Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon

My Rating: 1.5

Florence lives in an old folks home and has fallen. As she lies on the carpet waiting for someone to rescue her, the story unfolds of a new resident in the home who she thinks is from her past.

The first chapter, I thought I knew what was going on but told myself "no, that wouldn't be so obvious". I kept reading and tried to put that thought out of my mind so, when right near the end they have "THE BIG REVEAL" and it happened exactly as I had thought in chapter 1, to say I felt it was cheezy and predictable is an understatement. I also felt the author was intentionally trying to manipulate our feelings (hate that!) with the sentimentality. There was a lot of over dramatic writing to try to pass it off as amazing prose or trying to be cute. Too bad as this had promise.

We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson

My rating: 1.0

Merricat Blackwood lives on the family estate with her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian. Not long ago there were seven Blackwoods—until a fatal dose of arsenic found its way into the sugar bowl one terrible night. Acquitted of the murders, Constance has returned home, where Merricat protects her from the curiosity and hostility of the villagers.

This had a sense of being creepy, only in the strangeness of the family not fitting in with the townsfolk and feeling ostracized by the townsfolk. Other than that, this is just plain boring. Definitely don't waste your time.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

My Rating: 4.8

Brian's parents are recently divorced and Brian is on his first plane trip when the small prop plane pilot suffers a heart attack. Brian crash lands the plane by a remote Canadian lake and soon realizes, he has no one to rely on for his survival except himself.

As 13 year old Brian learns lessons, many the hard way, you come to respect and grow with him. I can see why this Young Adult book won the Newberry Prize. 

The Trespasser by Tana French

My Rating: 4.8

Detective Antoinette Conway and Detective Stephen Moran are investigating the murder of beautiful Aislinn Murray. They are being pressured to close the case but things aren't as they seem.

I love how French makes us feel we know the Detectives and all the players in the case. As always, phenomenal writing! Can't wait to read Witch's Elm. Tana definitely deserves the title of First Lady of Irish Crime.

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

My Rating: 4.8

Kvothe is at University and takes an involuntary gap year. In his continued pursuit of the Chandrian, he ends up being hired to slaughter bandits and spends an indeterminate amount of time with a fairy. This book is very different than the first in that it meanders and feels like it is laying the foundation for the 3rd and final book. Although it was different, it was no less entertaining.

This is the continuation (second book in this trilogy) of the story of Kvothe. There is definitely a lot more fantasy in this book but the writing is so enjoyable. I can't wait for his third book to come out!

The Secret Place by Tana French

My Rating: 4.5

An unsolved murder of a boy who was found on the grounds of a girls school.  A year later, Holly Mackey arrives in Stephen Moran's office with a photo of the boy with the caption: “I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM.” Stephen, along with Detective Antoinette Conway, reopens the case—beneath the watchful eye of Holly’s father, fellow detective Frank Mackey.

This took me a while to get into - perhaps due to the narration switching to a bunch of immature annoying high school girls. I can say that French captures the high school drama well! Once I understood the alternate story-lines, I got in to it and enjoyed it a lot. I love feeling like I know all these Detectives as French does such an amazing job of building their characters. I am sad that I only have a couple more books left in this series.  Tana, you need to write faster!! :-) 

Funny In Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas

My Rating: 3.8

In 1972, Firoozeh and her family move from Iran to California. She tells various stories from her life in moving to the United States.

For me, this wasn't near as entertaining as "It Ain't So Awful Falafel". I felt like she retold a LOT of the same stories in a slightly different way. I would recommend "It Ain't So Awful Falafel" and skip this.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

My Rating: 2.0

Keiko has always been considered an odd child. Now, nearing 40 years old, she has worked her whole life at a convenience store. She tries desperately to navigate the pressures from the "normal world" to grow up and have a regular job, relationship, etc. but it just isn't for her. Once Keiko understands she is ok with who she is and accepts herself, she is happy.

