I love the way Katrina writes...everything is so down to earth, sometimes when you read words like insightful and inspiring you might be tempted to think it will be a preachy kind of book. Not so! Katrina writes about the everyday issues we all go through, making no claims to have the answers. It's a book you will reread because every year you are at a different place in your life

Excellent book. This book had me from the very beginning and was very hard to put down. You have to get used to reading each chapter from a different time period but its not hard. And I love how the charachters start to come together mid book. A definite book for your list!

good beach read but quick easy, not deep

chic book; beach read; not my most favorite for a book club read

its an interesting look into Anne Morrow Lindbergh's life...a bit boring at times but does make you think about choices you would make in life. And it covers a 40 year span in which culture changes dramatically

interesting concept that twin sisters are also psychic...one embraces her uniqueness, the other does not. But can you totally walk away from something like that? interesting read

this is a quirky kind of book. Not my most favorite but a pretty good read. There is enough in here to keep you interested and to see what happens in the end. Good twists and revelations to the ending.

confusing in places but glad I stuck with it until the end. Interesting throughout but was happy with the ending

The lives of three characters are interwoven in this story. While most of it centers on Bobby, a young gay man in the 70's, you spend time wondering how the other two women are going to be woven into his life. All are connected to a cafe in Manhattan and i really liked how the other brought it all together in the end.

found it without substance and boring

how well does any parent know their child? some of it predictable, but good read

if you like this author you will like this book. Interesting threads for a book club to discuss.

written in 2008 when the author was 92! He wrote this after his wife died. time period is right before WW I , set in England, where Harry's family can barely make ends meet. His father prefers to spend his money on drinking and gambling and it is Harry's mom that holds the family together. there is an "invisible wall" on Harry's street where christians live on one side and the Jews live on the other. Harry's sister does the unthinkable and falls in love with a christian and Harry must keep the secret.
this is a memoir. the author did write a sequel to this book which i have not read.

not my most favorite book but now a bad story. set in the 1930's how the sisters' lives progress certainly make for a fair amount of discussion for a book club.

this is not an exciting book to read and when i first started i thought i might not finish But I fell in love with the main character Alma and found i had to keep reading got see what would happen. Its a long book but i did enjoy the story and there is a LOT for a book club to talk about.

I love all of Kate Morton's books and this one was not a disappointment. I would get a little confused flipping between time frames and characters stories, so you need to pay attention and read carefully. Excellent read.

the premise of the book is interesting. But if you have not read prior novels with this character, you will have a hard time understanding the issues in her modern day life

a great who done it with a multiple list of who could have. keeps you guessing until the end! good read.

the lucas farm is in disrepair thanks to the neglect and drinking of John Lucas. He brutalizes his wife and two sons. The oldest, James, escapes by enlisting and going to Vietnam. That leaves young Billy tot take care of his mother. The story is told from a the point of view of a variety of characters which sometimes can be confusing - but in this case gives a variety of points of view which is excellent. The time period spans from the end of WW II to the year 2000. Very good read.

Excellent book

This book is about the Kennedy Daughter who was intellectually disabled. new sources bring her alive as a girl adored but left behind. What happened to Rosemary inspired her siblings to direct attention to the plight of the disabled. It is VERY interesting to see the thought of the times about how to treat and work with this population, how a family reacts and copes, and makes you think about what is different today from then Very good read

am not sure if i would recommend this to a book club just because is such a simple, easy read - more of a beach read. and it is the first in a series of three. But it IS based on a true historical character and that in itself is interesting and could bring some good discussion about this time in history

i have read the entire series. decent beach reads. my least favorite was the first one - Tess because it ended without you knowing what else happened in Tess's life. You do get a sense of it in the last book , where loose needs are tied up, but it still could have been done better. books are easy reads, not very deep, and the last one is the best - brings all the characters together.

NOah and his wife arrive in a little town in the hills where it has been raining since they can't remember when. But she and her minister husband attempt to revive the congregation but as the rain intensifies, so do all their problems. I'm not convinced I like this book I found it a bit boring at times, the plot implausible, characters were odd, and some had names and some didn't. What WAS the name of the main character? we never find out. Themes of faith, stories that connect and don't might be worth a discussion but found it difficult

Single mom Jane is trying to figure out what is going on with her four year old Noah. He has never been ordinary - loves to make up stories and knows trivia he shouldn't know. But his behavior is getting more odd and worrisome. The school orders her to get a psychiatric evaluation. Jerry has been diagnosed with progressive degenerative aphasia. his research for his entire life has been on chidden who remember past lives. Jane, Jerry and Noah are drawn together to try and solve Noah's issues. Good book albeit an odd premise. Lots of good discussion for a book club. not a lot of action - the story is mostly about what the characters are thinking and their reactions to the story as it unfolds. So I did find myself skimming some areas. But a good story

you can easily read the summary of this book from other reviews...so am not going to repeat myself....I totally enjoyed this book!! i get that some are tired of repeats of GONE GIRL, and it IS like that. So if you too are tired of it, do not read it. If you like a thriller with twists and turns, this one is for you. I actually do also agree with some of the criticisms but glad i didn't read them until i was done with the book. Good one to read.

