyed reading this book. I couldn't put it down (think I read it over two days). I would definitely check out another Hepworth book.
Debbie
Dinner with the President by Alex Prud'homme
DINNER WITH THE PRESIDENT covers the Presidents starting with George Washington. What an eye-opener! The majority of the early Presidents used slave labor for their state dinners. Please remember that the cooks/chefs prepared meals over a burning fire and cooked them with copper kettles. Wild game and garden vegetables remained the tools of delicious culinary. Many of the Presidents, especially Thomas Jefferson, combined wine and beer with each meal. Martha Washington wrote her recipes and that undertaking remains a guide for many current chefs. The cost of these meals fell upon the shoulders of the President. So many obscure facts focus on the preparation and delivery of these important dinners.
Nicole
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
With family like this who needs enemies? This story kept me guessing and gasping in surprise.
Rachel
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
I have been reading reading Agatha Christie since I was in high school. I was aware of Christie's disappearance and was fascinated with Benedict's take on the subject.
Joanne
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Loved this. The four sisters are all so different, yet have the bond of sisterhood. And William is basically without any family until he meets Julia.
Eileen
In Common by Norma Watkins
Two women in love with the same man in this epic book that spans their three adult lives. Long, but worth the read.
Maryanne
The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander
A very sweet romance.
Chris
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Love 'last chance for the end of the world" stories!
Jeanne
The Lost English Girl by Julia Kelly
THE LOST ENGLISH GIRL by Julia Kelly is one of the best historical fiction novels I have read. It is a well-written story of Viv who becomes pregnant at the age of eighteen by a young Jewish man named Joshua. Viv came from a very strict Catholic family who were appalled to think and accept the fact that their daughter had become pregnant by a man of Jewish faith. Joshua steps up and marries Viv, but on their wedding day her mother buys him off with enough money to send him to New York to try and fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a musician. War is imminent as Hitler’s troops are getting close to London and parents are forced to evacuate their young children to keep them safe.
Rose
Lungfish by Meghan Gilliss
This is a heartbreaking, yet desolate, read. Tuck is a young mom to two-year-old Agnes, trying to navigate a world where her husband, Paul, is an addict. She does everything she can to keep them alive, and Paul clean. They live on a remote Maine island where her grandmother lived. Now that her grandmother has died, they only can squat there until the bank takes the property. Tuck can't located her father to probate the will. Tuck details her struggles, her hopes, her dreams, her need to keep Agnes safe. It is a beautifully-written story, but very sad.
Susan
Dry by Jane Harper
Aaron Falk is back in town to attend the funeral of his childhood, friend Luke, his wife, Karen and young son, Billy, and as a cop is drawn into finding why Luke killed his whole family and himself, or did he?? This novel is the first I have ever read from this author and her storytelling pulls you in until the end. I will be reading more of her in the future.
Jackie
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
A beautifully-written book, my first time reading this author. Family love, drama, it has it all.
Ivy
Greenland by David Santos Donaldson
The mindset and motivation of Kip's journey towards finding his voice is quite powerful and even extreme. Yet Donaldson brings Kip right along to a resolution.
Susan
The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
This was a 2023 Reese's Book Club selection. It got a lot of publicity and hype, but the story did not live up to my expectations. In short, Maya is a high school senior headed for Boston University when her best friend, Aubrey, drops dead right in front of her and her crush, Frank. Fast forward seven years and Maya is living happily with a new man. Then, she sees a video where another woman, Cristina, drops dead at her hometown diner - again with Frank. She returns home with secrets of her own, to get to the bottom of their deaths, all while kicking her Klonopin addiction. And there is no house in the pines!
Kay
All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer
This is a story of a newly divorced woman deciding to spend her summer on Nantucket in the cottage of a friend. She later learns that her son has decided to live and work on Nantucket with his girlfriend's father for the summer. What follows is the adjustment of the mom Heather to life on the island, and to her relationship with her son and his girlfriend and her family. This book is an insightful look into the lives of all the characters. Another enjoyable book by Nancy Thayer!