I felt like there was potential with this novel but, it really missed the mark for me. Murata could have explored Keiko being autistic - she doesn't know appropriate responses or how to read body language and has to take her queue from her peers, Keiko's comfort with routines and patterns - this could have been a more interesting novel. Instead, it was more of a judgment on conforming and learning to accept oneself which I don't consider to be profound. If you have never been to Japan you may find some of the things about convenience store "interesting" at best but I don't think this book is worth your time.

Broken Harbor by Tana French

My Rating: 4.8

A brutal crime scene with Patrick Spain and his two young children murdered and his wife, Jenny, in intensive care. Mick “Scorcherˮ Kennedy is the star of the Dublin Murder Squad who gets assigned this case.

Very few write a good mystery like Tana French.  Between the fabulous Irish accents on the audio version and feeling like you know all the detectives before they show up on the crime scene, she has me hooked. 

Bookmarks Magazine Nov/Dec 2018

For a change, it felt that I was last on the list to get my Bookmarks magazine.  This is something that I look forward to getting so when you hear all your friends are receiving their copy, it makes you almost want to tackle your Postman and demand to know where your copy is.  Luckily no bail money was required, as my copy arrived today - YEAH!

There were quite a few selections this month that, while they sounded very intriguing, just didn't make my list. Maybe it is my current frame of mind but, that is why I save all the magazines so I can go through past editions again for anything I may have missed that may appeal to me later.

Here are my picks:

      
      


  

As always, please share your picks or any great books you think I should add to my queue!

Rust and Stardust by T. Greenwood

My Rating: 2.5

11 year old Sally Horner is kidnapped and raped for two years by Frank LaSalle.

This is very loosely based on the real life kidnapping of Sally Horner, who was the inspiration for Lolita. This horrible sad story was also long and tedious and bordered on boring. I am clearly in the minority in finding that every detail of the 2 years of her kidnapping, dragged out too long not just for Sally but also for the reader..

It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas

My Rating: 4.9

Zomorod Yousefzadeh (Cindy) and her parents move from Iran to California and she is determined to fit in. Despite the overthrow of the Shah, Iranian hostage takings and other Iranian events that some people feel Cindy must be personally responsible for, this is such a fun book filled with bean bag chairs, puka shells and other things I remember. It captures being a young girl and friendships.

This book kept me up far too late reading and laughing. That newspaper route scene still can make me chuckle! It captured so much including how it would feel to immigrate with your family and, despite being a child, that they look to you to understand the language and culture. The history lesson portions felt objective and well done. I absolutely LOVED this book and will be reading more by this author.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

My Rating: 4.8

After serving 10 years for murder, when Oliver is finally released from jail Detective Colborne meets him wanting to know the truth of what really happened. This flashes back to 10 years prior, when Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at the Classical Conservatory who form a close friendship despite their fierce competition with each other for the various roles in the plays.

This book, that is told in 5 "Acts" will not be for everyone - if you don't like Shakespeare, then you will hate this book (there are literally PAGES of Shakespeare and the students continuously quote him in their daily interactions). I felt that Rio captured the pretentious, self-indulgence of youth who feel they know more than the adults while also showing their insecurities. This is about friendship and rivalry and seeing how far both can go. Well played!

Himself by Jess Kidd

My Rating: 3.5

Orphaned as a child, Mahony returns to Mulderrig on Ireland's West Coast.in search of his mother and to know why he was given up. Despite many of them having answers, no one living or dead will tell Mahony what happened to his teenage mother all those years ago.

This is a quirky novel with beautiful writing, ghosts and magic. It is hard to capture this novel which has everything from uncomfortable violence to a lot of levity with the dead interacting with the living. While I was completely enthralled with Kidd's writing, the story was rather slow at many points throughout the book. I am glad I read it and would definitely read more by Kidd as his writing is magical. 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

My Rating: 4.8

Lale and Gita meet in Auschwitz. Lale is given the prestigious job of being the Tattooist of the numbers for all the new prisoners. This position gives him a small amount of freedom that he uses to get extra food and distributes to keep others alive. As Lale falls in love with Gita, he gives her hope to stay alive by picturing life together after they get out.

Knowing that this is a true story makes it all the more amazing. Like Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning, Lale discovers that the key to life and survival is having hope and he spreads that hope throughout Auschwitz. As horrific as this was, it is also the story of overcoming incredible odds, survival and of love.

