12.30.2017 - The Chalk Man

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Crown Publishing and CJ Tudor for the opportunity to read this debut book - wonderful!

This story is told from the viewpoint of Eddie in two different timeframes - 1986 and 2016.  In 1986, Eddie was in a group of friends in a small town with all that comes of growing up - bullying, family issues, school, religion.  They develop a method of communicating with each other by drawing chalk men - but one day, the chalk men lead them to a gruesome discovery.  In 2016, Ed is still living in his family home, teaching school in town, still friends with some of the group.  But the past has a way of never staying in the past.

There are so many twists in this book that I'm keeping my review short and sweet as to not spoil anything.  This book does contain some gruesome scenes but I never saw the twists coming - especially the ending.  Can't wait to read more from this author!

Check out the teaser trailer below...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYWqiVjB9EU&feature=youtu.be

12.26.2017 - Just Between Us

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Rebecca Drake for the opportunity to read and review her latest work - a great read!

This is the story of 4 friends, who meet at their children's school in an idyllic suburb of Pittsburgh.  Julie, a real estate agent, has been friends the longest with Sarah, a lawyer who is now a stay at home mom.  Allison, who works at home in IT, is a bit unsure of herself and tries hard to fit in the group.  Heather, the ex-model who is married to a plastic surgeon, appears to have it all. 

These friends bond over coffee and their children until one day Allison notices bruises on Heather and shares her fear that Heather is being abused with the other 2 friends.  When things escalate, they finally confront Heather with their suspicions.  She refuses to leave her marriage.

The phone call they all dread comes late one night and all the friends rush to Heather's aid.  But just how far will these friends go to help each other?  And what secrets are they keeping from each other?

A great, twisty tale that had me glued to the pages.  My only issue was that I had a bit of a hard time keeping track of which character's point of view I was reading.  The husbands and kids were minor players in this book and I kept having to flip back to the chapter heading to see which friend's voice was featured.  But that doesn't take away from the story - highly recommended!

12.24.2017 - Zero Day

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Atria Books and Ezekiel Boone for the opportunity to read this entire series, culminating in Zero Day.

This was such a fun, creepy series about flesh-eating spiders that overrun the world.  This book has everything coming to an end - but will it be with nuclear bombs that would destroy the rest of the US?  That's what one faction of the government wants and it's a race to see if the scientists can figure out the newest spiders to hatch and kill them before everything is wiped out.  Loved these characters - a great ending to the series!  Highly recommended!

12.24.2017 - Sweet Revenge - Passive-Agressive Desserts

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Capstone, and Heather Kim for the opportunity to read and review this fun cookbook.

Perfect for millennials - I can imagine one girlfriend gifting this to another to get over a guy.  The premise is that you can kill your enemies (exes) with kindness - or food.  While the names of the recipes and the graphics are killer, the dessert recipes are really fun and this book includes lots of helpful cooking info.  Nothing is healthy here - would you expect it to be if you are in the kitchen getting over an ex?  With cookies made from Cap'n Crunch, Cannoli Waffles, to Elvis Cupcakes with Butterscotch Candied Bacon, you'll have fun reading this book and baking from it!

12.23.2017 - Skitter

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and Ezekiel Boone for the opportunity to read Skitter - the second in the series about a spider apocalypse!

Now that the world knows about the flesh-eating spiders, mankind is at stake.  China has nuked half the country and LA is quarantined and a wasteland - but people being people they found a way to break through zones and start moving across the country.  While Melanie, the spider scientist, continues to work on an understanding, the president is faced with a nightmare decision.

I am so hooked on this creepy, crawly series and so glad I'm reading them in a row to get full enjoyment from the books.  There are so many different characters that this is definitely the way to go.  I can't wait to read #3 - Zero Day!

12.21.2017 - The Hatching

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Atria Books and Ezekiel Boone for the opportunity to read this book!

This book languished on my "to read" shelf for a long time, but I'm so glad I finally read it!  Warning - if spiders totally creep you out, get ready to be really scared! 

Strange things start happening all over the world - weird seismic activity, a businessman is killed in the jungle, a rich American dies as his plane crashes, China drops a nuclear bomb "accidentally" on its own country, and a scientist in DC receives an ancient spider egg sack that appears to be hatching.  Told in short chapters from lots of different perspectives, these stories come together in scary fashion to show how quickly the problem of these man-eating spiders is spreading.

I really got into some of these characters and the story and couldn't wait to see what happened.  Of course, there are 2 more books in this series so I'm on to #2!

12.17.2017 - The Immortalists

Many thanks to NetGalley, GP Putnam's Sons, and Chloe Benjamin for the opportunity to read and review this debut novel - outstanding!

The premise of this novel is so intriguing.  The 4 Gold siblings, Daniel, Varya, Karla and Simon, are growing up in NYC in the late 1960s.  Rumor spreads about a psychic who can tell you the date that you will die.  Intrigued, Daniel convinces his siblings to visit her.  One by one, they go into the room where the psychic tells them this information.  Shocked afterwards, most of the siblings keep the information to themselves.  But how does this information affect you?  Even if it's not true, how does it change the way you live your life?  The book follows the siblings over the next 5 decades. 