Valerie
Coronation Year by Jennifer Robson
Jennifer Robson draws you into the cozy world of the Blue Lion Hotel and its endearing characters, and then propels the plot forward with a mystery set against the backdrop of the impending coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Nadine
Last Circle of Love by Lorna Landvik
Characters seem like real people and a plot the kept me reading and laughing. The friendships between the women in the circle are especially wonderful.
Betty
The Fortnight in September by R. C. Sherriff
A low-key story that follows an English family on their annual holiday. Set in the 1930s, it's a chronicle of everyday occurrences but told so beautifully. It's a little known gem, I think. Not everybody's cup of tea, but I loved it.
Beth
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I loved MALIBU RISING and DAISY JONES AND THE SIX but didn't like this book quite as much - perhaps because it was difficult to like the main character, Evelyn Hugo, though she was a complex character.
Kim
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
This suspenseful thriller takes the reader on a twisty adventure as it follows female, retired middle-aged assassins. It’s brilliant. As the mystery unfolds, the foursome are stunned to learn they have become the target. It’s very current skirting the pandemic, changes in travel and behavior. It’s quite believable and at the same time, inspiring and uplifting. A true page-turner, it is fun and great for book clubs!
Beth
The Widow Nash by Jamie Harrison
Once I passed page 300, I enjoyed THE WIDOW NASH. Up to that point, it interested me only. I kept thinking that something was going to happen to grab my attention. And something did. It just took too long. Dulcy was engaged to her father’s handsome business partner, but she found in time that he was a creep so broke off the engagement. He didn’t like that one single bit. He needed her to help figure out where her father hid their business earnings. Rather than get stuck with this horrid man, Dulcy decides to disappear. She travels west and becomes the widow Nash. This was an enticing enough storyline to keep me reading, but I had to put up with paragraph upon paragraph of unnecessary detail until I passed page 300.
Rita
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Theo Northam, an art history graduate student is working on his magazine article. While he continues to hit delete within his article he sees out his window his neighbor struggling to take things out to the curb that she no longer wants. Theo goes over to help, and the elderly neighbor warily looks at him but allows him to help her. Theo notices a painted picture of a handsome horse. He feels the need to pick up and take home it since the neighbor is throwing it out. This picture will take Theo and the reader on a journey throughout history. This book is a historical fiction about horses, racing, racism, war and love. I learned a lot from reading this book despite some of the subject matter.
Barbara
The Fun Widow's Book Tour by Zoe Fishman
I really wanted to love this book. I've read another Zoe Fishman book and really enjoyed it. Also, I was a youngish widow, so thought I'd be able to relate. On top of everything, I know the book is based on her life, so was disappointed that is was just okay for me. I did really enjoy the Mia's, road trip and her relationship with her friends, parents, and sons. The characters were all well-developed and interesting. The handling of Covid was a bit off...this super smart woman didn't see anything coming and had no idea who Dr. Fauci was. I'll still read another one of her books.
Barbara
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Wow, HELLO BEAUTIFUL is a book chock full of tangled emotions. It's a powerful novel of the many different definitions of love, family, loss, and acceptance. The Padavanos are a tight group of four sisters and their parents. When William Waters walks into the life of the oldest daughter, Julia, life will never be the same for any of them. Through challenges and heartbreaks, can they be a family again? Ann Napolitano is a wonderfully talented storyteller and writer with a special gift for writing about loss and love.
Barbara
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
This is for the audio version: Very suspenseful with plenty of twists and turns, it's a story of family and deep, dark secrets. It kept me guessing and I did not figure out the ending. I really liked the Australian accents and the way the narrator did the many character voices in the novel.
Barbara
Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Que Mai
DUST CHILD is a beautifully-written book about Amerasian children born during the Vietnam War. It will not only break your heart, it will rip it out. The book will leave you in tears not only from the sadness that the characters endure, but from the love that can come out of that tragedy and sadness. Each of the main characters is so deeply written, you can feel their desperation, anger, love, and every emotion they feel. In the U.S. we don't read much about the Vietnam War, but like much else in our history, the stories must be told. Do your book group favor and suggest this wonderful book.