if you are a Susan Branch fan, you will be adding this to your collection. It is the third in a trilogy - sort of autobiographical . if you've loved her cookbooks,these three books are an excellent answer to all your questions: how did she get interested in cooking, painting; how did she get her first book published; how did she end up on Marthas' vineyard and meet Joe? Definitely more fun to read in order although i did not: The Fairy Tale Girl, Martha's Vineyard, A fine Romance. while there are fewer recipes in this book , there is still her fabulous art work. This year will be the 30th anniversary of her first cookbook -Heart of the Home and a new updated edition will be out in June.

When called upon by a young Arab couple to investigate a cistern that lies beneath their home, Page Brookstone discovers more than she bargained for. The couple believes there is a reason the spirits of two lovers keep appearing in their home, while Page's colleagues believe they are insane and Page should stay away. However she investigates the site and discovers is is not a cistern but a tomb. In it are the remains of the prophet Jeremiah and possibly his lover, along with ancient scrolls. The story starts off a bit slow,,,but it does pick up and overall I did like it. At the end there are some areas that are a bit unbelievable and the scenes are stretching it a bit. but there are two love stories that intertwine and blend history and fiction.

In Two Rivers, Vermont, Harper Montgomery is living a life overshadowed by grief and guilt. Since the death of his wife, Betsy, twelve years earlier, Harper has narrowed his world to working at the local railroad and raising his daughter, Shelly, the best way he knows how. Still wracked with sorrow over the loss of his life-long love and plagued by his role in a brutal, long-ago crime, he wants only to make amends for his past mistakes.

Then one fall day, a train derails in Two Rivers, and amid the wreckage Harper finds an unexpected chance at atonement. One of the survivors, a pregnant fifteen-year-old girl with mismatched eyes and skin the color of blackberries, needs a place to stay. Though filled with misgivings, Harper offers to take Maggie in. But it isn't long before he begins to suspect that Maggie's appearance in Two Rivers is not the simple case of happenstance it first appeared to be.

this was not my favorite Greenwood book. it did take me at least 1/2 of the book to get hooked. i don't agree with the reviewers who gave it 5 starts - don't think it was that fantastic. However I am glad I stuck with it and had everything come together at the end. I would agree with some of the constructive criticism that the characters are a bit cliche, and there did seem to be a lot of meandering around the story.

would give this three 1/2 stars. Grange copeland is a black tenant farmer in Georgia. Despondent over the futility of life in the south, he leaves his wife and son to head north. Life isn't what he expected there either, and ends up coming back to Georgia to try and right some things he has done wrong. He returns to his where is son is grown, married, with children, and just in time to help raise his granddaughter after his son is sent to jail for killing his wife. It is a disturbing book about violence in the black community in the 50's and 60's and what life is like for them the. Some of this is based on real happenings in the author's life. It is her first book. I did find it hard to get into and did find it hard to read about this kind of life. but it is definitely worth the read.

you can read the premise of the book in other reviews so i won't reiterate here. It is not the best book I've ever read but definitely entertaining. I agree with most of the positive AND constructive comments. I do think the family dynamics are interesting and like the fact that the dynamics change from beginning to end, Having said that, the characters mostly drove me crazy and I wanted to slap all of them at some point throughout the story. But feeling so strongly about characters in a story must be a sign of a good read I think. Yes they are shallow and yes they are insufferable - as are many people in real life. Worth the read

Elise hears her great granddaughter recount a tale about a beautiful princes awakened by a handsome prince. It pushes open door to the past. For Elise was the companion to the real princess who slumbered - and she is the only one left who knows the truth of what happened so many years ago. As the memories start to unfold, Elise is plunged back into that magnificent world. Fleeing a harsh existence, she builds a new life for herself as a servant to the royal family. Elise has guarded their secrets - and her own - for a lifetime. This is her story.
Not an exceptionally "deep" book, but definitely a fun and interesting read. In fact, i read it two years ago and reread for a book club choice and enjoyed it just as much the second time.

Misfit teen Lola is failing in school, living in a group home, social workers watching her like a hawk and wiring for her to show signs of the mental illness that killed her mother. She falls asleep in a storage room in the school after finding an old yearbook. she wakes up in that time period - 80 year in the past. She is determined to make a new future for herself in this past - but is it real? Short , easy read. a bit fantastic maybe but a good page turner! highly recommend it.

i would give this 3 1/2 to 4. easy read. good beach read. A bit depressing since the main character is 38 with early onset Alzheimers. She is put in an assisted living facility where she unexpectedly finds love with another resident. Eve finds herself suddenly a single mother at the same facility and is put in a position where she has to decide how far she will go to help the two in love. Raises a lot of ethical questions for discussion.