At the heart of this novel is the bond between these siblings, which is sometimes overshadowed by anger and regret, as well as the responsibility to their parents. 

A warning to those who would be offended by descriptions of gay sex, but otherwise this book drew me in and wouldn't let me go until the last page was turned.  It's a step back in time too, watching the siblings interact in the past.

Highly recommended!

12.14.2017 - The Music Shop

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Random House and Rachel Joyce for the opportunity to read and review this endearing book.

Set in London in the 1980s, this is a true ode to music.  There is a dead-end street in a declining neighborhood where Frank sets up The Music Shop and lives above the shop.  He was raised by a very unconventional mother who taught him to really listen to music.  Frank now has the ability to know just what song a person needs to get them through a crisis in their lives.  However, time is marching on and Frank is adamant about selling only vinyl - no new cassette tapes or CDs.  Joined on his street are a cast of quirky characters - Kit, a worker in Frank's shop; Maud, a tattoo artist; Fr Anthony, a retired priest; brothers who own a funeral home; and neighbors.  They are fighting to stay relevant while being pressured by developers to sell.

Arriving in the midst of this is Ilse, a German woman who faints in front of Frank's store.  She eventually asks Frank to teacher her about music and causes Frank to have to confront his feelings about getting close to people.  They both have baggage and secrets but form a special bond.

The journey Frank and Ilse take together and musically is a joy to be a part of.  There's even a playlist created from all the titles in the book - you'll learn a lot about all different genres of music!

12.10.2017 - The Ice House

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Grove Press and Laura Lee Smith for the opportunity to read and review this book - I loved it!

This is the story of the MacKinnon family - Johnny hails from Ireland and immigrated to Florida, leaving behind his young son and wife.  They parted on good terms and their son, Corran, frequently came to Florida.  Johnny married Pauline, whose family owned an ice house, and they both headed up the company.  Corran got mixed up in the heroin scene and Johnny & Pauline took an extra mortgage on their house to pay for rehabs.  Their relationship blew up when Corran was accused of stealing Pauline's wedding ring for drug money.  The two hadn't spoken since.

Back in Ireland, Corran now has Lucy, a baby whose mother is in jail for heroin.  Corran is clean but has escaped to a remote island accessible only by ferry to avoid temptation.  He's having a tough time dealing with Lucy by himself.

Then Johnny discovers he has a brain cyst, right when the ice factory is being investigated by OSHA for an accident that threatens to shut down the factory and their livelihood.  Pauline is coping with her life choices now that she's getting older.

I loved all of these characters - especially Chemal, Johnny's next door neighbor.  Every character and situation is relatable - you will laugh and cry.  Highly recommended!

12.7.2017 - The Only Girl in the World

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Little, Brown & Company, and Maude Julien for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It's always tough to review a memoir filled with such horrid child abuse.  And this story defies belief in what parents can do to their children.

The horror begins when Maude's father contracts with a poor family to basically raise one of their daughters in exchange for them never contacting the daughter again.   Her father, Louis, was 34 at the time and her mother, Jeannine, was 6.  He gave her the best boarding school education and then brought her back to give birth to their daughter, who they would raise to be a super human.

The tortures that Maude was subjected to in order to make her the perfect human were unbelievable - hard labor, locked in a dark cellar, never going out of the house, insane studying and musical practice lessons - it just goes on and on.  Her mother was just as controlled by her father but she never displayed any caring for her child.  That she couldn't stop any of the abuse of Maude is a sin in itself.  Somehow, Maude built enough walls in her head that she was able to come out on the other side of this evil world she was raised in.

I would have loved a bit more explanation about her life once she escaped - it went very suddenly to life afterwards without much in between.  Although I'm sure she is very protective of her privacy.
Hard to read but an amazing memoir.

12.4.2017 - The Vanishing Season

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Joanna Schaffhausen for the opportunity to read and review her debut novel - it's a good one.  Well, if a book about a creepy serial killer can be good!

Ellie is the sole survivor of a serial killer's rampage when she was just 14 years old.  She was saved by an FBI agent who saw something no one else did.  Ellie bears the scars, both physically and mentally, of the torture she endured at the hands of his killer. 

Ten years later finds Ellie working as a police officer in a small town.  She's changed her name and has strict rules about who she lets into her life.  Which is really no one expect her rescue dog, Speed Bump (arguably the star of this book!).  However, there has been a string of missing people in her small town - one every year for the last 3 years, always in the beginning of July, which happens to coincide with Ellie's birthday.  Ellie is convinced these incidents are related, though no one else believes her.  She finally calls upon Reed, the FBI agent who rescued her who is dealing with his own demons, to help her investigate.

While I may have seen the ending coming, it in no way took away from my enjoyment of this book.  A great read!

11.27.2017 - Right Behind You

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Dutton Publishing and Lisa Gardner for the opportunity to read and review her latest thriller - it was awesome!