Deby
Flying Solo by Linda Holmes
Fun book about finding your true self, being okay with who that person is, and living your life!
Sandy
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Read this one in two days! Lots of surprises and a great ending. Really good.
Sandy
The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel
I love historical fiction and this one does not disappoint. Must read more by this author!
Sandy
Not Young, Still Restless by Jeanne Cooper
I found the life of Jeanne Cooper fascinating, She was one of my favorite actors on the Young and the Restless. The show is not the same without her.
Rita
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
A sweet short story about the times that Grandpa and Noah spend together talking about school, mathematics and Grandma. Grandpa likes to call Noah Noah and Noah doesn't mind. Grandpa is starting to forget things so he asks Noah to tell him stories about his wife and things they all did together. It's a wonderful relationship between them. The story draws you in and you start experiencing how they are feeling.
Gretchen
The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer
This novel gives the reader the viewpoint of Germans during WWII. What would you do to survive and protect your family. How propaganda affected the people, especially the children.
Rose
Stay Awake by Megan Goldin
Liv Reese, a magazine contributor, wakes one morning disoriented and holding a knife. She wanders out of the building, tosses the knife, but realizes she is missing her purse, wallet, and phone. When she goes to her apartment, someone else is living there. Meanwhile, the police have been called to the scene of a homicide, a man has been stabbed to death. Liz sees that she has written all over her hands - Stay Awake. She doesn't know why. A bartender recognizes her, but her workplace is completely different. Liz knows that something is very wrong. Where is her friend, Amy, and her boyfriend, Marco? Liz keeps getting sinister phone calls and knows she can't fall asleep, but why? A tense thriller, has you wondering what trauma caused this.
Rose
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
This was an ambitious novel - a retelling of David Copperfield, set in Appalachia. The book follows Damon (called Demon) from his birth as a caul baby, to his addict mother's dependence on drugs. Demon is put in the foster system but later is placed in a home with the local football coach and Angus. The book details the poverty of Appalachia, the circumstances of this poverty, the opioid epidemic, addiction, teen pregnancy, and relationships. At times, it is difficult to read, especially when you recognize how these young people are addicted, but they feel they are in a dead-end situation. Well done.
Rose
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A classic story. I have wanted to read this book for a long time, and finally sat down to read it. It is a simply illustrated story of a pilot who is stranded in the desert, and who needs to repair his plane before his water is depleted. He hears a voice belonging to the Little Prince. The Little Prince helps the pilot to see the simple beauty of being a child, accepting things and seeing their beauty and worth each day.
Jean
U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton
PI Kinsey Milhone continues to grapple with the mysteries of her own family while dealing with other families in solving a 20+ year cold case of a missing girl. As often happens, the kidnapping was done for the money and the child's death was accidental. She uses a device I don't care for, with flashbacks to the earlier time from the POVs of various characters. Not sure why she felt this better than starting at the beginning and going to the end chronologically.
Debbie
The Lioness of Leiden by Robert Loewen
Bravery, compassion, and loyalty during war and troubling times provide inspiring stories. After watching Anderson Cooper’s The Whole Story about the difficult journey of individuals walking from South America to Central America to find a better life, I completed reading Robert Loewen’s fictional account of his mother-in-law’s resistance activity in The Netherlands during Hitler’s jaunt in history. Individuals risk their life to fight oppression. In The Whole Story, men with nothing helped others to reach safety, just as the Dutch hide, protect, and feed Jews during this tragic era of history. The Nazis show no remorse in torture to gain information nor in their disregard for other humans and their property.
Sally
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
I enjoyed this mystery/thriller. Read in one sitting. Lots of twists…right to the ending!
Wendy
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Beautifully-written book! The plot and characters stuck with me long after I finished reading it.
Napolitano's talent lies in interweaving stories of a close-knit family and all that goes into being a family.