At 30 Piper feels too young to be dying. Cancer has eaten away her strength;; she'd be alone but for a childhood friend who has come home by chance. Yet with the questions of her future before her, she's adrift in the past, remembering the fateful summer she turned 14 and her life changed forever.
Her nervous father's job search seemed stalled as he hung around the house watching her mother's every move. Finally her restless, artistic mother finally left. With no one to rely on Piper struggled to hold on to what was important. She had a brother who loved her, a teacher enthralled with her potential.
A good story but I still felt things lacking. I would have liked closure between Piper and her teacher, closure between her and her mother. I wanted her and Becca to fight for the bone marrow transplant. I would have like Becca's character to be fleshed out a bit more. but definitely worth the read.

three if you like to read star autobiographies. It was fair - - interesting stories and amazing situations he has been in , in his life. But I wouldn't have missed it if I didn't read it.

n the winter of 1952, New England was battered by the most brutal nor'easter in years. As the weather wreaked havoc on land, the freezing Atlantic became a wind-whipped zone of peril.



In the early hours of Monday, February 18, while the storm raged, two oil tankers, the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer, found themselves in the same horrifying predicament. Built with "dirty steel," and not prepared to withstand such ferocious seas, both tankers split in two, leaving the dozens of men on board utterly at the Atlantic's mercy.



The Finest Hours is the gripping, true story of the valiant attempt to rescue the souls huddling inside the broken halves of the two ships. Coast Guard cutters raced to the aid of those on the Fort Mercer, and when it became apparent that the halves of the Pendleton were in danger of capsizing, the Guard sent out two thirty-six-foot lifeboats as well. These wooden boats, manned by only four seamen, were dwarfed by the enormous seventy-foot seas. As the tiny rescue vessels set out from the coast of Cape Cod, the men aboard were all fully aware that they were embarking on what could easily become a suicide mission.
was a little dry to read but an amazing story and hard to believe men will go out into the sea for these kinds of rescues

If you like historical fiction, this is a good one. Ihave to admit it started out slow for me and i wasn't too sure about it. But the more you get into the story and the history, the more you want to know. Patsy is Thomas Jefferson's oldest daughter. She knows he loves his family but he devotion to his country runs deep. When her mother dies, Patsy has made a death bed promise and she becomes his helpmate, protector, and constant companion. She witnesses two revolutions (american and french), learns about her fathers liaison with Sally Hemings, etc. The themes present throughout this book - sacrifice and women's limited choices in this revolutionary era- can create hours of discussion. Almost everything we know of Thomas Jefferson is what she let pass to us in posterity in family papers -- which historians agree were certainly edited, both in which ones we have and by what is not there. Makes you want to learn more of Thomas Jefferson and Monticello. Good read

would give this a three to 3.5. Ater 18 years of marriage , Kate has settled into a pattern of comfortable routines with teenagers, supporting her husband in his business and taking care of their home. Then one day she discovers a suspicious number on her husbands cell phone. Six years ago she accused him of infidelity which he denied. Now she must decide whether to follow her suspicions at the risk of losing everything or true the man with whom she has built a life. She is confronted with surprising truths about friends , family and her own motivations. An interesting premise for a book, and told from all three perspectives: the wife, the husband, the mistress. I did like that part of it but by the time you reach the mistresses viewpoint you are tired of reading the same story again - maybe necessary, but repetitive and boring. Seems reviewers either loved this or disliked it. It did resolve rather abruptly but it does a good job of looking at viewpoints.

There is little violent crime in Venice. But the evils that does occasionally rear its head is the jurisdiction of Guido Brunetti, the suave, urbane, vice commissario of police and a genius at detection. Now all of his admirable abilities must come into play in the deadly affair of Maestro Helmut Wellauer, a world renowned conductor who died painfully from cyanide poisoning during an intermission at La Fenice. As the investigation unfolds, a chilling picture slowly begins to take shape - - a detailed portrait of revenge. The challenge will be narrowing the suspects to one.
pretty good mystery....there is a series of books following with the same policy commissario.

3.5 stars
secret service agent Clint Hill was assigned to guard First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. He envisioned read parties, etc. But as soon as he met her , he was swept up in her spirit, humor, etc. He was her SS agent for four years - through numerous family events both happy and sad. This is his story of the intimate moments of that assignment and his relationships with the then first family. He will forever be remembered as the agent who courageously raced to the back of the presidential limo in the middle of JFK's assassination. was an interesting book --his memoirs and take of that period in history. Its interesting to see how Jackie pictured how her life in the WHite House should be and how she tried to arrange her family's life. you keep having to remind yourself of the period in time - no cell phones, less of a visible role for the First Lady, journalism and TV not as immediately available as of today. Also interesting to see how much time she actually spent away from the WHtie House. AN interesting read.