Unfortunately, although I've read her books before, I hadn't read any of the Quincy & Rainie books.  While I'm sure having more of their back story would make this book even better, I didn't feel I lost a thing by not having read them.

Quincy & Rainie are semi-retired profilers, working in a small Oregon town helping police on various cases.  They are in the process of adopting Sharlah, a teenager who survived a horrific childhood.  When Sharlah was just a toddler, her drunken father stabbed her mom and then tried to kill her older brother, who in turn killed his dad with a baseball bat. 

Reports come in of a shooting in a gas station of the clerk and a customer.  When surveillance video comes back, it appears that Sharlah's brother, Telly, is responsible.  The manhunt begins and Quincy & Rainie are involved, which becomes more complicated because of their relationship to Sharlah. 

This is a thrill ride of a book - I raced through it, heart pounding!  Highly recommended!

11.24.2017 - Fox and Raccoon

Thanks to NetGalley, Tundra Books and Lesley-Anne Green for the opportunity to read and review this adorable book!

Fox and Raccoon are best friends and neighbors.  They spend every day together.  But today, Fox is too busy.  So what do best friends do?  They help out!  Raccoon goes all over town doing errands for Fox to help.  Turns out Fox has a surprise in store!

Adorable book that my grandkids will love - cute illustrations, short, perfect for lessons about friendship for the younger set!

11.22.2017 - The Wake Up

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Catherine Ryan Hyde for the opportunity to read her latest book.

Like everything she writes, this book is filled with such insight, hope and emotion.  This book finds Aiden, a cattle rancher, going through the motions of his life.  He is emotionally empty - just doesn't feel anything.  Then one day he "wakes up."  He starts actually feeling what others feel - when one of his animals gets hurt, he feels it physically.  This wake up changes his life - he can't hunt or ranch the way he's always done.  Then he meets Gwen, a single mother of two, and falls in love.  Her son, Milo, was abused by his father and bears the brunt of that by acting out.  The forging of their relationship is wonderful - we can all learn from the lessons on this book.

Highly recommended!

11.19.2017 - A Boy Made of Blocks

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Keith Stuart for the opportunity to read this amazing book - highly recommended!

Alex and Jody are parents of 8-year-old Sam, a highly-functioning autistic child.  They are worn out from trying to push and pull him through day-to-day life.  So much so that they have lost each other along the way.  A trial separation finds Alex living with his childhood friend and trying to figure out his life.  He's in a job he hates, he can't get past his grief over a childhood loss, and he can't seem to connect to Sam or Jody.  Until Minecraft, a video building game, enters their life and provides a means for Sam and Alex to connect.

I dare you to get through the ending of this book without cheering and crying!  A great read and certainly very inspirational.

11.16.2017 - The Story of Arthur Truluv

 

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House and Elizabeth Berg (one of my favorite writers!) for the opportunity to get to know Arthur by reading this amazing book!

Arthur is an 85-year-old widow who spends every lunch hour at the cemetery eating lunch at his wife's gravesite.  While he's there, he also visits others' graves and imagines the lives they led.  Arthur begins to notice teenage Maddy at the cemetery, when she should be in school.  They strike up a conversation and a friendship begins.  Maddy is having trouble at school and at home and Arthur provides a needed friend.  Add to this Arthur's neighbor across the street, Lucille, who is alone and lonely.  These three people come together to once again prove that friendship can be the best type of family. 

Sweet, quirky, uplifting, wonderful - highly recommended!

11.15.2017 Poison

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Galt Niederhoffer for the opportunity to read and review this book. Rounding up to 4 stars because I enjoyed the read and it kept me enthused until the end.

Cass is a woman who seems to have gone through the darkest days - losing her first husband and left with two small children - to have found the seemingly perfect man. Cass and Ryan move from NYC to Seattle to start a new life and have a new son, Sam, to add to their perfect family. But nothing is ever perfect, is it?

Cass soon finds evidence that Ryan is not who he seems to be. He starts displaying a dark side to his personality. Then she starts becoming ill.

There is a lot of teachable info in this book - Cass is a university teacher whose specialty is the treatment of women in society and in the courts. Fitting for how it all plays out. You would think this would lead her to make smarter moves but our brain doesn't always rule our actions.

Although the writing style was somewhat wordy, I enjoyed it - especially the first part of the book where everything in Cass' world is very relatable - dealing with schedules, children, housework, etc.

I couldn't wait to finish this book and see how it all played out!

11.12.2017 - The Trick

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Emanuel Bergmann for the opportunity to read this debut novel - it was a wonderful mix of historical fiction, quirky characters and magic!

The story is told in two different time periods and from the vantage of two characters - Moshe is a rabbi's son who leaves Prague to join a circus during World War II, eventually becoming The Great Zabbatini.

Contrasted is the story of 10-year-old Max, living in LA in present time, heartbroken over his parents' impending divorce. He comes across an old album of his dad's featuring The Great Zabbatini who promises a spell of Eternal Love that Max is convinced will save his parents' marriage.

When the two finally meet, the real magic of the story begins. And it is not one to be missed!