Rose
The Blame Game by Sandie Jones
Naomi Chandler is a psychologist who wants to help her patients who are dealing with domestic abuse. Jacob is dealing with a wife, Vanessa, that abuses him. Anna is worried that she and her husband, Nick, are drifting apart after the death of their son Ben. As Naomi counsels these patients, she sometimes blurs the lines between professional and personal relationship. As she becomes closer to Jacob, her husband, Leon, suspects her of having an affair. When Jacob goes missing, Naomi becomes a suspect in his disappearance. Naomi also has issues due to the domestic abuse of her mother by her father, and the separation of her sister when they were children. This is a thriller with an unexpected resolution. Quick read.
Sandi
Cold People by Tom Rob Smith
Dystopian novel of an alien invasion that sent all of mankind to live in the Antarctica. Four subcultures then evolve - the original aliens, a genetically manufactured group with exceptional powers, the cold people who tolerate the conditions with super powers of their own, and the ordinary people, or the current population as we know them. The trials and tribulation of life on Antarctica and who wins the battle of supreme being. A good read - however, since I rarely read dystopian - I was looking for a great read. This book was good, just not the great read I had hoped.
JaLynn
Wretched by Emily McIntire
This book was a disappointment. I liked most of the other books enough, but the main characters in this book had nothing that made me like them as characters at all. It is a dark romance, so one is expected to be a villain. I think I struggled with the police officer turning to the dark side.
Jill
The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green
Set in WWII in Maine, this is the story of women left behind as they try to cope during the war. Asked to protect the library by her brother who goes off to fight, Avis is a non-reader but loves her brother. She forms a book club with an eclectic group which becomes a sense of comfort and support. Meeting in the library, they learn the value of reading, which serves to enrich their lives. Together they bond, united in their patriotism, but also build a strong caring community for each other. Enlightening to me as well was that there were German submarines off the Eastern coast of the United States. I highly recommend this book.
Beckky
The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian
This a mesmerizing story of love, war, murder, betrayal, politics, desire, despair, forgiveness and revenge. A noble Italian family is devastated by events during World War II. Their beloved villa, surrounded by centuries old olive and grape orchards, and a depository of Etruscan artifacts, becomes a meeting place for treasure seeking Germans. At the same time a partisan group seeks refuge in the Etruscan burial vaults. Ten years later someone begins murdering the remaining Rosatis one by one. Bohjalian is a master of character, place and plot. They come together in this thrilling detective tale to surround the reader with Italy in the waning days of the war.
Rose
Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages by Carmela Ciuraru
I did not care for this book. It is a story of how five women capitulated to the whims of their writer husbands to the detriment of their own careers/life. The book follows couples Una Troubridge and Radclyffe Hall, Elsa Morante and Alberto Moravia, Elaine Dundy and Kenneth Tynan, Elizabeth Jane Howard and Kingsley Amis, and Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl. I was personally only interested in the Neal/Dahl story, which was quite sad because the others were relatively unknown to me, although I have heard of a few of them. Just a bunch of people giving up their dreams to be a "wife" to an egotist. My recommendation? Skip it.
Sean
Blessed Are the Dead by Malla Nunn
This was my favorite of the series so far. Author Malla Nunn tells of an interesting time in history, apartheid South Africa, with amazing characters, and intriguing situations. Here, the antagonists are again put in an unenviable task of solving a murder no one cares about amidst racial and class issues. The book was entertaining as main character Emmanuel Cooper is an extremely likeable lead without being an unrealistic super cop. The looks into Zulu life was a character on its own. Overall, an excellent mystery that had me flying through pages.
Debbie
Sisters of Night and Fog by Erika Robuck
Loved the book.
Beckky
New Mercies by Sandra Dallas
Dallas is a master of the slowly unfolding plot and this book is one of the best. The Civil War is long over but the Great Depression is still affecting people’s lives when Nora, the daughter of two socially prominent Denver families, inherits a Southern mansion from an hitherto unknown relative. Still reeling from a divorce and then the death of her former husband, Nora escapes to Natchez, Mississippi. Nora discovers that her aunt had secrets just as Nora herself has secrets. Avoca, now her mansion, comes complete with retainers, secrets, a herd of goats, and a murder. Natchez is a major player in this family drama. Its citizens - family retainers in the form of two former slaves - a family lawyer.