From the bestselling and award-winning author of Whistling Past the Graveyard comes an adventure tale about two daredevils and a farm boy who embark on the journey of a lifetime across America’s heartland in the Roaring Twenties.

Set in the rapidly changing world of 1920s America, this is a story of three people from very different backgrounds: Henry “Schuler” Jefferson, son of German immigrants from Midwestern farm country; Cora Rose Haviland, a young woman of privilege whose family has lost their fortune; and Charles “Gil” Gilchrist, an emotionally damaged WWI veteran pilot. Set adrift by life-altering circumstances, they find themselves bound together by need and torn apart by blind obsessions and conflicting goals. Each one holds a secret that, if exposed, would destroy their friendship. But their journey of adventure and self-discovery has a price—and one of them won’t be able to survive it.

As they crisscross the heartland, exploring the rapidly expanding role of aviation from barnstorming to bootlegging, from a flying circus to the dangerous sport of air racing, the three companions form a makeshift family. It’s a one-of-a-kind family, with members as adventurous as they are vulnerable, and as fascinating as they are flawed. But whatever adventure—worldly or private—they find themselves on, they’re guaranteed to be a family you won’t forget.
some did think this book was a bit gloomy...and in some spots it was. But I liked the way the author developed the characters and intertwined them. I liked reading about this period in history....I would have liked the ending to be a bit more in depth. But still an excellent book.

would give this three and a half
The United States Congress in 1929 passed legislation to fund travel for mothers of the fallen soldiers of World War I to visit their sons’ graves in France. Over the next three years, 6,693 Gold Star Mothers made the trip. In this emotionally charged, brilliantly realized novel, April Smith breathes life into a unique moment in American history, imagining the experience of five of these women.

They are strangers at the start, but their lives will become inextricably intertwined, altered in indelible ways. These very different Gold Star Mothers travel to the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery to say final good-byes to their sons and come together along the way to face the unexpected: a death, a scandal, and a secret revealed.

None of these pilgrims will be as affected as Cora Blake, who has lived almost her entire life in a small fishing village off the coast of Maine, caring for her late sister’s three daughters, hoping to fill the void left by the death of her son, Sammy, who was killed on a scouting mission during the final days of the war. Cora believes she is managing as well as can be expected in the midst of the Depression, but nothing has prepared her for what lies ahead on this unpredictable journey, including an extraordinary encounter with an expatriate American journalist, Griffin Reed, who was wounded in the trenches and hides behind a metal mask, one of hundreds of “tin noses” who became symbols of the war.

Interesting book....I do like historical fiction and this is a time period where there is very little. Seems reviewers either liked it or not...very mixed. I do thnk it was on the slow side . But while it was a book i could easily put down, I am glad I finished it. As usual, i wanted more closure for some of the characters at the end. It was a bout a little know fact and time period of American history. I think that it would lend itself to interesting discussion at a book club!

if you like history info, you will like this. Written by the grandson of the WW II general George S. Patton. Benjamin is a documentary filmmaker, and explores his family legacy. You learn a bit more about the WW II general and how , even though absent, he was a parent to the authors father , who followed in the generals footsteps and became as respected and decorated as the general. some of it is dry, but interesting insight into both military figures and a time in history.

his thrilling story of the California gold rush is not about the forty-niners, the prospectors who came rushing to the San Francisco area in 1849, but about the men and women who were there when it all began with the first discovery of gold in 1848, when San Francisco was a village of 900 people. These were the people who went up to the hills and came back staggering under the weight of the treasure they carried, and who began transforming San Francisco from a shantytown into one of the most brilliant cities in the world.

This novel tells the unforgettable story of how these people walked into one of the most spectacular adventures in the world’s history. They saw the first samples of gold brought to the quartermaster, who said they were flakes of yellow mica. They were there when the first people who saw the gold were laughed at and called “crackbrains.” And they laid the foundation of the golden empire before the first forty-niners got there. Some of them could not meet the demands of this strange new world; others grew stronger and shared the greatness of the country they had helped build. Calico Palace is their story brought to vivid life.
I did find it interesting to her about 'life" in SF during this time...not just gold rush stories. But it is a slow book in a lot of places ....the ending was drawn out so much it was painful. Not sure I would recommend this to read.

