The Baker's Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan

My Rating: 4.7

Emma is 22 years old and learning to bake since she was 13 under the tutelage of Ezra. With the Nazi occupation of her town, life changes completely. Emma has no hope of the Allied forces rescuing them but she can't handle seeing her fellow townfolk starving so, she does what she can to help them.

I really enjoyed this. Even though Emma didn't have hope of rescue, she provided hope to her fellow townfolk. It is amazing how much the human spirit can endure and survive and this captures the feeling of being one of the townfolk trying to survive.

The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason

My Rating: 4.9

Vienna, 1914. Lucius is a twenty-two-year-old medical student when World War I explodes across Europe. Enraptured by romantic tales of battlefield surgery, he enlists, expecting a position at a well-organized field hospital. But when he arrives, at a commandeered church tucked away high in a remote valley of the Carpathian Mountains, he finds a freezing outpost ravaged by typhus. The other doctors have fled, and only a single, mysterious nurse named Sister Margarete remains.

This book won't be for everyone as it does lag at times. For me, the beautiful writing propelled it along. I truly FELT each scene - the weather, the war, the emotions - and that will stay with me. Absolutely gorgeous but not a light fluffy read and at times, I didn't like where the plot went but again, the writing held me to the end. Will definitely get more by this author.

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg

My Rating: 4.6

Three different people. who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness. Arthur, a widow, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who is avoiding school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared.

This was a heartwarming story that I didn't want to end. I particularly loved Arthur - the epitame of the sweet quirky old man that captures your heart

The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard

My Rating: 4.8

At St John's College in Dublin, Will and Alison are dating. Flash forward 10 years to when Alison is living in the Netherlands and Will is in a psychiatric hospital for being the most prolific serial killer in Ireland's history.

The Garda detectives visit Will to see if he can assist them in solving what looks like a copycat killing. Instead, Will tells them he has something new to confess-but there's only one person he's prepared to confess it to, and she doesn't want to have anything to do with the past she has worked so hard to put behind her.

This delicious story was like popcorn - light and I couldn't get enough. 

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

My Rating: 4.2

15 years ago, Emma and 3 other girls share a cabin at summer camp. When the other 3 girls sneak out and never return, it haunts Emma.

Fast forward 15 years and Franny, the owner of the camp, decides to reopen it and invites Emma back. It is immediately apparent that things are not right.

This had me second guessing the ending....right up until the ending (although I think my ending was better HA!) It was good but, rather repetitive and the 'sense of foreboding' seemed contrived. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it had moved at a faster pace. 

My Name Is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

My rating: 4.9

It is the 1800's and Mary is a brilliant young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Mary travels to Washington D.C. to help tend the wounded from the Civil War.

This was wonderful in the details of the Civil War as well as the horrible lack of medical equipment and knowledge. I learned a lot and found this such a wonderful perspective of the every day person (vs the slave or the soldier) that I hadn't heard before. Very readable and I cared about all the characters. I can't wait to read the sequel to this! Definite recommend!

Watching Edie by Camilla Way

My Rating: 4.6

Edie was a charismatic teenager who got in with the wrong crowd. Now at 33 yo, she is working as a waitress and pregnant. When she becomes overwhelmed by the needs of her new baby and sinks into a bleak despair, when her former best friend Heather shows up on her doorstep. She hasn't seen Heather for 17 years and now she has to decide how much she can trust her.

I didn't see the twist coming. I enjoyed this quick paced thriller. Warning, some graphic/uncomfortable parts.

The Lies We Told by Camilla Way

My Rating: 4.4

Clara's boyfriend, Luke, disappears, everyone believes that he's left her or that he went out for a night on the town and stayed with a friend but will be back. Recent evidence suggests that Luke had a stalker, and Clara worries that he's been kidnapped. Then Luke's older sister, Emily, who vanished twenty years ago, suddenly reappears.

This was entertaining but the last chapter was obviously trying to set things up for a sequel. It felt weird and I didn't like that. I did enjoy the rest of the book. 