11.10.2017 - Millard Salter's Last Day

Thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Jacob Appel for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed this book - with a few caveats. Millard Salter is a psychologist who is turning 75 and has decided to end his life. He's not sick - he's just seen his share of people at the end of their life with no recourse so has decided to take the matter in his own hands. But of course his last day doesn't go as planned, as he meets with people that give him pause about his decision. He tries to set things right that he feels he has regrets about - meeting an ex-wife, trying to counsel a son.

But the author seemed to go on tangents on a multitude of subjects - and make sure you have your dictionary nearby to try and figure out some of the words he uses!

Still in all - a good book with lots to ponder

11.8.2017 - The Girl Who Lived

Thanks to NetGalley, Greyson Media, and Christopher Greyson for the opportunity to read his latest thriller! I'm a big fan of the Jack Stratton series and this stand-alone thriller is just as exciting.

Faith is the lone survivor of brutal murders that took place at her family's cabin. She is released from a psychiatric hospital right before the 10th anniversary of the murders. She is ravaged with guilt and anger which she handles with alcohol. She is desperate to find the killers but the police think she's crazy and won't listen to her; her psychologist thinks she's suicidal; her mother is totally disconnected. While on her own searching for the killer, she starts feeling she's being targeted as well.

This is a great thrill ride that you won't want to put down until you find out all the answers - and I was totally surprised by the ending!

11.6.2017 - The Dark Lake

Many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Sarah Bailey for the opportunity to read her debut novel - a definite winner!

Set in Australia, Gemma Woodstock is a Detective Sergeant. A high school classmate of hers, Rosalind Rose, is found murdered and Gemma is assigned to investigate the death. The investigation brings back past memories for Gemma of her high school boyfriend, Jacob, and his death.

The story is told from Gemma's viewpoint. There are also flashbacks into Gemma's past and her relationship with Jacob. Gemma's not exactly a likeable character although this story gives lots of explanations into her behavior. Her current personal life is also a mess - she's in a relationship with Scott and they have a small son, Ben. However, she's in a relationship with a coworker and is obsessed with him.

I thought this was an amazing debut novel and I can't wait to read more books starring Gemma. If you like police procedurals with an emphasis on characters, I highly recommend this one!

11.3.2017 - Silent Lies

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Kathryn Croft for the opportunity to read and review her latest book. I was a big fan of her previous book, The Girl You Lost, and this one did not disappoint. A wonderful psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing!

The story is told by Mia and Josie over 2 different time periods, until the present meets the past. Mia is a young widow, raising her daughter, trying to move on from the tragic death by suicide of her husband, Zach. Josie is a young college student with a troubled path, whose life intersects with Zach's at school, where he is a professor. On the day that Zach is found dead, Josie is missing and feared dead. Five years later, Josie's old roommate comes into Mia's life and says that Zach didn't kill himself. Mia becomes obsessed with trying to find the truth.

I didn't want to put this one down - highly recommended!

11.1.2017 - The First Day

Thanks to NetGalley, Fleet Publishing, and Phil Harrison for the opportunity to read his debut novel.

This story is told in two parts - the first takes place in Belfast, Ireland, and centers around a preacher, Sam Orr, and Anna, a young Beckett scholar. Despite the fact that they are more different than alike and that Sam is married with 3 boys, they begin an affair. This, of course, reaps long-reaching consequences on his family, escalating when Anna gets pregnant. The second half of the book centers around their son, also named Sam. Sam is living in NYC, working at the Met, when his past comes crashing into his life.

I wanted to get into this story more than I did. The writing was great and holds much promise for the author. This was one of those books where I felt I just didn't get it - was I missing things I was supposed to read into the story? Lots of scripture quoting and flowery prose but I just couldn't get into the characters and their stories too much.

10.30.2017 - Little Secrets

Many thanks to NetGalley, Mira Books, and Anna Snoekstra for the opportunity to read and review her latest book. I was a fan of her debut novel, Only Daughter, and really enjoyed her sophomore book.

Rose is a young woman who is desperate to escape the small town of Colmstock, Australia, for a career as a journalist. But her dreams keep fading as newspaper closures and rejections come her way. Add to that a stepfather who is demanding that she leave home. Rose is barely making ends meet waitressing at the local pup while still trying to escape to the city.

Meanwhile, the town is in turmoil. First, there is a huge fire at the courthouse made worse by the fact that a small boy was inside. Then, porcelain dolls start appearing on the doorsteps of houses - dolls that look just like the small girl living there. The community becomes paranoid and scared, which leads to desperate acts by too many people, including the police.

There are lots of twists and turns in this book and I enjoyed them all.

10.28.2017 - Seven Days of Us

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and Francesca Hornak for the opportunity to read her debut novel - loved it!

This is the story of the Birch family - a stereotypical British family, not great at communication, each family member with lots of secrets and inner feelings that aren't shared. But Hornak writes each section of this book from the viewpoint of a different family member, so that we get to learn all those innermost feelings.

