White Houses by Amy Bloom

 My Rating: 2.5

The affair between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickock told from the perspective of Hick.

I normally love historical fiction but this was horrendous. What was the point - to portray two unlikable boring people (ok, 3+ if you count Teddy and others in there) - then it was a success. I was hoping there would be a lot of history and interesting facts...nope. This was meandering drivel. I had to force myself to finish this and regretted it. Definitely save the time and skip this one.

Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell

 My Rating: 4.9

The sheriff's deputy at the front door brings hard news to Ree Dolly. Her father has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth lab, and the Dollys will lose their house if he doesn't show up for his next court date. Sixteen-year-old Ree, who has grown up in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks, learns quickly that asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. She perseveres as she has her Alzheimer's mother and two little brothers to care for. She encounters obstacles of every kind and finally confronts the top figures in the family's hierarchy

Wow, just wow. Woodrell's writing is incredible. This is very gruesome and graphic and not for the faint of heart. If you weren't already, it will make you glad that you weren't raised in the extreme poverty of Ozarks. This is Soprano's meets The Ozarks.

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

My Rating: 4.7

Sophie is a young Irish mail-order bride to her husband Martin. They are living in San Francisco with his step-daughter who has captured Sophie's heart, even if Martin hasn't. The big earthquake hits as well as so many other revelations and Sophie has to make many choices she never thought she would have to face.

I enjoyed the audio version with Sophie's Irish lilt. The descriptions of the San Francisco earthquake were so vivid. The rest of the story line was a fun thriller that you had to go with. I have read and enjoyed many of Ms Meissner's books and will continue to read the others in my queue.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict

 My Rating: 4.8

Belle is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps create a world-class collection.

As with all Marie Benedict's book, this was very well researched and had me learning many things. This story line deals not only with the book/art world but with segregation, the suffragette movement and more. I would advise you don't read too much about this book as I enjoyed it more not knowing about Bell's secret. Definite recommend.

In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

My Rating: 4.8

Maelyn lives with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions. Since she was born, her family has spent every Christmas holiday, along with two other beloved families, in a cabin in Utah. After the holiday, her family is a horrific auto accident only for Mae to suddenly wake up on the plane going TO Utah....to relive the holidays again.

This was a delicious fun read. The characters were well developed and the "Groundhog Day" plot was handled with a lot of fun. Definitely recommend the audio version and it is perfect for Christmas.

The Lost Husband by Katherine Center

My rating: 4.8 

After the sudden death of her husband, Libby gets a welcomed letter from her 'crazy Aunt Jean' offering her an escape from living with her critical mother. Libby grabs her bags and her two kids and escapes to Aunt Jean's goat farm. 

This was the most delicious beach-read I have indulged in for a long time. What a decadent little read. A wholesome (for the most part - although there are a few curse words) and thoroughly enjoyable read. If you are in the mood for a light, fun, beach read then this is the book for you!

Becoming Mrs Lewis By Patty Calahan

 My Rating: 4.4

Joy met C.S. Lewis through letters before eventually traveling to Europe to meet in person.

First - what I enjoyed. I enjoyed piecing together how C.S. Lewis went from writing the Narnia series to writing Christian apologetic books. I found the story of how Joy met C.S. Lewis and how their friendship flourished interesting. What I didn't enjoy was the characters - both Joy and her husband were very dysfunctional people. I found it very uncomfortable to read how a woman could leave her husband and her two children for so long and be astounded that her marriage had dissolved (not to mention the untold damage to her children). She should have stayed or divorced before she left. I found nothing in this book to be 'romantic' as the cover tries to convey. Joy felt very manipulative. The author's style was very laborious in trying to get us to feel for "poor Joy" and it only felt like she was having to excuse how poor Joy's choices were.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

My Rating: 4.7

Jane is a dog walker in the McMansion/Stepford wife neighborhood in Alabama, until she meets recently widowed Eddie. His ex-wife and her best friend drowned and Jane sees this as her opportunity.  

This is a fast paced thriller. I loved that everyone in it had a motive and there wasn't the token "innocent/nice" person. Everyone was angling for something and that kept me on my toes. A fun page turner. 

Love & Ruin by Paula McLean

My Rating: 4.8

In 1937 Martha Gellhorn travels to Spain alone to be a war correspondent. She writes as frantically as she can so she doesn't forget a single detail in the articles to be published by Colliers. She ends up falling in love with the up and coming Ernest Hemingway. 