The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow

My Rating: 5.0

This extremely gritty novel follows DEA Agent Art Keller in his hunt for the Berrera Brothers and their drug cartel. From the streets of New York City to Mexico City and Tijuana to the jungles of Central America, this is the war on drugs like you’ve never seen it.

This is so graphic, real and gritty. The torture, sex and drugs will haunt you...as will the reality of what is going on. I googled so many things in this book and they were all true! I think all men would love this book about the war on drugs with Mexico and Central America. This is the Sopranos combined with Pablo Escobar - on steroids. Although this is labeled as fiction, every single thing I googled was fact so I would label this as historical fiction (the names have been changed to protect the guilty). This is being made into a Netflix movie and I can't wait! I will definitely be reading the other two books in the trilogy. Wow. Absolutely stellar

Bookmarks Magazine July/August

I always get so excited when my favorite magazine arrives in the mail. Here are the selections that jump out at me at first glance:
      
         

I already have this one in my queue thanks to a previous edition of Bookmarks and my book-twin Jeana:


I absolutely loved The Dog Stars and how Heller captures nature so I had to add this one:

The Safest Lies by Megan Miranda

My Rating: 3.0

Kelsey's mom was kidnapped when she was 17 years old. She hasn't been outside their home since she escaped and had Kelsey. Kelsey knows very little of that time except the extreme fear and precautionary measures her mother gets her to take. When Kelsey is in an accident that gets press coverage, she suddenly finds out a lot of things her mother has been hiding from her.

I loved the first half of the book but then so sad when it fell apart and the ending was just meh. Hate when that happens..

Weaving the Strands #2 by Barbara Hinske

My Rating: 4.7

This is #2 in the Coming to Rosemont Series. Maggie continues her life in Westbury. She is facing a lot of criticism from her job, she has too many guests for Thanksgiving dinner and just has her hands full all around.

This is a fast, fun and wholesome read. So enjoyable. I will definitely be reading more in this series.

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

My Rating: 4.9

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late 60's, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

 Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

This is such a unique book. I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to like it and then I fell in love with it! It is told in the form of an interview style (picture members of Led Zepplin, Motley Crew, Ozzy Osbourne or The Beatles but with more pop style music-- being interviewed by The Rolling Stones Magazine). I loved all the various perspectives and you felt like you really knew these characters and were a fan of the band. Definite recommend and the audio was great as well.

Coming To Rosemont by Barbara Hinske

My Rating: 4.6

When Maggie's husband dies of a heart attack, she finds out he has been keeping a lot of secrets....including that he inherited a beautiful mansion called Rosemont in a small town in the Midwest called Westbury. Maggie goes to Westbury fully intended to sell Rosemont and instead falls in love with it. She makes an impulsive decision to sell everything from her California life and start fresh by moving to Rosemont.

I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful feel-good book. I loved all the characters (ok, not the bad guys lol!) including the dog Eve. It made me want to move to Westbury. This is a wholesome book without being syrupy. If you want a wonderful uplifting book that will keep you entertained, this is it!

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

My Rating: 2.0

When Ren's master dies, he has to find his finger to reunite it with the body. Ren has to do this in 49 days after his master's death or his soul will forever roam the earth.

Ji Lin wants to be a doctor but, as a girl in 1930's Malaysia a dressmaker is the best she can hope for. Ji Lin also moonlights as a dancehall girl to help pay off her beloved mother's Mahjong debts. One night, Ji Lin's dance partner leaves her with a gruesome souvenir: a severed finger. Convinced the finger is bad luck, Ji Lin enlists the help of her erstwhile stepbrother to return it to its rightful owner.

As the 49 days tick down, and a prowling tiger wreaks havoc on the town, Ji Lin and Ren's lives intertwine in ways they could never have imagined.

I know I am in the minority in my rating of this book but I thought it was awful. It isn't that Choo is a bad author as I quite enjoyed the writing. It is that the story was absolutely boring. Throwing in some touches of local customs and folklore doesn't a story make. The characters were flat and there was no story other than what I put above. I should have stopped reading this as it was a complete waste of time. Definitely do not recommend. If this is an indication of Reese Witherspoon's book picks, I will skipping them. UGH!