There is Andrew, the patriarch, a food critic for the newspaper, silently mourning his days as a war correspondent. Emma, the mom, fills her days worrying about her two daughters, slipping away from her husband. Eldest daughter, Olivia, a physician, is home from Africa after treating the Haag epidemic. Phoebe, the baby of the family, is doted on by her father and spends her time preparing for her wedding.

Olivia comes home at Christmas, forced into a 7-day quarantine period that includes her family. Being in close quarters for that time, this family must learn to deal with each other and some of those long-kept secrets.

At its heart, this is just a great family character study. How much of ourselves do we hold back from those we love? And why? Even the characters you may not like will grow on you. I was sad to see my time with the Birch family come to an end along with the quarantine!

10.26.2017 - The Rules of Magic

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Alice Hoffman for the opportunity to read and review this magical book!

This is a prequel to Practical Magic but you don't need to have read that book (I haven't but it's now on my to-read list!) to enjoy this one. Besides, anything that Alice Hoffman writes is so wonderful you must read it!

This is the story of 3 siblings, raised in NYC, who grew up knowing they were different but not understanding fully what that involved. Their mother tried to shield them from their heritage, although she gave them lots of rules about what to avoid.  When the eldest child, Franny, comes of age she is summoned to a small town in Massachusetts to learn about the Owens family heritage. The siblings spend the summer coming to an understanding of their abilities in much different ways before returning home to NYC. The one lesson they all learn is that they must not love. A family curse says that harm will come to those they love. But, as we all know, the heart cannot be denied!

This is just a book to curl up with and delve into a world full of love, family and magic! Highly recommended!

10.23.2017 - The Ghostwriter

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher and Alessandra Torre for the opportunity to read this amazing book - a great suspense/psychological read. This is the first book I've read by this author so I had no preconceived notions on what to expect. I don't want to give much away because this book deserves to be read and discovered the way the author intended!

Helena Ross is a best-selling romance novelist with a reputation for a nasty tongue and her lists of rules. But when she discovers she has only months to live, she knows she has to write one last book. With her illness, she knows she'll need help so she contracts with her rival - Marka Vance. Marka is known for her best-selling erotica books, ones that Helena lambastes at every opportunity. The two go on a journey that the reader follows to reveal the secrets Helena did not want to take to her grave.

You must read this book - highly recommended!

10.20.2017 - Never Coming Back

First - thanks to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Alison McGhee for the privilege of being able to read and review this book - I loved it!

This is a book about words - those we say, those we don't say, those we tell ourselves and others. It is a beautifully written book about mothers and daughters and all those words between them.

Clara is a professional writer who is summoned home when it is discovered that her mom has early-onset Alzheimer's. Clara finds a small cabin in the Adirondack Mountains where she grew up and where her best friends, Sunshine and Brown, now also live. While trying to come to grips with this new version of her mother, Clara finds herself with so many questions about their past. Is it too late to ask those questions?

I really loved this book - I realize I'm gushing. It touched my heart, made me laugh, made me cry, made me think about all those words.

Highly recommended - and extra points for being set in the Adirondack Mountains where I live!

10.18.2017 - Second Acts

Thanks to NetGalley, Amberjack Publishing and Teri Emory for the opportunity to read and review this book - I loved it. Just a great, relatable read.

Three friends - Sarah, Miriam and Beth - meet in college in the 1970s and become lifelong friends, despite their differences in backgrounds and temperaments. The book is laid out in different times of their lives - starting with the college years up through after 9/11 - and each chapter is told in the voice of one of the friends. So you really get to learn about each character this way.

I loved each of these women for their own strengths and weaknesses. Their main focus was on being there for each other forever. How lucky to have friends like that - to know that people always had your back no matter what. And especially to be beginning that "second act" of our lives with such good friends in your corner.

Great read!

10.15.2017 - White Bodies

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Touchstone, and Jane Robins for the opportunity to read and review her first novel!

This is a great psychological read - creepy, lots of obsessions, and of course the necessary twists and turns. Callie and Tilda are twins - Tilda has always been the shining star, an actress, while Callie works part-time in a bookstore, content to be in Tilda's shadow.

Tilda meets a new man, Felix, and quickly becomes obsessed with him. Callie becomes worried about Tilda - she stopped working, has bruises on her bodies, tells Callie about Felix's violent tendencies. Callie likewise becomes obsessed with trying to save Tilda from Felix. She joins an internet group about controlling men and gets entrenched into the stories. So much so that lines start blurring between what's real and what's not.

I don't want to say any more - definitely a big to read and discover the secrets on your own. I couldn't put it down!

10.13.2017 - The Stolen Marriage

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Diane Chamberlain for the opportunity to read and review this great book!

Set in the 1940s, with war and racial tensions on everyone's minds, Tess is a Catholic girl from Baltimore's Little Italy, engaged to a doctor who is her childhood best friend. A weekend away in Washington with her girlfriend changes her life, and Tess finds herself in a strange marriage to Henry, a wealthy furniture factory owner, and living in Hickory, NC. Tess isn't accepted by Henry's family or the community, and finds herself constantly bewildered by Henry's strange behavior. She finds that she is losing the part of her that made her who she always believed she was. When the polio epidemic hits Hickory, a hospital was quickly set up to deal with it. Desperate for nurses, Tess finds herself in the middle of caring for the afflicted. And maybe starting to find that part of herself.