McLean does a phenomenal job of bringing both Gellhorn and the war to life with graphic beauty. As per other books I have read, Hemingway is not a likeable person. Thankfully, this book is mainly focused on Martha Gellhorn and not Hemingway. Martha had an incredible life and this has beautiful writing that captures to much. This makes me want to read Martha Gellhorn's actual writings of her war coverage. 

We Being At The End by Chris Whitaker

My Rating: 5.0

Four kids - Star, Sissy, Walker (Walk) & Vincent - grow up together. 

Fast forward to Walk being Chief of Police, Vincent about to be released from prison and Star having two children....13 year old Duchess has had a rough life as she tries to protect her little brother Robin from their drunk mother. Star loves them both deeply but will not win any mother of the year awards.

This book was so powerfully written - the story, the character and the words. It is sad, haunting and absolutely beautiful. 

Faith's Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon

 My Rating: 4.8

God's bank account can't be overdrawn. This spiritual checkbook shows you that you only need faith and God will see you through every circumstance.

This daily devotional is not light and fluffy nor overly heavy but somewhere in between. It leaves me with something that I can marinate on and continues to remind me of God's amazing promises that we can rely on. Click on the book link above and see if the kindle version is still free like it was when I got my copy as it is worth having.

One By One by Ruth Ware

 My Rating: 4.6

An off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be?

This is a typical light thriller novel. I don't think that Ruth Ware is the best of the thriller writers but, listening to this on audio helped to make this enjoyable. I enjoyed the premise of the company Snoop and the setting. 

Intimacies by Katie Kitamura

My Rating: 4.7

An interpreter has come to The Hague to escape New York and work at the International Court. A woman of many languages and identities, she is looking for a place to finally call home.

This is a tough one to review. The writing was beautiful and rich. Kitamura captures everything so well - life in The Hague, the intricacies of being a translator in the Court and the complexities of the friendships but, very little happens. This is neither character driven nor plot driven. It unfolds in a quiet, lyrical way. I enjoyed it a lot but realize that this book won't be for everyone.

We Were Killers Once by Becky Masterman

 My Rating: 3.5

This recounts the famous Truman Capote murders from In Cold Blood. The family of four that were murdered by Perry Smith, Dick Hickock....and possibly one additional person. 

Maybe it was my mood or maybe it was that this wasn't on audio like the other books I read in the series but, this was not near as enjoyable for me. I felt very pulled down as I got immersed into the multiple killings and the cold dysfunctional of the killers - which may mean it was well written but just not for me. Sadly disappointing when I enjoyed the other three books in this series. I did enjoy the tie in with history and that it made me research a few things.

Bookmarks Magazine Nov/Dec 2021

I am always so excited when my Bookmarks Magazine comes in the mail and this issue was EXCEPTIONALLY good - 32 books! I don't think I have ever had so many books added to my queue from one issue. They had the books from the Booker Prize 2021 and also Recent Historical Fiction broken out by topic of geography. My queue overfloweth!! 😁

Let me know any good books you have read that you think I should add to my list.

Click on any book cover to go to Amazon and read the reviews.

     

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

  

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

My Rating:  1.0

A 14-year-old boy is subjected to relentless torment for having a lazy eye. Instead of resisting, the boy chooses to suffer in complete resignation. The only person who understands what he is going through is a female classmate who suffers similar treatment at the hands of her tormentors. 

There are raw and realistic portrayals of bullying.

UGH! Despite the writing, the story line was horrific. It is graphic and uncomfortable about bullying and there didn't seem to be any redeeming value to the story,. Don't ask me why I stuck with it but I hope I can save you the time and you skip it.

The Mystery of Mrs Christie by Marie Benedict

My Rating: 4.7

In December 1926, Agatha Christie goes missing. Investigators find her empty car on the edge of a deep, gloomy pond. Her husband and daughter have no knowledge of her whereabouts, and England unleashes an unprecedented manhunt to find the up-and-coming mystery author. Eleven days later, she reappears, just as mysteriously as she disappeared.

It took me a while to puzzle out how I felt about this book. On one hand, it was a lot about nothing and, if it hadn't been Agatha Christie, this plot would never have been able to be pulled off. That being said, it was about a very mysterious little known time of Agatha Christie and I wanted to know what happened! After finishing the book I think that, as always, Ms. Benedict did an amazing job of researching and filling in the gaps with very plausible hypothesis of what happened. I also enjoyed getting to know Agatha's life.

Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

My Rating: 4.9

This incredible book will help you to discover what it means to offer God your very best for His greatest purpose--to truly offer Him your utmost for His highest

In fictional books there are "light and fluffy" and there are "solid and meaty". This daily devotional book is definitely 'solid and meaty'. Each daily devotion is only one page long but you will find yourself reading to 'absorb' the meaning of each sentence and it will stay with you.

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon

 My Rating: 4.4

Nancy is a bold unapologetic Aussie living in Britain during the war. Nancy ends up being recruited as a spy and becomes the unsung French Resistance leader who was #1 on the Gestapo’s most-wanted list by the end of the war. Told in interweaving timelines around the four code names Nancy used during the war.

I enjoyed the audio book but, Nancy does come off as very brash. There was also a lot of extraneous details that I felt should have been edited out. Maybe I read this too closely on the heals of Trapeze which was a very similar plot line - so much so that I wondered if it was a remake of the same plot (no, this is based on real life spy Nancy Wake). If I had read this first, perhaps I would have rated it higher. All in all, an enjoyable read.

Trapeze by Simon Mawer

My Rating: 4.8

In WWII, Marian Sutro gets only a few short weeks of training to be a spy before she is dropped from the sky. Being bilingual, a quick study and willing to sign up were almost all the qualifications needed during the rampant War time recruiting. You quickly realize, along with Marian, how much France has changed, how risk taking and nerve-wracking it is to be a spy as well as despite her training, how little it has prepared her for having her boots on the ground.

This was my first, but definitely not my last Simon Mawer book. Excellent writing and plot. It really helped me to understand the recruiting of a spy and how ill equipped they were once they were deployed. Also, the subterfuge was even more than you would expect. Excellent!

The Book Of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

 My Rating: 4.9

This is about Ana, the fictional wife of Jesus. After the death of her betrothed, Ana marries Jesus and they live with his brothers families, and their mother, Mary in Nazareth

Having strong Christian beliefs, I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book. I truly enjoyed it. It captured very real characters and the time period. While there was much that I could have balked at, I went with it as a work of fiction. If you can put aside any personal beliefs and read this story as the fiction that it is, I think you may enjoy it. The writing is wonderful and she brings the relationship and the people to life. She obviously did a lot of research and handled this topic with reverence. It very much focuses on Jesus' humanity and takes the approach that, not only did he marry but, initially he has no idea of his purpose here on earth. A very entertaining piece of fiction.

Confessions On The 7:45 by Lisa Unger

 My Rating: 4.6

Selena and Martha don't know each other but they both have sordid secrets. They are commuting home on the same train and both confess - Martha that she is sleeping with her married boss and Selena that she has seen her husband on the nanny cam having sex with their nanny. They part ways, presumably to never meet again. Then the nanny disappears and Martha starts texting Selena saying they should meet.

This is a quick paced fun thriller / whodunit. Like most of Unger's thrillers, I find you need to suspend logic and reality and just enjoy the ride.

Should We Stay Or Should We Go By Lionel Shriver

 My Rating 2.5

When Kay's father dies of Alzheimers she makes a pack with her husband Cyril that they will both commit suicide when they are 80. 

What started off as depressing got MUCH worse and made me feel the first option was best. It claims "hilarity" - but I must have missed that part. I hated each of the alternate endings worse than the last. Combine that with the constant bombardment of political opinions on COVID, healthcare, immigrants and many other topics, I couldn't wait to be done with this horrible book.

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

 My Rating: 5.0

Rosie and Penn have 4 boys and she decides to roll the dice to see if they can have a girl. This is about raising their children, how parenting doesn't have a manual and trying to deal with the difficulties along the way. They have a unique family that comes alive and will make you feel like you are part of their clan.

Wow! The writing pulled me in and swept me away. So much love radiated off of the pages. Do yourself a favor and don't read anything but just jump in. WARNING: a definite controversial story line but I think it was handled extremely adeptly in a way that made it so relatable. 

Girl Last Seen by Nina Laurin

 My Rating: 2.5

Two girls, Lainey and Olivia, go missing 13 years apart. Lainey is now 26 years old and struggling to keep her life on the tracks. When Olivia goes missing, the police want to talk to Lainey to see if she can remember anything about those dark times from 13 years ago. 

This was fast paced and felt a bit like a television show in how it unfolded. I enjoyed the beginning of it but then it got so wild and dysfunctional with no likable characters that it completely lost me. 

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

 My Rating: 3.5

Twenty years of correspondence between Helene Hanff, a freelance writer living in New York City, and Frank Doel, an employee at used-book dealer Marks & Co. Booksellers in London. Through the years, though they never meet and are separated both geographically and culturally, their relationship comes to life through common love for books. 