Love You More by Lisa Gardner #5 D.D. Warren & #1 in Tessa Leoni Series

My Rating: 4.6

Detective Tessa Leoni's 6 year old daughter is missing and her husband is dead on her kitchen floor from her service revolver.  Tessa says she shot him in self-defense and has the bruises to prove it. Detective D.D. Warren and Bobby Dodge have to figure out what really happened and that means a twisting turning plot!

I love these easy popcorn thriller reads of Gardner's and will definitely be reading more.  This is Book #5 in the Detective D.D. Warren series but also Book #1 in the Tessa Leoni series (like a spin-off) I loved Tsssa's character so will be reading that series after I finish with the DD Warren series.

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

My Rating: 4.8

Three best friends, one is murdered, one becomes a policeman and one goes to jail.. Georgina is an fast up and coming executive in a pharmaceutical company when she is suddenly arrested for what happened 14 years ago. Add in the Sweet Bay Strangler, Calvin James and you have an edge of your seat thriller / mystery.

This gripped me from the very beginning and didn't disappoint. This was fabulously twisted and well written. An easy page turner. Loved it!

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

My rating: 4.6

While snorkeling on their dream honeymoon, Mark & Erin find something in the water. They have a choice to make and, it triggers a chain of events.

Judging by the reviews, you will either love or hate this book. It is a typical thriller where you have to suspend reality and go with the wild plot twists and the simple writing style but, I enjoyed it a lot. It made me wonder, what I would do in her circumstances.

Live To Tell by Lisa Gardner #4 D.D Warren Series

My Rating: 4.6

When Danielle was a child her whole family was slaughtered.  Now she is a nurse on a pediatric psych ward. Victoria is a mother to a very troubled son. Is she so devoted that she is willing to risk her family and even her own safety? DD Warren has to figure out how another family is slaughtered and if there is any connection.

As with all Lisa Gardner novels, you have to go with it and just enjoy. I wouldn't say this was the best in the D.D. Warren series but, I am enjoying them and will continue reading.

Faithful by Alice Hoffman

Rating: 2.5

Shelby and her best friend are in a car accident and Shelby has to live with the guilt of that night.

This was just ok for me.I felt that some things just fell in to place too neatly. I didn't feel a strong attachment to any of the characters as they felt very immature and not developed.  By the end of the book, I was actually very tired of a few characters. There was just no depth to the writing so I was glad to be done with this.

The Pecan Man by Cassie Dandridge Selleck

Rating:  5.0

In the summer of 1976, recently widowed and childless, Ora Lee Beckworth hires a homeless old black man to mow her lawn. The neighborhood children call him the Pee-can Man; their mothers call them inside whenever he appears. When a crime happens, the Pecan Man (Eddie) is arrested and charged. Twenty-five years later, Ora sets out to tell the truth about the Pecan Man. In narrating her story, Ora discovers more truth about herself than she could ever have imagined.

Wow. I fell in love with so many characters. You know from the beginning that Eddie/The Pecan Man is in prison but you don't know the details behind it. I was early on the book, while Eddie was still free, that I knew Eddie was in jail as I loved him so much I didn't want that to happen. This book had my heart with so many of the characters. This novel has been described as To Kill a Mockingbird meets The Help. 

Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim

My Rating: 4.8

They say we are formed by our relationships with the women who raise us. Moments after Lisbeth is born, she’s taken from her white mother and handed over to an enslaved wet nurse, Mattie, who is a young mother separated from her own infant son in order to care for her tiny charge. Thus begins an intense relationship that will shape both of their lives for decades to come. Though Lisbeth leads a life of privilege, she finds nothing but loneliness in the company of her overwhelmed mother and her distant, slave-owning father

This had me from the first chapter. Such a beautifully told story with Mattie having such a beautiful heart despite her circumstances. I felt that the ending was a bit contrived but did enjoy it.  The first portion about Mattie was my favorite but I think I liked Someone Knows My Name a bit better. 

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy

Rating; 2.0

A mother's group meets for one of their meetings without their children at a bar. One of the women's child is kidnapped and their is much speculation as to who done it.