Set in contemporary Bombay, Umrigar's second novel (Bombay Time, 2001) is an affecting portrait of a woman and her maid, whose lives, despite class disparity, are equally heartbreaking. Though Bhima has worked for the Dubash family for decades and is coyly referred to as "one of the family," she nonetheless is forbidden from sitting on the furniture and must use her own utensils while eating. For years, Sera blamed these humiliating boundaries on her husband Feroz, but now that he's dead and she's lady of the house, the two women still share afternoon tea and sympathy with Sera perched on a chair and Bhima squatting before her. Bhima is grateful for Sera, for the steady employment, for what she deems friendship and, mostly, for the patronage Sera shows Bhima's granddaughter Maya. Orphaned as a child when her parents died of AIDS, Bhima raised Maya and Sera saw to her education. Now in college, Maya's future is like a miracle to the illiterate Bhima-her degree will take them out of the oppressive Bombay slums, guaranteeing Maya a life away from servitude. But in a cruel mirror of Sera's happiness-her only child Dinaz is expecting her first baby-Bhima finds that Maya is pregnant, has quit school and won't name the child's father. As the situation builds to a crisis point, both women reflect on the sorrows of their lives. While Bhima was born into a life of poverty and insurmountable obstacles, Sera's privileged upbringing didn't save her from a husband who beat her and a mother-in-law who tormented her. And while Bhima's marriage begins blissfully, an industrial accident leaves her husband maimed and an alcoholic. He finally deserts her, but not before he bankrupts the family and kidnapstheir son. Though Bhima and Sera believe they are mutually devoted, soon decades of confidences are thrown up against the far older rules of the class game. A subtle, elegant analysis of class and power. Umrigar transcends the specifics of two Bombay women and creates a novel that quietly roars against tyranny.
I did like this book....well written but there were spots that were a bit slow and agree with most reviewers that the ending left something to be desired.

in 1919 the Turner sisters and their parents are barely scraping by. Their father ,a bookmaker, has an accident that crushes his hand and can no longer work. Their mother decides that the vaudeville stage is the families best chances to make the rent, and build a more exciting life for herself into the bargain. so the girls go on the road with an acrobatic act. It isn't long befure they discover a new type of freedom among the company of performers as diverse as their acts. The story is told in turn by Winnie and Gert , two of the sisters. It is a story of awakening to unexpected possibilities, during an interesting time in American history. the author states that one of the criteria she used for where the turner sisters performed was that the vaudeville houses had to remain in existence today. How fascinating! She wove real vaudeville acts into the story, including her great grandfather. The characters were interesting in this book and while i love this author, I enjoyed this book the best our of the ones I have read.

On a foggy summer night, eleven people--ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter--depart Martha's Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs--the painter--and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family.

With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the crash and the backstories of the passengers and crew members--including a Wall Street titan and his wife, a Texan-born party boy just in from London, a young woman questioning her path in life, and a career pilot--the mystery surrounding the tragedy heightens. As the passengers' intrigues unravel, odd coincidences point to a conspiracy. Was it merely by dumb chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something far more sinister at work? Events soon threaten to spiral out of control in an escalating storm of media outrage and accusations. And while Scott struggles to cope with fame that borders on notoriety, the authorities scramble to salvage the truth from the wreckage.

Amid pulse-quickening suspense, the fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy glows at the heart of this stunning novel, raising questions of fate, human nature, and the inextricable ties that bind us together.
when you read other reviews, people either liked it or not. I think a good beach read and I did find it hard to put down. Kind of ended abruptly I thought. but still worth the read.

Inara Erickson is exploring her deceased aunt's island estate when she finds an elaborately stitched piece of fabric hidden in the house. As she peels back layer upon layer of the secrets it holds, Inara's life becomes interwoven with that of Mei Lein, a young Chinese girl mysteriously driven from her home a century before. Through the stories Mei Lein tells in silk, Inara uncovers a tragic truth that will shake her family to its core — and force her to make an impossible choice.
Some of the critical reviews I read called the writing cliche, cheese, and felt it was trite and juvenile. Most reviewers liked it. Is it a "deep" book, no. But i did think it was entertaining and an easy read. It is a part of history you do not find in the history books and I find that disturbing, but not surprising. We were not a very "tolerant" country in those days. In fact, we still are not. Worth the read

London, 1926. American-raised Maisie Musgrave is thrilled to land a job as a secretary at the upstart British Broadcasting Corporation, whose use of radio—still new, strange, and electrifying—is captivating the nation. But the hectic pace, smart young staff, and intimidating bosses only add to Maisie’s insecurity.

Soon, she is seduced by the work—gaining confidence as she arranges broadcasts by the most famous writers, scientists, and politicians in Britain. She is also caught up in a growing conflict between her two bosses, John Reith, the formidable Director-General of the BBC, and Hilda Matheson, the extraordinary director of the hugely popular Talks programming, who each have very different visions of what radio should be. Under Hilda’s tutelage, Maisie discovers her talent, passion, and ambition. But when she unearths a shocking conspiracy, she and Hilda join forces to make their voices heard both on and off the air…and then face the dangerous consequences of telling the truth for a living.

This was not a bad read although I felt the character of Maisie was a bit contrived and a bit hard to believe. However, it is historical fiction and based upon the real director of the BBC when it started - the fact that it was a woman and she was also involved in MI5 activities. The development of the BBC and how it was open in its hiring practices and pay, regardless of gender, makes for interesting reading.