Donna
Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff
Powerful novel about love, families, and the unshakable resilience of women in hard times.
Jill
The Woman with the Blue Star by Pam Jenoff
Excellent read about the friendship between Ella Stepanik, a Polish Gentile, and Sadie Gault, a young Jewish woman who Ella discovers has been living in Krakow's city sewers to hide from the Nazis during World War II. This is the story of how their friendship evolves under such harrowing circumstances and of what happens to both of them over the course of the war and afterward. There is an unexpected and gasp-worthy twist at the end I did not see coming! Great read.
Elizabeth
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
Lots of fun. Loved the combination of mystery and baking.
Rita
An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten
Maud is an elderly lady who is just looking for a little peace and quiet in her life. At times she likes people to think she needs hearing aids and a walker. However, Maud is quite healthy for an 88-year-old woman. Maud's father passed away when she was young and left her family bankrupt. Maud took it upon herself to make sure everyone was well taken care of and still does despite her age. I enjoyed these quirky yet dark short stories about Maud and her adventures.
Lucy
Cheri by Colette
Hard to read the translation so cheated and watched the movie on Amazon Prime.
Jeanne
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
THE HOUSE OF EVE by Sadeqa Johnson is a heart-wrenching and heartwarming story of mothers’ love for their children and the sacrifices they sometimes have to make for their children to have better lives. It is set in the 1950s and is historical fiction at its best. The mesmerizing story of Ruby and Eleanor, two girls from the poor side of town, was so emotionally charged I was on the edge of my seat, shocked by the lack of acceptance in society of unwed pregnant women, especially Black ones during that era. I found myself admiring their strength and courage and praying for each of them to never give up. Ruby falls in love with a White Jewish boy and becomes pregnant. Eleanor falls for a young man from a very wealthy, distinguished family.
Sally-Jo
Iron Lake by William Kent Kreuger
I love the character Cork O'Connor. A complex murder mystery with a spiritual Indian aura. I read this a long time ago and decided I was ready for a reread.
Tessa
Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron
Book One in the Cajun Country cozy mystery series introduces the reader to Maggie Crozat and her family who run an historic Louisiana plantation as a B&B. This has all the hallmarks of a cozy mystery: likeable amateur sleuth, romantic tension between the leading lady and the hunky cop, a gaggle of potential suspects, secrets galore, some delicious food and a lovable Basset hound named Gopher. And a few great recipes to whet the appetite.
Francisca
The Turtle Warrior by Mary Relindes Ellis
When James enlists at age seventeen and goes to Vietnam, his nine-year-old brother, Billy, has only the protection of a turtle-shell shield and a wooden sword to keep him from harm. It will be a long and fraught journey to manhood for the sensitive Billy. This is a marvelous debut. There are some horrific scenes in this book, and it is an emotionally difficult read, but the reader who can get through the horror will be rewarded with a hopeful ending.
WENDY
The Half of It by Juliette Fay
I picked a great story to read on a fourteen hour plane ride. I loved the Helen, Francie and Cal characters and how their friendships grew and evolved through high school. Helen's family situation was drawn so well with all the love, kindness, and messiness you would expect, especially during the teenage years. This is the story of love and loss, rekindling of friendships, and exploring what might have been along with the reality of what is. It is a story about healing through honesty and what happens when you do. I am definitely going to read more by this author! Apr 2023 Pub Date
WENDY
If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook
Sometimes, with families, it takes a funeral to bring everyone together. That's what happens in this story when JJ, Wilma, and CarolAnn's father dies. The three siblings are once again back in town with their mother, Ellen. After Fred's speech at the funeral, it seems like there's no getting the lid back on this pandora's box! I enjoyed the well-drawn realistic characters and their stories. The story was also well narrated. I just had to write down the family tree at the beginning to keep them all straight. If you like authors who write character-driven stories, like Mary Beth Keane and Ann Napolitano, you will enjoy this book as well. April 2023 pub date.