There were too many Mothers to keep track of and none of them had any traits where I cared about them and then a lot of extraneous backstories *yawn* The little switcheroo at the end felt very contrived. This is trying to ride on the coattails of all the latest string of "thrillers" and barely kept my attention. Definitely not a recommend.

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones

Rating: 4.4

Emily thinks she has met the perfect man in Adam...until she meets his mother. Pammie is very controlling and manipulative and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Emily has to decide how much is she willing to fight to keep her man.

If you think you have problems with your mother-in-law, you have no idea of how bad it could be! This is the worst MIL that you could ever imagine. This is a quick beach read that had me engrossed with the dysfunctional Banks family. I had to listen to the  ending twice to figure out what happened - I love it when the ending is not wrapped up in a neat bow! Thanks to Holly https://dressedtoread.com for this twisted beach read recommendation 

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

Rating: 4.6

Andrea knows her mother Laura very well. But when they are in a mall and a shooter attacks, Andrea sees a completely different side of her mother. The timeline changes between current day of Andrea trying to figure out who this new version is of her mother, and back to 1986.

At first, I loved this book, then, when it introduced a new part to the story-line flashing back to 1986, I wasn't so sure, and then I was glad I stuck with it as I did enjoy it. You just have to trust Slaughter as she knows what she is doing and is the master of writing a good twisted thriller.

Educated by Tara Westover

Rating:  3.0

This is the story of a fundamentalist/survivalist Mormon family. Tara tells her story of being raised off the grid, with no birth certificate, no formal schooling with a very extreme religious and dysfunctional family.

For me, this wasn't unique. I am familiar with so many people with similar stories and some who have broken free and others who have chosen to stay that this didn't have an allure for me. I agree with others that say it seemed far-fetched she could have gone to Harvard/Cambridge as not only do scholarships don't cover everything but as someone put it "Intelligence is not the main thing required to attend Harvard or Cambridge; being able to pass exams and perform the system's dance is. Someone without formal education should have no idea how to do that."

This definitely had a pleasing writing style that was meant for the masses. It was entertaining but not a must read in my books.

How To Stop Time by Matt Haig

Rating: 3.0

Tom has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old, but owing to a rare condition, he's been alive for centuries. Tom has lived history--performing with Shakespeare, exploring the high seas with Captain Cook, and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald. Now, he just wants an ordinary life. Not aging sounds like a great problem to have but, when people start noticing, it is time to move.

This flashes back and forth in time showing us the many lives that Tom has lived.  While this started off as enjoyable it quickly felt like a forced history lesson and it dragged (maybe how Tom felt living so long). A better time travel book would be The Time Traveler's Wife

Our Kind of Cruelty by Arminta Hall

My Rating: 3.5

After a brutal childhood, Mike has met the love of his life in Verity. V taught him about love, and in return, Mike has dedicated his life to making her happy. He’s found the perfect home, the perfect job, he’s sculpted himself into the physical ideal V has always wanted. He knows they’ll be blissfully happy together.

It doesn’t matter that she hasn’t been returning his emails or phone calls. It doesn’t matter that she says she’s marrying Angus. It’s all just part of the secret game they used to play. If Mike watches V closely, he’ll see the signs. If he keeps track of her every move he’ll know just when to come to her rescue.

Despite having some slower sections, I felt that this was a page turner so, why didn't I rate it higher?  The ending drove me as crazy as Mike! I have so many questions. I don't like books that tie up in a neat bow but, I truly didn't know what to think at the end and that frustrated me.  No matter who was in on what, this was about a lot of craziness.Don't read this if you think there is a big reveal or surprise as there is not.

Us Against You by Fredrick Backman

My Rating:4.9

This is a continuation of Beartown's hockey team vs the neighboring town of Hed's hockey team as well as the other residents of this remote Swedish town. This is about so much more than hockey.

Backman's simple sentence structure is so powerful. In my opinion, you have to read the 1st book in this series which is Beartown in order to understand Us Against You. 