Caroline and Jamie McAfee are close. Not only do they enjoy their relationship as mother and daughter, they're in business together as the team that fronts the popular home renovation show Gut It! All is well with these two strong women, but when the network tells Caroline that Jamie is to replace her as host, Caroline feels betrayed by her daughter and old in the eyes of the world.

Jamie is unsettled by the cast change and devastated by her mother's anger, but she has little time to brood when a tragic accident leaves her two-year-old half-brother in her care. Accustomed to a life of order and precision, Jamie suddenly finds herself out of her depth, grappling with a toddler who misses his parents and a fiancé who doesn't want the child.

Amid such devastation, Caroline and Jamie find themselves revising the blueprints they've built their lives around. With loyalties shifting and decisions looming, mother and daughter need each other; but the rift between them is proving difficult to mend. As the women try to remake themselves and rebuild their relationship with each other, they discover that strength and even passion can come from the unlikeliest places. For Caroline, it's an old friend, whose efforts to seduce her awaken desires that have been dormant for so long that she feels foreign to herself. For Jamie, it's a staggering new attraction that allows her to breathe again-and breathe deeply-for the first time in forever.

basic Barbara Delinsky book - decent beach read. not very deep but held my interest

Summer of 1876: San Francisco is in the fierce grip of a record-breaking heat wave and a smallpox epidemic. Through the window of a railroad saloon, a young woman named Jenny Bonnet is shot dead.

The survivor, her friend Blanche Beunon, is a French burlesque dancer. Over the next three days, she will risk everything to bring Jenny's murderer to justice—if he doesn't track her down first. The story Blanche struggles to piece together is one of free-love bohemians, desperate paupers, and arrogant millionaires; of jealous men, icy women, and damaged children. It's the secret life of Jenny herself, a notorious character who breaks the law every morning by getting dressed: a charmer as slippery as the frogs she hunts.
I did not care for this book and would agree with the rest of the critical reviewers: dark, tedious, characters totally unlikeable. I only finished it so I could find out who the murderer was.
It is historical fiction and the events in SF did indeed happen at that time. I know a lot of research when into it. But it didn't make me like it any better.
there were some reviewers that DID like it so maybe a good one for book clubs. Certainly a lot of historical issues to discuss

The bestselling author of A Hundred Summers brings the Roaring Twenties to life i.

As the freedom of the Jazz Age transforms New York City, the iridescent Mrs. Theresa Marshall of Fifth Avenue and Southampton, Long Island, has done the unthinkable: she’s fallen in love with her young paramour, Captain Octavian Rofrano, a handsome aviator and hero of the Great War. An intense and deeply honorable man, Octavian is devoted to the beautiful socialite of a certain age and wants to marry her. While times are changing and she does adore the Boy, divorce for a woman of Theresa’s wealth and social standing is out of the question, and there is no need; she has an understanding with Sylvo, her generous and well-respected philanderer husband.

But their relationship subtly shifts when her bachelor brother, Ox, decides to tie the knot with the sweet younger daughter of a newly wealthy inventor. Engaging a longstanding family tradition, Theresa enlists the Boy to act as her brother’s cavalier, presenting the family’s diamond rose ring to Ox’s intended, Miss Sophie Fortescue—and to check into the background of the little-known Fortescue family. When Octavian meets Sophie, he falls under the spell of the pretty ingénue, even as he uncovers a shocking family secret. As the love triangle of Theresa, Octavian, and Sophie progresses, it transforms into a saga of divided loyalties, dangerous revelations, and surprising twists that will lead to a shocking transgression . . . and eventually force Theresa to make a bittersweet choice.

I liked this authors first book and liked this one as well. I did find it a little confusing going back and forth between time periods although they were short spans. The story is told through different characters each chapter. there are surprising twists by the end . You do get a fair amount of historical information about the time period, and the twists and turns are excellent.

Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It’s just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong?

Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other.

Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid’s larger than life personalities there will be a welcome respite.

Two months later, it won’t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can’t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn’t gone?

reading the reviews here, they seem to be mixed. it takes until the MIDDLE of th book for you to understand what the issue was that occurred at the BBQ. This seems to be what some reviewers did not like about the book. For me, yes it drove me crazy...but drove me crazy to keep reading so i could find out what it was! I really enjoyed this book - but I also like this author. I have enjoyed all her other books as well. There are some twists at the end and there is certainly a lot for a book club to talk about. The one character that I wish had been explored a bit more at the end was Pam. If you liked her other books, definitely give this a try!

Cronin delivers a near-perfect finale for his award-winning, best-selling series. With eleven of the twelve Virals destroyed, it seems like humanity can finally breathe a sigh of relief and begin reclaiming the world—but Zero, the last Viral, remains in New York and has other plans. Cronin explores the world before the virus and the people directly responsible for the apocalypse, while also bringing together the characters we’ve come to love and pitting them into a satisfying, heartbreaking climax that will have readers white-knuckled as they read and completely satisfied when they’re done. The final book in the Passage trilogy rewards readers’ patience in a big way.
this is a great series if you like science fiction and apocalyptic kind of stories.
I was waiting for this to end in three different spots....and couldn't figure out why it didn't. but the authors ending was indeed perfect. Excellent book . Do not let the length of the book deter you. A good read but not so sure for book clubs.