WENDY
The Last Carolina Girl by Meagan Church
I started listening to this story and immediately got involved in Leah's family and her life by the sea in North Carolina, 1935. My heart started racing and my anxiety level rose in anticipation of what was coming for Leah, who is fourteen. As the days and months progressed, my heart hurt, this story is just brutal. It's not the story of out and out physical abuse as much as it is emotionally draining when you think about the darkness in some people's hearts and how their personal sadness affects innocent people and alters the course of their lives. The narration is well done and it's hard to take breaks while listening to Leah's story.
Lisa
The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict
Marie Benedict never disappoints and she has done it again with this historical fiction book. I had heard the Mitford name before, but knew little about them. The story of these sisters and their family was fascinating, as was the description of how each came to their beliefs. Also, their connection to Winston Churchill added an interesting element to the story.
Linda
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
This is a historically-based "stand-alone" thriller by the author of the Maisie Dobbs series. I liked the characterization of the protagonist, Elinor, from her recruitment as a teenager in the Big War to her involvement in WWII espionage. Afterwards she entangles herself in a London mob family's exploits. A lot of intrigue!
Sheree
Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes
Loved it, loved it, loved it! It was such a fun book to read and about the murder school you go to when you want to learn how to commit murder. I am looking forward to reading more of this author's books!
MH
Desert Star by Michael Connelly
A typical Connelly novel. However, a lot of time was spent on a different crime from the main one, which was quickly solved. I expected the two crimes to connect at some point, but they didn’t.
Beth
Murder in the Park by Jeanne M. Dams
I picked up this book because it's about the suburb I live in back in 1925. I learned that there was a women's chapter of the Ku Klux Klan here then which was shocking. But otherwise, the writing was was stilted and it's handling of Black characters cringe-worthy.
Susann
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Fun and easy read. This is a choice from my book club.
Nancy
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
You better watch out. You better not shout. You better not make your kid cry. I'm telling you why. You'll be sent to the School for Good Mothers, a remedial school set in a dystopian Pennsylvania. It's not like any reform school you've heard of. Women are sentenced for a year's term, where they work with robotic dolls to learn to become good mothers before they can be returned to society -- and their children. I found this storyline particularly disturbing and depressing. I hope we never come to this. I'd be hard-pressed to recommend the book.
Tessa
The Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna by Alda P. Dobbs
Set during the Mexican Revolution of 1913, this novel is based on the author’s family history. Thirteen-year-old Petra is the de facto head of her household once her father is conscripted into the Mexican Army. Forced to flee when their village is burned, Petra leads her grandmother, younger sister and baby brother across the desert towards freedom. A marvelous story of courage in the face of adversity.
Debbie
The Hollow by Agatha Christie
Reading Agatha Christie always brings pleasure. The Hollow follows Christie’s formula for a fun mystery with the range of suspects and Hercule Poirot utilizing his gray cells. The end result provided much discussion concerning all the red herrings. This story follows the murder of Dr. John Christow. His wife, Gerda, stands in front of the dead John, holding a gun. Hercule Poirot had been walking to the neighbor’s house and heard the shot and arrived minutes after the incident. But all does not fall exactly as the scene appears. Poirot remarks many times that the murder seems staged. The gun that Gerda holds turns out to not be the weapon that killed John. As usual, Christie introduces many suspects in the quest of finding who dun it.
Katie
In the Lives of Puppets by T. J. Klune
I received an advance reader's copy from the publisher. This was the second book I have read by this author, and I looked forward to immersing myself in this new world the author created. I felt like I was along for the ride on an epic journey that reminded me at times of the Wizard of Oz, with a ragtag band of characters that you just can't help falling in love with. My favorite characters were Rambo and Nurse Ratched, and I found myself laughing many times due to their unique personalities. One of my favorite quotes from the book: "He believed that happiness comes not from bodily pleasures or wealth or power, but from living a life that's right for your soul". While reading this book I found myself telling friends how much I liked it.