This book won't be for everyone. I don't think I would have enjoyed it at all had it not been on audio and quite short. I did enjoy how it included so many post-war facts (the rations etc) although I didn't feel any connection whatsoever to Helene with her very New York humor. . 

A Twist of the Knife #3 by Becky Masterman

 My Rating: 4.8

Our ex-fbi agent Brigid Quinn is visiting sick family in Floria when Laura Coleman, from the first book in this series, makes a reappearance. Laura wants Brigid's help in proving the innocence of a man on death row. 

As usual, Masterman is a master at combining some very grizzly gruesome scenes with some fun light humor - masterfully blended together. I loved the rehashing of the crime and timelines. This waqs thoroughly enjoyable and I will be definitely be reading the fourth and final book in this series.

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

 My Rating: 4.8

1930's the Lincoln Indian Boys School is a horrible place where Native American children are forcibly removed from their parents. It is also where Odie and his brother Albert, the only white children at the school, are sent after their father dies. Mose is a mute Indian boy at the school and Emmy is the sweet little girl of a teacher at the school. This is about the journey of the four children over one summer where they cross paths with others who are adrift.

This was so well told with each of the characters coming to life on the pages including the struggling farmers, faith healers and vagabonds struggling to make their way. Definite recommend.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

 My Rating: 4.6

"Protect her". When Owen Michaels goes missing he sends his wife a note with these two words. Hannah instantly knows that he is referring to his 16 yo daughter Bailey.

Another fun thriller where you have to suspend reality and just go along for the ride. Despite a few implausible bits in the story line, I did enjoy the relationship between Hannah and Bailey.

Lie Down With Lions by Ken Follett

 My Rating: 4.7

Two men on opposite sides of the Cold War with a woman torn between them. This starts in France and then goes to Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is a typical Follett with intrigue, passion and betrayal.

If you are like me, you will have to skip over the gratuitous sex scene - UGH! I don't consider myself a prude but those pages and pages of descriptive sex  were not only completely unnecessary to the plot line but detracted from the book. I had to let the book marinate a few days after I finished it to realize that as horrible as that sex scene was, the rest of the book was worth recommending.

Fear The Darkness #2 by Becky Masterman

 My Rating: 4.3

Ex-FBI agent Brigid Quinn wants to settle down with her hubby in Tucson and enjoy life. When her sister-in-law dies, she takes in her 17 year old niece Gemma Kate. Gemma Kate is not your ordinary teenager and soon, disturbing things start to happen. Brigid is also helping a couple investigate the death of their son. It seems that her serene life is not to be in the near future.

This wasn't as good for me as her first book in this series but, I do love Brigid and that this takes place in Tucson. I will definitely be reading the next books in this series as I love a good strong female lead character and the setting and writing style are so enjoyable.

Bookmarks Magazine Sept/Oct 2021

One of my absolute favorite ways to spend an afternoon is curled up with a Bookmarks Magazine. So much anticipation and this one didn't disappoint! I have loaded up my book queue with the following:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let me know any books that I missed or any that you have read that you think I should add to my queue.

The Shadows by Alex North

 My Rating: 5.0

Charlie Crabtree is the sinister edgy ringleader of the four boy pack. Charlie has them going further and further until it divides the group and ends in a murder so shocking that it goes down in infamy. There are internet groups that recount the horrors as well as copycat killers. It was so jarring that Paul Adams moved away and hasn't been back, until now. It is 25 years later and his mother is old and senile so he returns to his childhood town only to be reliving so much of what transpired.

       

If you aren't grounded in a strong positive place, this may not be the book for you right now. It WILL disturb your peace. Yikies is it well told and so creepy. I can't wait for Mr. North to write more!

Who Is Maud Dixon by Alexandra Andrews

 My Rating: 4.8

Florence is a low level employee at a publishing house. Florend stumbles into a job the assistant to the brilliant, enigmatic novelist who writes under the pseudonym Maud Dixon (real name Helen). Although Helen isn't an easy employer, it appears that the universe is finally providing Florence’s big chance.

Do NOT read the description of this book as it will spoil it. The first half of the book is building to what is in the book description so it is a definite spoiler. All of the critical reviews say that it shouldn't have taken 50% of the book to get to that part and it should have been edited down....but if you don't know what "it" is, it is written perfectly giving you the background and build up to the event. A twisted fun thriller with a creative plot line.