When Pierrot becomes an orphan, he must leave his home in Paris for a new life with his Aunt Beatrix, a servant in a wealthy household at the top of the German mountains. But this is no ordinary time, for it is 1935 and the Second World War is fast approaching; and this is no ordinary house, for this is the Berghof, the home of Adolf Hitler.

Quickly, Pierrot is taken under Hitler's wing, and is thrown into an increasingly dangerous new world: a world of terror, secrets and betrayal, from which he may never be able to escape.

interesting that the author would choose to write a second book in the time era and about the second World war. A good read

In 1935, six-year-old Emily Evans vanishes from her family’s vacation home on a remote Minnesota lake. Her disappearance destroys the family—her father commits suicide, and her mother and two older sisters spend the rest of their lives at the lake house, keeping a decades-long vigil for the lost child.

Sixty years later, Lucy, the quiet and watchful middle sister, lives in the lake house alone. Before her death, she writes the story of that devastating summer in a notebook that she leaves, along with the house, to the only person who might care: her grandniece, Justine. For Justine, the lake house offers freedom and stability—a way to escape her manipulative boyfriend and give her daughters the home she never had. But the long Minnesota winter is just beginning. The house is cold and dilapidated. The dark, silent lake is isolated and eerie. Her only neighbor is a strange old man who seems to know more about the summer of 1935 than he’s telling.

Soon Justine’s troubled oldest daughter becomes obsessed with Emily’s disappearance, her mother arrives to steal her inheritance, and the man she left launches a dangerous plan to get her back. In a house haunted by the sorrows of the women who came before her, Justine must overcome their tragic legacy if she hopes to save herself and her children.

I do think this was a "dark, gloomy" story. But a good read....you want to find out what happens in both stories in the book.

Blues musician Cory Ainsworth is barely scraping by after her mother’s death when she discovers a priceless piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia hidden away in a shed out back of the family’s coastal South Carolina home: Elvis Presley’s Stutz Blackhawk, its interior a time capsule of the singer’s last day on earth.

A backup singer for the King, Cory’s mother Honey was at Graceland the day Elvis died. She quickly returned home to Beaufort and married her high school sweetheart. Yearning to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past—and possibly her own identity—Cory decides to drive the car back to Memphis and turn it over to Elvis’s estate, retracing the exact route her mother took thirty-seven years earlier. As she winds her way through the sprawling deep south with its quaint towns and long stretches of open road, the burning question in Cory’s mind—who is my father?—takes a backseat to the truth she learns about her complicated mother, the minister's daughter who spent a lifetime struggling to conceal the consequences of a single year of rebellion.

could be a 3.5 starts. Fun read and an interesting premise. I found the main character, Cory, difficult to like. For a 37 year old she was not the brightest lightbulb in the chandelier and was quite annoying. but the major story line was fun and made for a decent read.

Elliot Rosenzweig, a respected civic leader and wealthy philanthropist, is attending a fundraiser when he is suddenly accosted and accused of being a former Nazi SS officer named Otto Piatek, the Butcher of Zamosc. Although the charges are denounced as preposterous, his accuser is convinced he is right and engages attorney Catherine Lockhart to bring Rosenzweig to justice. Solomon persuades attorney Catherine Lockhart to take his case, revealing that the true Piatek was abandoned as a child and raised by Solomon's own family only to betray them during the Nazi occupation. But has Solomon accused the right man?

it is interesting to read reviews after reading the book. Seems most loved this or disliked it. One reviewer questions that someone in modern times could be so ignorant about the Holocost. to that I would say yes The longer time goes by the more people forget and wonder if that "history" is true. Another felt it was unrealistic to expect that Ctherine , the lawyer , would sit with Ben for so many unbillable hours . Probably so, but its a story!! Some people are tired of reading stories about WWII - i get that...there seem to be a lot lately. But if you are willing to take another on, this is a good one.

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future...

seems like reviewers either like it or truly did not. Not a bad read, but I don't necessarily agree that a book needs a sequel to wrap up the loose ends of someone's life. I did like Me Before You....this one was fair, I did not like the character of Lily...I know, i know...troubled teen, be sympathetic, etc but I wanted to shake Louisa because she put up with so much from her. Not totally realistic in my opinion. The ending was good and some good lines on how people grieve and move on.

worth for a book club to read and discuss if they read the first one

Brady Hartsfield, perpetrator of the Mercedes Massacre, where eight people were killed and many more were badly injured, has been in the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic for five years, in a vegetative state. According to his doctors, anything approaching a complete recovery is unlikely. But behind the drool and stare, Brady is awake, and in possession of deadly new powers that allow him to wreak unimaginable havoc without ever leaving his hospital room.