Stefanie
Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman
This story is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's primary story arh involves addiction, but it is a fictional drug known as "Ghost", which allows the user to "commune with the dead". The story is very visceral, and on a subterranean level gives the reading a sense for what it is like for those who suffer from addiction - the depravity, the time-loss, the grief, and the desperation. For those of us who have lost someone close, this story is very relatable, but don't be fooled - it is gross, gory, and graphic.
Rose
The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths
This is my first Ruth Galloway book, but I am excited to go back and read the rest of the series! THE LOCKED ROOM is set during the pandemic, and Ruth is going through old photos at her dad's home when she finds one of her cottage taken years before she owned it. Some suspicious deaths made to look like suicide are happening and the women all are of a certain age and demographic. Someone goes missing. Meanwhile someone is trapped in a locked room. How does all this connect? Interesting take on a mystery set during Covid and lockdown.
Other characters - Judy and Cathbad (local druid) and Nelson, the father of Ruth's daughter.
Rose
Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths
This is the third book in the Kaur Harbinder sale. When friends reunite and remember their school years, they are concerned when another member of their group is killed. Harbinder steps in to investigate, and one of her officers, Cassie, is nervous, as she is one of the friends. She remembers that they all lured one of the boys to the railroad tracks where he died. They all kept quiet about it for years, but now, another of their group died suspiciously, and Cassie is distraught. Kaur tries to understand the connection to the bleeding heart yard, and scrutinizes the group's past. I enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed the other Harbinder book I read. I am enjoying this series.
Rose
The Burning by Jane Casey
This one was a slow build for me. Maeve Kerrigan is working on a case, The Burning Man, with Rob and other staff. When a woman stabs a man due to the tension around the case, they think they have their man, but realize they don't. Then, a woman, Rebecca Haworth, is killed in a similar fashion to the burning man MO. They head to Rebecca's apartment, where they find her friend, Louise, cleaning. Louise tells Maeve that Rebecca's ex, Gil, is violent. As Maeve and team investigate the burning man case, Maeve has doubts about Rebecca's connection to the case. When Maeve gets too close to the case and is injured, her life takes a big turn. But, this might be what she needs to solve the case.
Rose
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett
Brilliant! Hallett has written another unique mystery. This time, the correspondence is a series of transcripts of audio files recorded on an old phone. Steven "Smithy" Smith is telling his son a story of a book he found years earlier. The book was written by Edith Twyford, and Smithy took it to his remedial English teacher, Miss Iles. Miss Iles read the book to the class, and this influenced Smithy's life. He recounts a life of crime, a heist, and his stint in jail. His son tries to make sense of the transcripts and work with the investigator on the disappearance of his dad.
This is such a clever mystery! Absolutely brilliant!
Rose
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Four women, Billie, Natalie, Mary Alice, and Helen, are recruited to be part of Project Sphinx, a group of assassins who kill dictators, sex traffickers, and other awful people. Now, 40 years later, they are invited on a cruise to celebrate their retirement. However, it seems as if someone is out to kill them, and they need to use all their resources to find out who wants them dead, and to fight back against them. This was a super quick read and quite entertaining. I enjoyed rooting for this unlikely group of friends.
Liz
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Alice Wright is living a stifling life in England when she meets Bennett Van Cleeve and is swept off her feet. She marries him and moves to a small town in Kentucky only to find life is no better here and possibly even worse. That is until she hears about Eleanor Roosevelt’s program, The Packhorse Library. She decides to join this small group of women and to her amazement she discovers a whole new fulfilling life. Fans of Jojo Moyes will not be disappointed in this story.
Beth
Cleaning the Gold by Karin Slaughter and Lee Child
Karin Slaughter and Lee Child got together to write a short story about Will Trent and Jack Reacher, and the result is CLEANING THE GOLD. If you're looking for a quick read, this could be it. I would warn, though, you should already be familiar with Will Trent and Jack Reacher to appreciate this story. The two of them are both working undercover at Fort Knox, although, really, Reacher is only sort of undercover. Neither of them knows the other is undercover. I wondered how they could possibly work together and I enjoyed it. But I think that is only because I understood the characters.
