11.29.2020 - Here is the Beehive

Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown & Company for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful novel by Sarah Crossan.  4.5 stars rounded up for an originally written look into a married couple's affair.

Ana is an estate lawyer, used to dealing with the after effects of death; that is, until the wife of her lover calls her to report his death.  Ana met Connor when he came in to write his will and they started an affair that lasted three years until his death.  The only other person who knew about the affair was Connor's best friend, Mark.  Ana is desperate to talk to someone about her grief and pain over Connor's loss so when his widow, Rebecca, comes into her office to discuss the estate, Ana befriends her.

Written in beautiful verse, this is a glimpse into the pain that is caused by an affair.  Ana is devastated and feels so alone but must come to grips with the reality of Connor's feelings for her and for her life with her husband, Paul.  This book certainly doesn't condone cheating; in fact, it shows the terrible results to all parties.  You do feel Ana's pain at the loss that she cannot fully own because it was secret.  You see the devastation that she's doing to her family.  But it's the unique writing style, completely in verse, that drew me in and kept me glued to the pages.  

11.26.2020 - My Name is Anton

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by one of my favorite authors, Catherine Ryan Hyde.  Another 5 star read!

Eighteen-year-old Anton is struggling after the tragic death of his brother and his own physical injuries.  When his parents leave him alone for the holidays, he accidentally sees a neighbor across the street being physically abused by her husband.  He arranges to meet her and to try and help her out of her situation, only to discover he's in love.  When Edith must leave and not tell Anton where she is going for his own safety, his world collapses.  

This is another wonderful character novel by this author, who specializes in getting us to feel things without the story being preachy or sugar sweet.  The theme of this story is selfless love, the kind of love where you put others first, no matter what.  And family - picking the tribe that lifts us up rather than tears us down.  Grab the Kleenex and settle in!

11.23.2020 - The Thirty Names of Night

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me the latest novel by Zeyn Joukhadar.  3.5 stars rounded up for such gorgeous writing.

This is a very complex story told in two voices - a closeted Syrian American trans boy still haunted by the death of his mother, an ornithologist.  Since her death, he has been unable to paint, except for a mural on an abandoned building at night.  At the building site, he finds a journal from a famous painter, Lydia Z., who hasn't been seen in 60 years and who is the only other person who has seen the same rare bird as his mother did.  In alternating chapters, we also hear Lydia's story, from her Syrian childhood to her American life.  Birds are at the heart of this story  - both the elusive ones, the painted and studied ones, and the ones who seem to be all around the NYC neighborhoods where the story takes place.

This is a hard book to review - it has some of the most beautiful sentences and descriptions I've ever read.  But it was a challenge to read.  It  seems as if everyone in this book was not comfortable in their skins - whether they don't fit in because of their race, their gender struggles, their lifestyles.  The Syrian language and customs in this book were also difficult for me - I really needed a glossary and my Kindle translator didn't work on any of the words!  It was a bit confusing as well - there is much symbolism and spiritualism so that I wasn't always sure what was real.  But again, the writing was beautiful and I think I just wasn't the right reader for this book.  

11.20.2020 - What My Husband Did

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Kerry Wilkinson - 4.5 stars but a well-written mystery to keep you intrigued!

The story starts with Richard, husband to Maddy, picking up 12-year-old Alice on a cold winter's night to give her a ride home.  Except that she is later found clinging to life and Richard never came home.  Suddenly, the town's close knit circle turns on Maddy with everyone blaming Richard for her disappearance.  Maddy doesn't know what to think but thoughts of Richard's first wife's untimely death starts to weigh on her.  Is Richard really the man she thought he was?  Interspersed with the present day events are glimpses of Maddy's past.

This book kept me glued to the pages to see what would happen.  There are plenty of  twists and turns that will keep you guessing and characters that will have you questioning their behavior..  You really feel for Maddy as she waits for word of Richard and starts questioning everything she believed.  Maddy's past also had a great influence on her personality and behavior.  Great read!

11.17.2020 - The Push

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read the latest novel by Claire McGowan - 4 stars.

The book opens with a party - 6 couples who met at a prenatal class and their babies.  But someone ends up dead - did they fall or were they pushed?  And who is the victim?  The story plays out with different points of view from the characters involved as well as the policewoman investigating.  With so many people involved and everyone keeping secrets, you'll keep guessing as to who's involved.

Most of the characters are not extremely likable but you still feel for their situations.  While some of the plot was easy to figure out, there were still plenty of twists.  Just an easy, who-done-it read for a chilly day!

11.14.2020 - After All I've Done

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this thriller by Mina Hardy. Between being hard to put down and that ending - 4.5 stars!  And what a gorgeous cover!

Diana Sparrow had a car accident and is still healing from her physical injuries.  In addition, she suffered medical amnesia and can't remember anything about the accident or the period before.  She keeps having vivid dreams though that are threatening her sanity.  And what she does know for sure s that her husband, Jonathan, is having an affair with her best friend, Val.  While he professes to be working late at night, she is at home trying to heal with only her mother-in-law to help her.  Then she meets a new man, Cole, at an adult ed class and finally feels she has someone to care about her.

Told in the different viewpoints of Diane, Val and Cole in different timeframes as we learn how all these characters ended up together.  While some things were obvious, there were enough twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages until that disturbing ending.  