The Name of the Wind by Philip Rothfuss

My rating: 5.0

This flashes back and forth in time between modern day when Kvothe is an innkeeper and back to his youth. He recalls how he grew up with amazing loving parents in a troupe and how they were family who fostered him to grow into the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.

What an amazing writer. This reminded me of a much more mature version of Harry Potter with less magic. The back story on the gods was a bit tiresome (picture reading about Greek Gods) but I loved the rest and will definitely be reading the other books in this series.

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner

My Rating: 4.2

A young mother disappears leaving behind her husband and four year old daughter. Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren senses something off about the picture of wholesome normality the couple worked so hard to create. On the surface, Jason and Sandra Jones are like any other hardworking young couple raising a four-year-old child. But it is just under the surface that things grew murky.

I am enjoying this series but this wasn't my favorite of the four I have read so far. Still, I will keep reading to see what else unfolds in this twisted, thriller, series.

Anatomy Of A Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

My rating: 4.7

James is a member of Parliament and seems to have an idyllic marriage until James confesses to his wife Sophie that he has had a five month long affair with Olivia, a co-worker. He ended it so why is he confessing? As she is reeling and trying to process this he admits to the reason why he told her....the newspaper scandal rags have found out and it is all going to be in morning paper. Then things get unspeakably worse as Olivia says she was raped.

This is not really a suspenseful beach thriller but more of a serious court drama. I listened to the audio version and it was brilliant in the unfolding of what happened, capturing the voices and keeping me on the edge of my seat. I felt so uncomfortable for Sophie, Olivia and Kate so have to say that the author did a fabulous job. 

Hide by Lisa Gardner

My rating: 4.7

From the first book in this series Alone, Bobby Dodge returns in this edge of your seat thriller. On the grounds of an abandoned Massachusetts mental hospital, in an underground chamber they make the gruesome discovery of six mummified corpses.

Annabelle Granger has been in hiding for as long as she can remember. Now one of the body unearthed from the chamber is wearing a necklace bearing Annabelle’s name, and the danger is too close to escape.

I listened to the audio version and it kept me on the edge of my seat. After Alone, I understood a lot of these characters and also enjoyed the new characters of Annabelle and her dog Bella. I will definitely be reading more in this addictive series.

Alone by Lisa Gardner

My rating: 4.1

Massachusetts State Trooper Bobby Dodge watches a tense hostage standoff unfold through the scope of his sniper rifle and when the man appears to be going to shoot his wife, Bobby fires. This is Catherine Gagnon's husband that Bobby just killed. Her father-in-law, the powerful Judge Gagnon, blames Catherine for his son’s death . . . and for the series of unexplained illnesses that have sent her own young son repeatedly to the hospital.

This is the first book in the series but you don't have to read them in order (this wasn't the first one that I read in the series). While this wasn't as good as Find Her, it was still very enjoyable and now that I am reading more in the series it helps me to understand that Gardner was building the back-story. 

The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz

My rating: 5.0

This book makes the groundbreaking claim that more, not less, dietary fat—including saturated fat—is what leads to better health and wellness. Science shows that we have been needlessly avoiding meat, cheese, whole milk, and eggs for decades and that we can now, guilt-free, welcome these delicious foods back into our lives.

We have all read studies or seen documentaries that tell us how being vegetarian or vegan leads to better health, lower cancer rates, etc. and it has even caused many of us to change how we eat. Nina Teicholz read all these studies (not just the summary conclusions) to understand them. In this book, she sheds a new light on so many studies and whether the conclusions that were drawn were accurate. I got sick from my diet (vegan and high carbs) and healed with protein and fat.  Now I understand why.

The Gift by Louise Jensen

My Rating: 1.5

Jenna gets a heart transplant from a girl named Callie. Jenna meets Callie's family and becomes obsessed with knowing how Callie died. Jenna experiences Cellular Memory where she has flashes of Callie's memories.

This was a promising idea for a story and it fell completely and utterly flat.  The author trying to infuse suspense was horrifically painful drawn out dribble. Jenna making so many ludicrous decisions as well as pushing everyone away was so irritating and caused me to not like the character. By the end, I was very ready to be done with this. Definitely do NOT recommend.