Stefanie
If You Tell by Gregg Olsen
This is the kind of story that is so absurdly sadistic, so graphic in its telling that it has to be true. This nonfiction tells the story of Michelle "Shelly" Knotek and her husband Dave from the perspective of their three daughters and Shelly's mother. Shelly is a pathological liar, sadist, and master manipulator who thrives off the pain and control she inflicts on her children and those around her. I was riveted, disturbed, and I could not put this story down. It is also a great psychological assessment of how those who experience lives like the Knotek children can be impacted by having a parent like Shelly and how people like Shelly can get away with their crimes for so long.
Francisca
Inheritance by Elizabeth Acevedo
“Some people tell me to ‘fix’ my hair And by fix, they mean straighten” A wonderful essay told in verse of the Afro-Latinidad experience, when even other Dominicans have “swallowed amnesia” because “it is easier” than living ”in this reality.” In this short work, Acevedo addresses skin tone, slavery, relationships, immigration, prejudice, power and self-worth. “All I can reply is you can’t fix what was never broken."
Tessa
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
This is the story of Esperanza Cordero who lives in a poor section of Chicago and struggles to stay in school. At the time it was published there were few coming-of-age stories that portrayed people of color and the challenges of living in an inner city. Cisneros began her writing career as a poet and those roots clearly show in the book. The short chapters are vignettes of Esperanza’s life. She is like any ‘tween’ - eager and curious and sad and confused and sassy and happy and hopeful.
shelly
His Accidentally Pregnant Princess by Jennifer Faye
Cecelia had to get away. After Paul dumped her she was heartbroken he could not take the paparazzi. Cecelia was a princess but an unhappy one who had to get away. She decided she would go to France and relax and hide out while she tried to mend her broken heart. Accidents happen and that is what happened to Cecelia when she arrived. In less then a moment she was pushed down the stairs and banged on her head unconscious. When she awoke in a hospital but had no idea where she was, what happend or even her name. Antoine Dupre was her night in shinning armor as he rescued her, got her to a hospital and offered her a job and a place to stay until she hopefully remembered who she was.
Rita
The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson
Honey Lovett knew she was an orphan and that Book Woman was asked by Honey's dying biological mother, Angeline Moffit, to raise Honey. Honey loves her adopted parents and she learns a lot about loving relationships and life in the mountains from them. Honey sees her future hard but bright with love. One day her ma and pa have been arrested because of Kentucky marriage laws. Underage Honey must figure out a way to avoid the sheriff, social worker and others who think she belongs House of Reform because of her color and who her parents were. This book is filled with historical facts along with loving and caring characters. I loved the way despite some of the horrible violence that there are characters who are compassionate and caring.
Rose
Bloodline by Jess Lourey
I thought this book was a bit far-fetched. When I first started reading it, I was interested in the missing child mystery. As it went on, the book started feeling a bit like THE STEPFORD WIVES with perfection being the norm. Then, when the real story came to light, I thought it was ridiculous. The author based her story on the real-life disappearance of a young boy in her hometown, but the rest of the book was pure fiction. Jean Harken and her boyfriend Deck move to his hometown of Lilydale after Jean is mugged in Minneapolis. Initially, the small town seems ideal, but there are secrets hidden in its beginnings and the secret is very dark.
Sharon A
The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict
True to all of her past historical pieces, this one will not disappoint. So difficult to learn how these sisters embraced and worked to help Hitler accomplish his goals in Germany.
Rose
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
A quick romance novel about Nora, who writes romance screenplays for The Romance Channel. She has written a new screenplay, The Tea Room, which recounts the breakup of her marriage. Sexy star Leo Vance is playing the role of Trevor (aka Ben), and his gorgeous co-star, Naomi Sanchez, is playing the part of Ruth (aka Nora). The tea room is the writing shed that Nora uses on her property, and the actors and film crew will spend three days to film there. Leo gets close to Nora's children, Arthur (10) and Bernadette (8), and he and Nora begin a romance. Yet, when Leo ghosts Nora, her heart is broken. She can't understand why. I liked both Leo and Nora, but I couldn't understand why neither one questioned the other after the messages stopped.