11.11.2020 - Little Threats

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for gifting me a digital ARC of this fabulous book by Emily Schultz - 5 stars for a wonderfully-crafted mystery!

Kennedy and Carter were young teenagers growing up in Virginia with their best friend, Haley.  They did all the typical young teenage girls do - falling in and out of love and like quickly, wanting to be older, even experimenting with drugs because the boys wanted them to.  But after fateful July 4th evening, Kennedy discovers the body of Haley.  Unfortunately, she can remember nothing about what happened to her.  She quickly became the prime suspect since she found and disturbed the body, as well as evidence given by Berk, a would-be boyfriend of both Kennedy and Haley.  Still proclaiming her innocence, she took an Alford plea to avoid a worse sentence.  When she was released 14 years later, still not remembering anything, she emerges into a whole new life.  Her mom passed away, Carter is cold and believes Kennedy responsible, and dad, Gerry, is just afraid to let her out of his sight.  A crime show comes to town to explore the case and opens up old wounds on everyone.

This is a well-written, slow-burn of a mystery story with enough clues and red herrings that had me questioning just about every character at some point, and still left me shocked at the ending!  We are privy to points of view from both sisters and their dad as they all try to adjust to the new normal of Kennedy being out of prison.  This is also a coming-of-age story, with nods to the 1990s that will bring back memories.  It's also about family, loyalty, and secrets.  Enough said - this is a great book to snuggle up with on these late fall nights!

11.9.2020 - Little Cruelties

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the new novel by Liz Nugent - I was a huge fan of both Unraveling Oliver and Lying in Wait.  This was another 5 star read for me - less of a mystery and more of a character study into a very dysfunctional family.

The story opens up at a funeral.  We learn that all three Drumm brothers are there but one is in the casket.  But which one?  That mystery will remain until the end of the book.  Meanwhile, we learn about the brothers, each from their point of view, but also through the points of view of the other brothers when it's their turn.  Each brother's part of the story is told in different timeframes - it was like the author wrote the narrative with a chapter for each defining moment in time, and then threw the pages up in the air and that's that way they landed in the book for you to read.  But it worked!  In this way, we gain little bits and pieces of each of their stories, their interactions with each other, and the intertwining characters that have a role in each brother's story.

William, Brian and Luke all commit little cruelties to each other.  Their mom, in particular, was a case study in her treatment of each of her sons as well as their significant others.  There is lots at play here - mental illness, rape, infidelity, fame, money, addiction, social media - the list goes on.  This isn't a fast-paced mystery; more an introspection on family and personalities.  I loved it even though I didn't really like any of the characters!

11.6.2020 - Shadow Sands

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital ARC of the fabulous new book by Robert Bryndza - 5 stars for a mystery that I couldn't put down!  I've read quite a few of this author's books and loved them but how did I miss the first in this series, Nine Elms?  No matter - I will definitely go back and read it but this one works just fine as a stand alone.

Kate Marshall is diving with her son in a reservoir when they discover a dead body - the authorities say it was an accidental drowning but Kate, who is an ex-police officer, thinks there are many questions.  When the young man's mother contacts Kate to investigate, her and her assistant, Tristan, do more investigating.  They discover that there have been too many disappearances in the same area to call it a coincidence and another woman has just disappeared.

I don't want to give much away because you definitely want to read this book yourself.  The writing pulled me in from the beginning - a well-written mystery with great characters.  I can't wait to read more Kate and Tristan adventures!

11.3.2020 - Miss Benson's Beetle

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Rachel Joyce.  Joyce is the queen of quirky, intriguing characters all tied up with beautiful, atmospheric writing - 4 stars for a lovely book about friendship and living your dreams.

Margery is a single woman, raised by elderly aunts after her parents' deaths.  Never fitting in, she put away her dream of finding a golden beetle described in one of her father's books, to be a teacher.  She reached her last straw when the students made fun of her in a drawing and she left her employment in quite the fashion.  She then decided to live her dream of going to New Caledonia to find the beetle.  But she needed an assistant and ended up with Enid Pretty, Margery's polar opposite in every way.  Enid was escaping something as well and was anxious to leave Britain.  The rest of the story is an adventure in every way as the two encounter roadblock after roadblock in their quest but end up finding something even more important - friendship.

These two characters will grow on you and stay with you, leaving good lessons on not judging other people by first impressions.  And that most important lesson - everyone you meet has a story.  We should all be more mindful of that in our interactions with people.  But Margery and Enid - and even all the peripheral characters - are colorful people that you will be rooting for.  Add in Joyce's mastery at writing these unique characters and new world and you have a great escape read!

11.1.2020 - The Harpy

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for gifting me a digital ARC of this novel by Megan Hunter.  4 stars for a quick, well-written read that draws you into the story.  4 stars.

A harpy is a mythical creature with a woman's face whose mission is to harm those who have harmed her.  Quite the lead in to a story about a wronged woman!  Lucy is married to Jake and mom to two boys.  Instead of the fulfilling career she intended, she works part-time from home writing copy.  A call comes to her from a man claiming that her husband is having an affair with one of his coworkers.  When Lucy confronts Jake, they agree to her settling the score by allowing her three paybacks towards him.

This book was wonderfully written, like a dark fairy tale, with glimpses of Lucy's past explaining her fixation with the harpy.  I couldn't put it down but have to say that the ending fell short with me and left me wanting more of a resolution.