10.15.2024 - Most Wonderful

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Dial Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Georgia Clark.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

The three Belvedere siblings are a mess.  The oldest, Liz, works in Hollywood as a showrunner and is stumped at how to follow up on her hit show's first season.  She also has a big crush on the series star, Violet Grace.  Birdie, the middle child, is a stand-up comic but is failing to come up with any new material and has just been fired by her manager.  Rafi, the youngest and the golden boy, proposes to his coworker girlfriend at a company party, only to be turned down.  So they all head up to their mother's house in the Catskills for the holidays, only for things to get even more complicated.

This is a queer romcom just in time for the holiday season.  I loved how the siblings were always there for each other, even coming up with different names for their own club to share their innermost thoughts; this year, it's the Black Hearts Club since they've all sworn off love.  But of course love has different plans for all of them.  They all have different dads, but their mom, Babs, is a hoot with a secret of her own.  There's some heavy subjects here as well - addiction, depression, abandonment issues, illness - but the overall book is light and hopeful.

10.14.2024 - Libby Lost and Found

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Recorded Books Media for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the debut book by Stephanie Booth, beautifully narrated by Mia Barron.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars rounded up!

Libby Weeks is the reclusive author of the best-felling fantasy series, The Falling Children, written under the pseudonym of F.T. Goldhero.  Her last manuscript is months overdue and fans around the world have grown impatient.  Already suffering from severe anxiety, Libby is newly diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.  She knows she needs help to finish her last book.  She turns to 11-year-old superfan, Peanut Bixton, who knows the books better than Libby, but has her own issues.

 

What a wonderful book and the audio narration made it even better!  It’s somewhat like a book in a book tale, as we learn just what some books mean to readers.  Think of the Harry Potter craze and it relates perfectly to how much The Falling Children series means to its readers.  The struggles of both Libby and Peanut are heartbreaking but they are both so open and charming, that it’s not depressing or sad.  Instead, it’s hopeful and magical and shows the power of books. Wonderful! 

10.14.2024 - The President's Lawyer

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this fabulous debut legal thriller by Lawrence Robbins.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Long known as one of DC's most powerful litigators, Rob Jacobson is now facing the case of a lifetime.  Jack Cutler, former President of the United States and Rob's best friend since childhood, has been accused of murdering his mistress. Amanda.  To further complicate matters, Robbie had relationships in the past with Jess, Jack's wife, and Amanda.  Could Jack really be guilty of murder?

Wow - this debut thriller blew me away and I couldn't put it down.  If you are a fan of Scott Turow or John Grisham, make time now to read this book.  Set in DC, it's gripping but thankfully doesn't veer into the political arena.  There's lots of past history between Robbie and Jack, muddying the waters, and Robbie brings in a former colleague, Jane, to assist.  They are smart lawyers but the evidence seems stacked against Jack.  The end was mind-blowing.  Robbins is himself an acclaimed attorney, so he definitely writes what he knows.  Highly recommended - a must read!  Sure hope there's more to come from this author!

10.12.2024 - Burn

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Peter Heller – 4 stars!

Every year, Jess and Storey have made an annual pilgrimage to the most remote corners of the country, where they camp, hunt, and hike, leaving much from their long friendship unspoken.  There’s political turmoil in Maine but the two don’t concern themselves with secession talk.  But after weeks of hunting and being off the grid, they come across a small town and find it destroyed.  They start trying to find their way home as well as what happened.  

A haunting story of two friends, lifelong but still withholding secrets from each other, now completely dependent on each other for survival in a world they couldn’t have imagined.  A dystopian look at what political unrest could do, the story is told in flashbacks from their childhood to present day as they try and flee for safety, now with a young girl along.  Definitely makes you think, and the political strife contrasted with the beauty of nature is telling.

 

10.11.2024 - Society of Lies

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Bantam for gifting me a digital ARC of this debut book by Lauren Ling Brown, this month's Reese's Book Club Selection.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion and the graduation of her sister, Naomi.  But then Maya gets word that Naomi is dead, and she suspects that it's not an accident.  She begins investigating and learns that Naomi hid so much from her, especially that Naomi joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus, and probably the secret society within it, just as Maya did in her college days.  Every clue leads Maya back to the past and the secret she's kept for years.

Told from both Naomi's and Maya's viewpoints, in the present and the past, you need to pay close attention, but it's well worth the effort!  I'm a fan of dark academic thrillers and this one has all that plus secret societies, mysteries and deaths in both timelines, and plenty of secrets and lies.  This book was so atmospheric and covered so many topics, from sisterhood, to friendship, to loyalty, abuse, and just how important communication is.  If you're like me, you'll be questioning the motives of so many different characters and the ending was a big surprise.  Great read, especially in the fall!

10.11.2024 - The Puzzle Box

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for gifting me a digital ARC of this smart, intriguing thriller by Danielle Trussoni, the second book in this series, following The Puzzle Master.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Mike Brink had a traumatic head injury and then developed a rare condition known as Acquired Savant Syndrome.  This condition allows him mental superpowers - he can solve puzzles, memorize information, that mere mortals cannot.  He has now been tapped to open the Dragon Box for the Japanese Emperor.  This box has remained unopened for 150 years.  It's not only impossible to open, but has proven deadly to all who have tried.

While you could enjoy this one as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading The Puzzle Master first so that you can an introduction to Mike and his superpowers.  This book is fascinating and not only incorporates Mike's puzzle-solving abilities, but Japanese history and culture, as well as a scary AI presence that will definitely have you rethinking your online status!  Mike has Sakura has his guide to the puzzle, and her family issues are complex and still present.  I was on the edge of my seat throughout this book - a wonderful series!

10.9.2024 - Her Deadly Game

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the first in a series by one of my very favorite authors, Robert Dugoni.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Keera Duggan enjoyed her time as a Seattle prosecutor, until a romantic relationship with a senior colleague ended badly.  She returned to her family's failing criminal defense law firm to work for her father, an alcoholic.  Hoping to restore her family's reputation and her career, she is retained by Vince LaRussa, an investment advisor accused of murdering his wealthy wife.  The prosecutor on the case is none other than Keira's former lover, anxious to see her fail.

Keera was a former chess prodigy, and she uses that talent to help her client, always thinking out of the box and one step ahead.  While I don't know anything about chess, Keera plays a game in this book as well, and it was a good analogy for her real life games.  This was a great mix of police procedural, courtroom and family drama, and I raced through it.  The characters are smart, strong, flawed, conflicted.  I'm not sure Dugoni has ever written a book I haven't loved, and this was no exception.  I saved this one from my backlist and am ready to start #2 in this series - Beyond Reasonable Doubt.  A great start to this new series - highly recommended!