The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness

Rating: 4.9

George finds a giant white crane in his back yard with an arrow through it's wing. In the cold winter blue moonlight, George helps the bird and watches as it flies off not realizing that his life is transformed. The next day, Kimoko walks into his print shop and this is the beginning of a magical, romantic and unexpected journey.

I loved George, Kimoko and even George's socially challenged daughter Amanda.  This captured my heart. The magical realism parts were a bit much for my taste but Ness' writing is so gorgeous that it kept me reading till the last page. I didn't want this to end. This is a unique novel and won't be for everyone but for those who enjoy amazing writing you will be enthralled.

Find Her by Lisa Gardner

Rating: 4.8

It is 5 years since Flora was kidnapped from a Spring Break vacation in Florida and held for 452 days. She was captive in a pine box and brutalized. When Detective D.D. Warren is called to the scene of a crime with a dead man and a girl who is naked an in handcuffs, she pieces together that not only is the naked handcuffed girl Flora but, Flora has had similar encounters with 3 others.  Is Flora vigilante or victim?

Another suspend reality and enjoy the ride type of thriller. This had me up way too late turning the pages to find out what happened. 

Bookmarks Magazine - July/August 2019

What better way to relax after my trip to China than coming home to a Bookmarks Magazine (although it would been amazing to have on the plane ride!)

    
I don't normally like short stories but for some reason this one called to me:



I don't know if I am still jetlagged or if this issue didn't have near as many good books in it but not a lot called my name. I will be putting this edition in my suitcase to go over again.If you get Bookmarks, let me know which ones you think I missed that I should add!

Every Note Played by Lisa Genova

My rating: 4.9

An accomplished concert pianist, Richard is dealing with ALS. She knows the details of the disease and takes us through the grueling daily challenges of living with ALS that most of us probably never thought about. His ex-wife Karina becomes his reluctant caretaker. You not only understand ALS and the deterioration but, you understand Richard and Karina's marriage and each of their roles in it's demise.

This was sad but it didn't feel depressing as it was so real and honest. I felt like I would know what it would be like to have ALS or the emtions of caring for someone with ALS. Genova is a truly gifted author and she uses her knowledge or neuroscience in a way to educate without lecturing. I think this was even better than her previous book Still Alice. She is a true talent at adeptly handling difficult topics..

The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

My rating: 3.6

TifAni went to prestigious Bradley School and endured a shocking, public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. She now has a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé. She has worked hard to achieve what she has and you find out what has driven her through various flash backs.

This is a hard one for me to review. The first 1/3 of the book was not enjoyable at all - Ani is a superficial conniving woman that was so manipulative it set my teeth on edge. Then there is a big reveal that was so horrific and reeled me in and got me to see Ani in a different light. Then things were a bit more entertaining but still dragged till the next big reveal. Then things flowed a bit better and then wrapped up. This had enough that I kept reading and don't regret it but can't say this is a must read. For me, two contrived "big incidents" don't make up for completely unlikable characters and a poor story line.

Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh

My rating: 3.6

Both of Anna's parents committed suicide - her father 2 years ago and her mother last year.  She is reeling from this and goes to a counselor who she ends up in a relationship with and they have a child. Anna misses her parents more than ever and starts digging into their deaths which makes unplanned dangers surface.

I enjoyed this but boy you REALLY have to suspend reality...way too much. Also, none of the characters were particularly likable or deep. It was a fun read.

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

My Rating: 4.7

Ellie is the golden girl and at age 15, when she goes missing, it sends her mother Laurel into a spiral that takes years for her to recover from. Ten years later, Laurel meets Floyd in a coffee shop and they begin a whirlwind romance.

I really enjoyed this with the "then" and "now" timeline. I only figured out pieces of this along the way but enjoyed it until the end. I felt for Laurel and loved her awareness of how she was treating her other daughter. Definitely very twisted with some sick individuals and a lot of suspending reality but I thought this was very well done..

Long Way Gone by Charles Martin

My rating: 5.0

Cooper's father is an old fashioned tent preacher. Cooper is raised with religion and music. As he grows into his late teens, he feels anger and resentment and finally takes his father's truck, money and guitar and heads to Nashville.