This is a great read that truly transports you to a different time and place. Lots of twists that you'll have to discover on your own but it is a great ride. Highly recommended!

10.10.2017 - The Surrogate

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Louise Jensen for the opportunity to read and review this book. Also to my Goodreads friend, Sandy, for the recommendation!

This is a great psychological thrill ride that will keep you guessing until the very end. The book opens with the murder of two people - trust me, you won't figure out who those two people are until you close the book!

Kat and her husband, Nick, are desperate to become parents. They have tried international adoptions which only led to heartbreak. An opportunity to have a surrogate presents itself but also opens up ties to the past that were best hidden.

Saying any more about the plot of this book may lead to spoilers and you definitely want to read this book to discover all its secrets yourself!

Great book - first I've read of this author and I'm anxious to go back and read her other works.

10.8.2017 - Hanna Who Fell from the Sky

Thanks to NetGalley, Park Row Books and Christopher Meades for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is the story of a polygamous community called Clearhaven. Hanna is getting ready to celebrate her 18th birthday. That occasion also means that she will be married off to someone chose for her by her father. Hanna has never been away from Clearhaven nor really ever questioned her path. She grew up in a family with an abusive father, her mother and her sister-mothers as well as 14 siblings. Hanna has always been the responsible, oldest child even though she doesn't resemble any of her siblings. She is especially close to her sister who was born with a spine deformity. Days before her wedding, Hanna meets Daniel, the heir apparent to a wealthy family in Clearhaven. Daniel opens her eyes to another world but will she have the courage to forge a different path?

I'm rounding up to 4 stars - I really liked so much of this book but probably could have done without the magical component. The story was strong enough on its own merit, exploring growing up in such a lifestyle.

10.6.2017 - The Blind

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Park Row Books and AF Brady for the opportunity to read and review her debut novel.

This is the story of Dr Sam James, a psychologist at Typhlos, a psychiatric institute in NYC. At work, she has the reputation of being the best doctor and the one able to reach those patients no one else can. However, the private side of Sam is very different. She is a barely-functioning alcoholic in a very abusive relationship. She feels like she can't save herself so her mission is to save others.

Richard comes to Typhlos an enigma. He won't talk, won't complete his paperwork, seems to function at a high level. No one can understand why he's there and they've only heard rumors about why he was in prison for so long before coming to Typhlos. Sam takes Richard on, only to be confronted with her own demons while she's trying to figure out his.

A great debut novel - kept me reading til the ending, which I loved.

10.1.2017 - The Good People

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The story revolves around 3 women - Nora has just lost her husband. They were trying to take care of their grandson, whom Nora remembers as a happy baby. After their daughter died, their son-in-law couldn't care for the boy and dropped him off with his grandparents. Dealing with her grief over her husband, Nora hires Mary, a young teenager from a nearby town to help her with the boy and the farm duties. The young boy can neither talk nor walk and spends most of its time screaming and crying. The two are beside themselves and turn to an old woman who is believed to have magical curing abilities. They believe the boy has been taken by fairies and they have to do various treatments to get the boy returned.

I remain a bit conflicted on this book. It's beautifully written and I enjoyed learning more about Irish folklore as well as how difficult lives were back in the 1800s in rural Ireland.

However, the story dragged for me as well as became repetitive. I found myself just wanting to get to the part with some answers and didn't enjoy the journey too much.

9.25.2017 - Best Day Ever

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this deliciously creepy book - I loved it!

Paul and Mia are a seemingly perfect couple, with 2 adorable boys. They live in the best Columbus suburb and have a second vacation home on Lake Erie. He promises Mia the best day ever - a special romantic getaway weekend to their lake cottage.

The tale is told from Paul's viewpoint and he is talking to you, the reader. To me, things that he said were spot on but I feel that a review of this book should not give even a hint of what is to come! I couldn't put this one down!

9.20.2017 - Superhero Sewing

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to review this book!

What a fun book of ideas for parents or grandparents to create fun playwear for kids. While these may not be the elaborate costumes you see on kids at Halloween, having a chest of these fun capes, masks and wands would be a kid's dream. There are even patterns for matching capes for pets!

Lots of great ideas!

9.20.2017 - The Best Kind of People

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher and Zoe Whittall for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This book is just out of the pages of the newspaper - although this time we get to glimpse what the family goes through when it is thrust into a scandal. The Woodbury's are an average family - dad is a well-respected, heroic teacher at the prep school where their oldest son, Andrew, graduated and Sadie is still a student. Mom, Joan, is a nurse at the nearby trauma hospital. Then on Sadie's 17th birthday, her dad is arrested for improper sexual conduct with girls that he took on a class ski trip months ago.

Whittall does a great job letting us feel all the different sides to these stories and all the varying emotions the family goes through trying to deal with this situation.

