My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares

My Rating: 4.2

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears.

This won't be everyone's cup of tea but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved how Lucy's voice, in current day, was constant and that Daniel was the one who flashed back to the previous lives and filled in their history. If you enjoy time travel, multiple life types of books, or want to believe in reconnecting in the next life with a love, then you will love this.

The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Umrigar

My Rating: 3.0

It has only been four months since Frank and Ellie's only boy, Benny, died. The raw grief is palapable, as is the rift in their marriage. When Frank's company offers him a job in India, he is about to decline but Ellie sees this as a way for them to have a fresh start and persuades Frank that they should move.

I felt like I was being lectured to throughout this whole book. I don't recall Umrigar involving her political views in previous books and that REALLY detracted from my enjoyment of this book. I do understand how she built it into the storyline but I feel she could have easily built the story around the Frank and Ellie, their loss, their marriage, India and left out the political aspect. Although this isn't on part with Umrigar's other books, the writing is beautiful and she captures so much in her phrasing.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

My Rating: 4.4

As young girls, Tully and Kate make a pact to be best friends forever. Tully was abandoned by her mother at an early age and this has meant she is constantly striving to prove her worth to the world. Kate was raised in a loving secure family and that is all she wants for herself. Two different girls that are inseparable.

This covers thirty years of turbulent friendship. It was equal parts fluff and depth. Hannah is such a strong writer that even though this light plot that can't compare to her current books, it pulls you in and makes you want more.  Thanksfully, there is a book 2 which I will be reading in the near future.

Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson

My Rating: 4.0

When Hen (short for Henrietta) has finally gotten onto the right meds, and with her husband Lloyd, have bought a new house she feels like her life is finally on track and settling out. Then the next door neighbors invite them over to dinner and Hen spots a sports trophy that looks like the one that went missing from a young man who was murdered a few years ago. Is her neighbor Matthew a murderer or is Hen's old obsession and paranoia haunting her again?

For me, while this was good, it was no where near in the same realm as The Kind Worth Killing. This was very slow and for most of the book, felt predictable. There were a few twists and it kept me entertained.

Four Soldiers by Hubert Mingarelli

My Rating: 4.8

In 1919, shortly after the outbreak of the Russian Civil War, four soldiers meet up and become the best of friends. They face the ravages of war but, when the cold of winter settles in and the fighting ceases, this wears on them almost as much as the horrific battles. In order to survive, they are forced to commandeer food from the locals, eat their horses and scavage any food they can find. So many hours of idleness that they fill with shooting dice and walking to/from a nearby lake.

br />

This is part of my quest to read books by authors of some of my past favorites. I loved A Meal in Winter and this had the same quiet beautiful writing. It is a book to be savored, not devoured. It is about the journey, not the destination. You get to know the characters and it shouldn't be rushed as not a lot happens, but it is worth savoring.

The Accident by Natalie Barelli

My Rating; 4.0

Katherine and Eve go out on the town for some fun...and have too many drinks. Katherine knew she shouldn't be driving but Eve goaded her into it and reassured her she was fine. She shouldn't have listened and now it is too late. Katherine is haunted by what she has done and although Eve says she won't tell, she keeps bringing it up and won't let it go.

For much of the book, this story felt too drawn out (think of Gone Girl and every book in that genre) but, then there were twists that pulled me back in. Definitely a fluffy thriller but, if that is what you are looking for, this will keep you on the edge of your seat with tension.

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks

My Rating: 3.2

Charlotte is going to take her children to the fair and agrees to take Harriet's daughter Alice along with them. Three of the children are going through the bouncy ride while Charlotte and her youngest daughter watch a magician. Charlotte is glancing up from her Facebook page and keeping an eye on the ride exit for the three kids. When only two children exit, panic ensues. How is she going to ever tell Harriet that she has lose her daughter!

It is amazing how your frame of mind can affect how you feel about a book. I actually started reading this a while ago and abandoned it. When it was picked for bookclub I decided to give it another go and enjoyed it quite a lot. I felt for both Charlotte and Harriet and wasn't expecting the twist at the end. This is another thriller/suspense type of book and it had a good twist at the end. If you don't expect it to win a Pulitzer Prize you should find it entertaining.

Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger

My Rating: 3.2

FBI Agent Nell Flynn hasn't been home in ten years. Nell and her father, Homicide Detective Martin Flynn, have never had much of a relationship. And Suffolk County will always be awash in memories of her mother, Marisol, who was brutally murdered when Nell was just seven. When Martin Flynn dies in a motorcycle accident, Nell returns to the house she grew up in so that she can spread her father's ashes and close his estate.

There were parts of this that dragged but overall, it was a quick easy mystery.

The Painter by Peter Heller

My Rating: 4.7

Jim Stegner is a famous painter who has lived a tough life. Jim is a man with a lot of violence and loss – he is haunted by his mother’s death when he was a teenager and by his teenager daughter’s murder as well as by the man he shot years ago in a bar. He also has a peaceful side that is expressed through his fly fishing and his painting.

One afternoon, on a dirt road, Jim comes across a man beating a small horse, and a brutal encounter rips his quiet life wide open. Fleeing Colorado, chased by men set on retribution, Jim returns to New Mexico, tormented by his own relentless conscience.

There were several times I almost stopped reading this book - especially the part where the horse was being abused. Unlike his other books, Heller doesn't make "Nature" a character but it still includes a lot of nature. The writing is absolutely pitch perfect stunning and that is what kept me reading despite not caring for Jim. And then something happened…Jim, along with the story, got under my skin and I couldn’t wait to get back to this book. It is violent, savage and uncomfortable. It is also good. This isn't as good as his other novels but, still excellent. Thank you Mr. Heller! I hope you are working on your next book.