Amazing writing. This book captures more than I am capable of explaining in my review. The love of a parent, the constraint a child feels against the protective love of a parent, miracles and believing in so much more than  yourself. This is a coming of age, love story that is about musicians and so much more. This is a Christian themed book (picture The Prodigal Son). I believe in miracles and if you read it, you will too.

All The Beautiful Lies by Peter Swanson

My rating: 4.5

Harry gets a call from his step-mother Alice that his father is dead. Harry leaves college before graduation to go home for the funeral and to see what he can find out about his fathers death.  Soon, Harry has reason to suspect foul play but there is a lot more going on than Harry suspects.

Twists and turns galore with lots of suspense and you feel distrustful of everyone!  I can see why this has been compared to Girl on A Train. Not as good as Swanson's previous The Kind Worth Killing but still very enjoyable.

The Identicals by Erin Hildenbrand

My rating: 2.7

Forty year old twins, Tabatha and Harper have been estranged for years but their father's death and their mother's poor health brings them together.

This was a cheezy version of the Parent Trap.  Definitely way too fluffy for my tastes and I am embarrassed I finished it. Definitely not my cup of tea

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

My rating: 4.8

This short novel is a somber fairytale. It is about 13 year old Conor dealing with his mum having cancer.

This extremely well done, inventive book makes you feel vulnerable, afraid, sad and so much more. It made me want to hug sweet Conor. Very haunting and one I will remember.

Faithful Place by Tana French

My Rating: 4.6

When Frank Mackey was 19, he was going to run away with his girl Rosey Daley. Rosey never showed. Frank assumed it was due to his dysfunctional family. Frank never went home and neither did Rosey. They never heard from each other again. Now, 22 years later, Detective Frank Mackey gets a call that they have discovered Rosey's suitcase. Frank returns home to the whole sordid dysfunctional mess to try to sort out what happened.

I absolutely loved how much Frank loved his daughter Hollie. The dysfunctional family was quite uncomfortable (which was the point) so just for that reason this wasn't as enjoyable for me as her previous books but I can't wait to read the next in this fabulous series.

Inheriting Edith by Zoe Fishman

My rating: 4.6

Maggy is a struggling single mother who cleans homes for wealthy New Yorkers. When a former client dies and leaves her a home in Sag Harbor, she soon finds out it also comes with taking care of Edith, the deceased's 82 year old mother who has Alzheimers. Neither Maggie nor Edith are thrilled with the arrangement but soon come to understand each other and find they may even be good for each other.

Despite the heavy topic, this felt light and was so enjoyable. All of the characters rang true and were relate-able. Very enjoyable light read.

Bookmarks Magazine May/June 2018

The only thing that makes getting coming home any more glorious is my Bookmarks magazine waiting for me in the mailbox - WOOHOO!  There were some unusual books in this edition that I am intrigued to read (The Friend is at the top of my list!) Here are my picks from this edition.

      
      

Already on my kindle:

Please share what your picks were so I can see which ones I missed and add them to my queue!

Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin

My rating: 4.6

Aviva Grossman is a congressional intern who has an affair with the married congressman. When the affair comes to light it is a social media frenzy. She can't get a job or rebuild her life. Aviva quickly realizes she is a household name and the stigma will follow her.

This is a funny, sharp novel that captures women and their relationships. I really enjoyed the light easy writing style.

Love and Respect by Dr Emerson Eggerichs

My rating: 4.8

Women need love and men need respect. If you fight giving your spouse what they need, they won't give what you need. If you know what they need, give it and see what happens. I did and was pretty amazed at the results.

Although this is very Christian based, I feel that anyone of any religious or non-religious belief could benefit from this book. It is the type of book that is easy to skim over the scriptural sections if you wish and still glean the message of the book.

Force of Nature by Jane Harper

My Rating: 4.7

A Corporate team building event of hiking in the wilderness ends with one of the women not returning and the other women all telling a slightly different version of what happened. This flashes back and forth between the detectives interviewing the women and trying to piece together what happened and flashbacks to the events that unfolded of the women's hike. All the while, searchers are in the woods trying to find the missing woman.