Great read!

9.17.2017 - The Vengeance of Mothers

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Jim Fergus for the opportunity to read his latest work.

One Thousand White Women was one of our book club's earliest picks and we all enjoyed it. I'm rounding this one up to 4 stars because I struggled more with this book. It probably would have been better if I read the first book again since it has been probably at least a dozen years ago.

This book is again written in journal form - twin sisters Meggie and Susie were survivors of the first book's events, and a new character, Molly McGill, who came as the last of another group of the Brides for Indians program. It was interesting to see the same events from these 2 different perspectives. The Kelly sisters are out for revenge for the death of their babies and turn into warriors.

I struggled a bit with this book but it was still interesting to see what happened to these characters.

9.14.2017 - The Ninth Hour

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publishers, and Alice McDermott for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

This story puts you at the beginning of the 20th century in Catholic Brooklyn. It opens with a death and the pregnant wife, Annie, left behind. The nuns of the Little Nursing Sisters of the Sick Poor step in to help Annie, with a job in the laundry room of the convent. There, she and the sisters raise Sally.

The writing in this novel is beautiful, as you would expect from McDermott. You will fall in love with these characters - especially the nuns - as they do their best in the world as they see fit. The book is narrated by a group "we" - the children and grandchildren of Sally that let us see a glimpse of their life with these characters.

I loved the Catholic history and the lives of the nuns. It's amazing to see how attitudes have changed in our current secular society. But this book shows you both sides of right and wrong and how God will see into your heart and decide what is fair.

Highly recommended!!

9.12.2017 - Lies She Told

Thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Cate Holahan for the opportunity to read and review this book. This was a quick read thriller that kept me interested to the end. It's written in a different style that takes a bit of getting used to.

The book alternates chapters and voices. Liza is a writer on deadline to finish her latest romantic suspense novel. Her last couple books never took off like her one popular book and she feels pressured to make this one great. Liza is married to David, a prominent attorney, who is depressed over the fact that his law partner is missing. Liza and David are undergoing experimental fertility treatments in the hopes of getting pregnant. The other voice - Beth - is the star of the novel that Liza is writing. She is married to Jake and they have a newborn daughter. Beth catches Jake having an affair. The lines between reality and fiction begin to blur until you're not sure which version is real.

9.10.2017 - When We Were Worthy

Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Marybeth Mayhew Whalen for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This would be a great book club read because they are so many different viewpoints to discuss - fans of Jodi Picoult will like this book as it allows you to put yourself in others' shoes.

Worthy is a typical small town that lives and breathes for its football team and the players become God-like. The book opens with an accident that will change everything - one teenager hits a carful of cheerleaders. The story is told in the voices of 4 women: Marglyn (the other of one of the cheerleaders); Darcy (the mother of the driver that hit the girls); Ava (a substitute teacher at the high school); and Leah (a cheerleader who normally would have been in the car with the other girls).

Lots of current issues to discuss - teenage peer pressure, wanting to belong and be wanted no matter how old we are, the different viewpoints of the mothers. Great writing - quick read!

9.9.2017 - Friend Request

Great big thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Laura Marshall for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful debut novel!

This psychological thriller is ripped out of today's headlines and is very relatable to most of us. The story is told in two different timeframes - 1989, when Louise is trying desperately to fit into the "it" group of girls at school, letting go of those friends that felt more like a right fit but definitely weren't popular. Maria was the new girl to school, with a questionable past, who felt like a fast friend to Louise but she let herself go down a path led by her popular friends. 2016 - Louise is a single mother to 4-year-old Henry, building her own design company. She has tried to put her past behind her but one day gets a Facebook message from Maria asking to be Facebook friends. But Maria is dead. Or is she?

Buckle up for a wild ride - this was a great book that will keep you guessing. With the subjects of bullying and being bullied so prevalent in the news as well as how our ever-increasing publicizing of our lives on social media can lead to bad consequences, this book wraps all that into a great thriller.

Kudos for a great debut novel - can't wait to read more from her!

9.7.2017 - The Best of Us

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Bloomsbury, and Joyce Maynard for the opportunity to read this book.

Giving 5 stars to a book about someone dying from cancer always seems wrong, but this is an amazing book by such a powerful writer. I've always loved Maynard's books and really loved the honesty and clarity with which this book was written.

Joyce and Jim found each other later in their lives, after accumulating all the baggage that we do when we are in our 50s. There's was a true love story - the finding Prince Charming after all the frogs, the happy ever after. Until cancer.

This is a long book - almost 450 pages - but it is so worth the read. Besides Maynard's wonderful writing, this book, although so incredibly sad, is also uplifting and gives us all yet another reminder how we should cherish each other and every moment we are given. I loved Maynard's honesty - writing about how hard it is to be the caretaker and how hard it is to voice those feelings.

Highly recommended - but keep the Kleenex nearby.