Rage Against The Dying #1 by Becky Masterman

 My Rating: 4.8

Brigid Quinn's experiences in hunting sexual predators for the FBI have left her with memories she wishes she didn't have and lethal skills she hopes never to need again. Having been pushed into early retirement by events she thinks she's put firmly behind her, Brigid keeps telling herself she is settling down nicely in Tucson with a wonderful new husband, Carlo, and their dogs.

I love a strong female character and combine that with her living in my State (ok, Tucson, Arizona but close enough!) and this is fabulous. Such a delightful blend of light and comedic and gruesome. It makes it flow like a light read but has some serious thriller and grittiness to it. Can't wait to read more in this series.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

 My Rating: 2.7

1934 Texas. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. It is not an ideal time for Elsa to find herself pregnant.

Again, I am in the minority on my thoughts on this book. I enjoyed the first half although it did drag and was so depressing (ok, I know it was the Great Depression lol!) It did a great job of capturing the drought and the dust. Despite the characters being simplistic and stereotypical, I did really enjoy the relationship between Elsa and her Martinelli in-laws. The second half of the book completely lost me. Loreda's epiphany of their life and suddenly 'happening' into a New Deal meeting, Elsa connecting with the group leader, blah blah blah. It took everything I could to finish this and wasn't worth it.

Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff

 My Rating: 2.5

Ten-year-old Fischer “Fish” Branson and Dale “Bread” Breadwin are shaped by the two fathers they don’t talk about. Fish is tired of seeing Bread's father abuse him. A shot rings out and the boys, believing they are murders go on the run.

This book captures living off the land, fishing, hunting and the boys relationship. I felt it had potential but it ended up being very 'cutesy' and just didn't pull of the storyline.

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

My Rating: 3.0

Maggie is a restorer of old homes. After her father's death, she finds out that she has inherited a childhood home where she lived with her parents for three weeks before they fled. Now she is going back to fix it up to sell, but also to discover if it really was haunted or why her family abandoned the house.

Equal parts thriller/haunted house/mystery this was entertaining but not amazing. That seems to be a trend for me with Sager's books so I think I need to remember that for future.

The Light of His Presence: Prayers To Draw You Near To The Heart Of God by Anne Graham-Lotz

My Rating: 4.9

Why is it that as soon as we bow our heads to pray, we start thinking of other things we need to do? How do we make time to pray in the middle of our busy lives? And how do we know what to say and how to say it?

I was raised praying so, I honestly never thought about "how" to pray. Anne walking me through how she prays and this was so helpful. After the into, each prayer is just a couple of pages which meant that I could read whatever prayer applied to where I was that day - so helpful. Definite recommend.

The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict

My Rating: 4.7

Mitza is a brilliant physicists who goes to school with Albert Einstein. What seems like a beautiful partnership of the mind and of the heart, soon reveals that there might not be room for more than one genius in a marriage.

This was very educational. I had no idea that Einstein's wife was a brilliant physicist in her own right and how much she contributed to his work. I also had no idea what a horrible Einstein was in so many respects. All of this being said, it is widely disputed how much of this book is fact vs fiction but, even knowing that, I still enjoyed it although not as much as her other books (only due to Einstein being so unlikable). I can't wait to read her other books as I love her writing and topics.

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow

My Rating: 5.0

Karl never thought of himself as a Jew; after all, he's never even been in a synagogue. But the bullies at his school in Nazi-era Berlin don't care that Karl's family doesn't practice religion. Then champion boxer and German hero, Max Schmeling, makes a deal with Karl's father to give Karl boxing lessons. As Nazi violence against Jews escalates, Karl must take on a new role: family protector. 

It was chilling how quietly things deteriorated. The propaganda and lies from back then are hauntingly familiar with everything unfolding now. Excellent read. I loved the tie in with real life boxer Max Schmeling, Joe Lewis as well as the historical events of Nazi Germany. This was very reminiscent of the Book Thief but more of a coming of Age book than Young Adult. 

The Whisper Man by Alex North

My Rating: 5.0

Widower, Tom Kennedy is struggling to raise his young son Jake. They have moved to a new house to have a fresh start but Jake's invisible friends seems to have followed him. When a young boy goes missing, Detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis are frantic to prevent a repeat of the five missing boys from twenty years ago. There is enough familiarity to the crime that Pete visits the serial killer Frank Carter in prison to see what he knows.

This was so suspenseful and scary! It would make a great book to read around Halloween. North is a great writer! This made my 'best of' list for the year. This was a haunted scary thriller type book but the characters were very well developed. I can't wait to read the sequel.