This was phenomenal at capturing the emotional baggage of each woman and how the corporate boardroom dynamics don't translate out to the wilderness. If I had any doubt, this book has confirmed I don't want to do a hiking team building event with my co-workers!  Will definitely read more by Harper.

As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner

My rating: 3.5

After the recent loss of their baby son, Pauline, her husband and their daughters take an offer from an uncle to move to Philadelphia and become partners in the funeral business. While they are adjusting to their new life, they also have to deal with the outbreak of the Spanish flu. One day, while mother and daughter are delivering food to the sick, the daughter finds a young baby, his mother dead from the flu. They decide to keep him and he gives them all a purpose to hold on to in their chaotic world.

I enjoyed the alternating POV of the mother and the daughters. While I enjoyed the portion about the Spanish flu immensely the light fluffiness characters that were lacking in depth didn't seem to fit. There were also a LOT of coincidences at the end that allowed everything to be tied up in such a pretty neat bow it felt like a script for Hallmark Weekly Movie (hate that!) Definitely enjoyed the first portion more than the ending which is too bad as it had promise to be better.

The Likeness by Tana French

My Rating: 4.9

Cassie Maddox has transferred out of the Dublin Murder squad but an urgent phone call tells her to come to a grisly crime scene. The victim looks EXACTLY like Cassie and carries ID identifying herself as "Alexandra Madison", which is an alias Cassie once used as an undercover cop. Suddenly, Cassie must discover not only who killed this girl, but, more importantly, who is this girl?

Wow. Tana French hits it out of the park. With perfect pitch she captures every note of how it would feel to see your doppelganger dead before you, to have to go undercover and take on her life and be Cassie playing Lexie. I loved the audio version which captured hte Irish accents. You don't need to read the first book in this series Into the Woods to enjoy this book but, it was also excellent so, why not :-)

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

My rating: 5.0

It is 1974 and former POW Ernt Allbright comes home a changed man. He thinks that inheriting some land with a house on it in Alaska could be the new lease on life that he and his family so desperately need.  He takes his wife Clara and 13 year old daughter Leni to live off the grid in the wilds of Alaska. This is about love, coming of age story, family and about Alaska....and Hannah captures all of it flawlessly.

There wasn't one thing that I didn't love about this book.  WOW! Every character, even the unlikable ones, were so well done. I was in Maui and Arizona while reading this and with Hannah's descriptions of Alaska, I felt cold! You understand how hard and unforgiving Alaska is and how this family wasn't prepared to deal with it and so many other things. I also loved The Nightingale. She could be my new favorite author.

A Stranger In The House by Shari Lapene

My Rating: 3.9

Tom comes home to find his wife Karen has vanished and yet didn't lock the door, left behind her cell phone, purse and ID. A knock from the police tells him that she was in an accident in a very bad part of town and is in the hospital. Karen's concussion leaves her with no memory of the events.

This had lots of twists and turns. Some of the characters felt cheezy but if you go with it, it was a fun read. IMO, this wasn't as good as her previous book A Couple Next Door but still a fun read.

Final Girls by Riley Sagar

My rating: 4.7

Final girls is named for the girl who is left alive at the end of a horror movie. This thriller is about three girls who have each survived horrific mass murder sprees. It starts 10 years after 5 of Quincy Carpenter's friends were murdered and she was the lone survivor. She is trying desperately to put it behind her and have a 'normal' life.

This was a great beach read full of suspense and twists. It definitely had me guessing until the end and I enjoyed the final twist and ending.

The Taster by V.S. Alexander

My Rating: 4.5

In 1943, Magda finds herself working as a food taster for Hitler at the Berghof mountain retreat. Magda gets drawn into a plot that tests her wits and loyalty in a quest for safety, freedom, and ultimately, vengeance.

This was very interesting in terms of the story but also understanding some of the things with Hitler. The circumstances of Hitler's death has been disputed and Alexander weaves a fascinating plausible historical fiction novel around this. The characters could have had more depth and the story dragged at times but overall, it was a good read.