9.5. - Sing, Unburied, Sing

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a beautifully written tale of a very sad story of a family in Mississippi - one that is far too prevalent and full of poverty, racism, and drug abuse. It's the story of one family - Mam and Pop are the grandparents, raising JoJo and Kayla, while their drug-addicted mom, Leonie, flits in and out of their life. Pop tries his best to raise JoJo to be a good man, telling him stories of his time in Parchman prison. Mam is dying of cancer and her death permeates sadness through the house. The kids' dad, Michael, is just being released from Parchman, and Leonie, a friend and the kids take a road trip to pick him up. The book is separated into chapters written from the viewpoints of JoJo and Leonie, interwoven with chapters about Richie, a ghost from Pop's time in Parchman.

It's so hard to see how drug abuse or maybe just her nature allows Leonie to be such a horrid, selfish mother to JoJo and Kayla. The ghost appearances, while strange, allow more of the story to be told.

9.3.2017 - Lie to Me

Many thanks to NetGalley, Mira Books, and JT Ellison for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book. I loved this twisty psychological thriller and it should definitely be on your must read list!

Ethan and Sutton are both writers and not-so-happily married. Ethan comes down to breakfast one morning and discovers Sutton gone and a note left which basically said she needed time and not to look for her. Ethan called her friends, her mother, and his lawyer before involving the police. We discover much about their marriage, the death of their child, and the lies between them. Holly Graham is the police detective charged with finding out the truth.

This book is divided into sections - Ethan, Sutton, and Everyone - with an added narrative voice thrown in. The chapters are short with interesting titles. Trust me - you will not be able to stop reading until you are finished with this book. It's just that good. I don't want to give anything else away because you need to take this ride on your own!

9.1.2017 - Something Like Happy

Big thanks to NetGalley, Graydon House and Eva Woods for the opportunity to read and review this book - wonderful!

This is one of those books that will plug into every emotion that you have. It may leave you a bit breathless at the end but it will definitely remind you of how grateful we need to be in the present.

Annie is sad. She hates her job, her London flat, her husband left her for her best friend, her mother has dementia - so she has reason to be sad, right? Along comes Polly - a young woman Annie meets while visiting her mom at the hospital. Polly has cancer and only 3 months to live. She drags Annie along on a mission - 100 days of happy.

This all may sound cliché but it's a wonderful ride along with Annie and Polly and their group of friends and family. In the world of nothing but bad news, this book truly gives you pause and makes you think about how you use each of the moments we are blessed with.

8.27.2017 - Close to Home

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Robert Dugoni for the opportunity to read and review the latest Tracy Crosswhite novel - it was fabulous!

I love reading the next book in a series that I love - it's like sitting down and getting reacquainted with old friends! If you haven't read any of these books, start from the beginning - you will not be disappointed with any of them. In fact, they get even better as you go along!

Tracy's latest case involves a hit-and-run fatality of a young boy. During the investigation, it's discovered that the driver was a serviceman at the Navy base nearby, which means that prosecution gets turned over to the Navy judicial system. Tied into subplots, this book also explores the heroin epidemic that is rampant in this country. This book also introduces us to some new characters that I hope will be in future books.

I don't want to give too much away - this is definitely a book you need to pick up and read for full enjoyment! Lots of great plot twists and continued character exploration.

8.25.2017 - Sourdough

Immense thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Robin Sloan for the opportunity to read his latest work - I loved it!

I was a huge fan of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - I bought it for presents because other people just needed to read it! Then along comes Sourdough - I know that I will be buying this for people also. It's like Sloan knows me - first, a book about books and then a book about baking bread!

Lois is a brilliant young computer coder, wooed to San Francisco from Detroit to work on robotic arms. She finds herself in the company of people just like her, working all the time, even sleeping at work, eating Slurry (a nutritive gel) just for sustenance. When Lois tries a new restaurant, offering spicy soup and sourdough bread, she feels herself becoming a bit more human. When the restaurant owners have to leave, they gift Lois with their magical sourdough starter. Lois feeds it, learns about baking bread and it changes her life.

A magical story (Sloan is the king of putting the touch of magic in his books) that really stresses what it is to be passionate, human, and in touch with all that makes us so, including food and taking the time to make it yourself. In this fast food world, this is a love story to farmers, farm markets, and all of us who love to create food with our own hands. Sourdough bread is the perfect analogy - it's alive, it needs nurturing and love.

I didn't want this book to end - unless it was to hop online and order my King Arthur Sourdough Starter! Very highly recommended!

8.23.2017 - George & Lizzie

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Touchstone and Nancy Pearl for the opportunity to read and review this book.

As stated in the title, this is the story of George and Lizzie. As unlikely a couple as could be - George was raised in a perfect, close family while Lizzie was raised mostly as a psychology experiment by her two professor parents. Lizzie gets into a relationship with George cautiously, one foot in and one foot out, because she can't let go of her past. Her secrets threaten the relationship at every turn.

The book was written in an interesting way, tying in Lizzie's past and football notes in between chapters. Until I got used to it and figured out all the players, it was a tad confusing to me in the beginning. The end redeemed the book for me. I thought the writing was great but Lizzie's character was a bit much and the fact that George stayed was pretty amazing.

3.5 stars - an interesting read.