Where The Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

 My Rating: 4.9

1853, young widow Naomi May, her family and several other families set out on the Oregon trail. She feels an instant connection with their guide, a half Pawnee man, John Lowry.

This captures the difficult life of living in a wagon train with everything from making camp every evening to breaking camp every morning, the weather and many other hardships. Excellent writing and story. This made me add other books by this author to my queue. 

Simon The Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

 My Rating: 3.0

At the end of the Civil War, Simon is a fiddler that moves around with his ragtag group of musicians, trying to make a living. When he meets an Irish lash, Doris, she captures his heart and his thoughts despite them having to move in different directions. 

Jiles writing is beautiful and I enjoyed the characters as well as the details of that time period but this unfolded extremely slowly. Definitely not in the same category as her other book News of the World that I loved so much.

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

 My Rating: 4.8

When a woman is murdered in a quaint British village, beautiful newsreader Anna Andrews is dispatched to the scene to report on the case. Detective Jack Harper is in charge of the investigation and suspicious of why Anna is there. 

Told from various perspectives and in a series of flashbacks, you soon realize that everyone is a suspect and everyone seems to have a motive. A very creepy fast-paced psychological thriller. 

Bookmarks July/Aug 2021

 It is always the highlight of my week when I get my Bookmarks magazine in the mail. I almost drool in anticipation of being able to curl up with the magazine and add books to my queue. Their descriptions are great where I get a good sense of whether or not the books will appeal to me. Here are the ones that I added to my queue from this month. I think this is a nice selection and makes me so happy about carving out time for reading.

     

   

Although I don't like short stories, I love Jhumpa Lahiri so had to add this to my queue

Let me know if I missed any that you picked out. Also, let me know any good books you are reading that I should add to my queue!

Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict

 My Rating: 4.9

In the Industrial 1860's, Irish Immigrant Clara Kelly is sent by her family from Ireland to try to make her way in America. She ends up securing a job as Lady's Maid in the home of the up and coming Andrew Carnegie.

Again, Benedict hits it out of the park. This is fiction that reads like Historical Fiction in the capturing of that time period. I thoroughly enjoyed everything on this audio book - the Irish accents, the various voices, the story and the characters. Picture "Downton Abbey" told in 1860's America. 

Ms. Benedict,  I have only recently discovered you but with reading one book of yours a month, am quickly exhausting your wonderful books....please write faster

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

 My Rating: 4.8

Sisters, Mickey and Kacey were raised by their grandmother and were once inseparable. Now, their lives have taken very different paths. Mickey is a cop and Kacey lives on the streets. With an unfolding string of murders, Mickey gets increasingly concerned as to why she hasn't seen her sister in far too long.

This is told in a series of flashbacks to the sisters childhood and adolescence and then flashes forward to present day. It has a sense of foreboding where you want to rush ahead and yet the writing slows you down to absorb the beautiful flow. Loved the pacing and story.

Sold On A Monday by Kristina McMorris

 My Rating: 4.7

In 1931 has so much desperation everywhere. Ellis is a struggling reporter who csptures a photo of two children and their mother with a "For Sale" sign. This photo wasn't meant for publication but leads not only to his big break, but to so many other unintended consequences.

This story was inspired by an actual newspaper photo. It captures the wholesomeness and the sadness of that era. The stories of Lillian, Ellis and the young mother and her children unfold showing how so many things are intertwined. There was a bit too much convenient drama but, it was a well written very readable story.

The Push by Ashley Audrain

 My Rating: 4.7

Unlike with her own mother, Blythe wants to be a loving warm mother. She has trouble bonding with her daughter and believes that she is very manipulative and something is 'off'. Her husband continually sides with their daughter and doesn't see things the same way. Then when their second child Sam is born, Blythe feels that warm loving connection with her son.

This is a very suspenseful novel as, from the beginning, you know that things have turned out very bad. This was a page turner that was a fast engrossing read. It was very twisted and I loved it!

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

 My Rating: 3.0

A couple, Nuri and Afra, leave war torn Syria in search of a better life. Mustafa, Nuri's cousin, has already made it to London and is waiting for them there. This is about their journey of past, present and the hope for their future.

I know that I am going to be in the minority on this book but, despite the fabulous writing, I did not find this enjoyable. The author's attempt at mixing timelines and dreams with reality made the story hard to follow to the point of being incoherent. I didn't feel that the characters were well developed. The story was sad, depressing and dragged to the point I was very glad when it was over.