Retired police detective Bill Hodges, the unlikely hero of Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers, now runs an investigation agency with his partner, Holly Gibney, who delivered the blow to Hartsfield's head that put him on the brain injury ward. Brady also remembers that. When Bill and Holly are called to a murder-suicide with ties to the Mercedes Massacre, they find themselves pulled into their most dangerous case yet, one that will put not only their lives at risk, but those of Hodges’s friend Jerome Robinson and his teenage sister, Barbara. Because Brady Hartsfield is back, and planning revenge not just on Bill Hodges and his friends, but on an entire city.

I had gotten a little tired of stephen kings books and had not read any in awhile. But this trilogy is good. Its a good murder mystery with a little bit of King's "weirdness" in it as well. Good reads!

College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same.

Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran--and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.

As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory.

joe unravels the truth slowly but may not be in time
this was an easy ready and a very good story!!

Perry L. crandall knows what its like to be an outsider. With an IQ of 76, he's an easy mark. Before his grandmother died, she armed Perry well with what he'd need to know, the importance of words and writing things down, and how to play the lottery. Most important, she taught him who to trust - a crucial lesson for Perry after he wins the lottery. As his family descends, moving in on his fortune, his fate, and his few true friends, he has a lesson for them: Never ever underestimate Perry L Crandall
this was a great book. You hate Perry's family from the very beginning - lots of strong characters in this book. Not the deepest, but you will be cheering for Perry in the end.

Once a trained killer for the CIA, Dan Morgan has built a new life for himself. But when he receives a desperate plea from his former Black Ops partner - reportedly killed in a foreign battle zone - he flies to help. It should be a routine mission, extracting a human asset from the region. But it's not routine; it's an ambush. Now Morgan is running for his life, holding crucial evidence. With his contacts dead and family in danger, Morgan must take on a full-scale conspiracy in the highest echelons of a vast global network that plays by its rules - when it suits them.

not necessarily great for a book club but was a good murder/spy mystery. It is the first in a series and will be interesting to read the others.

When her father dies, her hapless brother Freddie takes the title. But it is Lilith, instructed in the art of necromancy, who inherits their father’s role as Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven. And it is Lilith who must face the threat of the Sentinels, a powerful group of sorcerers intent on reclaiming the Elixir from the coven’s guardianship for their own dark purposes. Lilith knows the Lazarus creed: secrecy and silence. To abandon either would put both the coven and all she holds dear in grave danger. She has spent her life honoring it, right down to her charming fiancé and fellow witch, Viscount Louis Harcourt.

Until the day she meets Bram, a talented artist who is neither a witch nor a member of her class. With him, she must not be secret and silent. Despite her loyalty to the coven and duty to her family, Lilith cannot keep her life as a witch hidden from the man she loves.

To tell him will risk everything.

pretty basic witch book...nothing outstanding but a decent read

Normandy, 1944. To cover the fighting in France, Jane, a reporter for the Nashville Banner, and Liv, an Associated Press photographer, have already had to endure enormous danger and frustrating obstacles—including strict military regulations limiting what women correspondents can do. Even so, Liv wants more.

Encouraged by her husband, the editor of a New York newspaper, she’s determined to be the first photographer to reach Paris with the Allies, and capture its freedom from the Nazis.

However, her Commanding Officer has other ideas about the role of women in the press corps. To fulfill her ambitions, Liv must go AWOL. She persuades Jane to join her, and the two women find a guardian angel in Fletcher, a British military photographer who reluctantly agrees to escort them. As they race for Paris across the perilous French countryside, Liv, Jane, and Fletcher forge an indelible emotional bond that will transform them and reverberate long after the war is over.

based on the stories of the female journalists in WWII.
I have read this author before and liked her works. Ilove historical fiction and the premise of this book drew me in. The first chapter hooked me and I loved the last chapter where thing were tied together. But was a bit disappointed in everything in the middle. I felt it was dry reading , didn't hold my interest (altho the thread of the the story SHOULD have). I am glad i finished it to read how the author wrapped it all up , but have to admit I was tempted many times to stop.

Maribeth Klein. A harried working mother who's so busy taking care of her husband and twins, she doesn't even realize she's had a heart attack.

Afterward, surprised to discover that her recuperation seems to be an imposition on those who rely on her, Maribeth does the unthinkable: She packs a bag and leaves. But, as is so often the case, once we get to where we're going, we see our lives from a different perspective. Far from the demands of family and career and with the help of liberating new friendships, Maribeth is finally able to own up to secrets she has been keeping from those she loves and from herself.

this not an earth shattering book; its predictable, yet a good basic read

Stasha must care for: the funny, the future, the bad.

It's 1944 when the twin sisters arrive at Auschwitz with their mother and grandfather. In their benighted new world, Pearl and Stasha Zagorski take refuge in their identical natures, comforting themselves with the private language and shared games of their childhood.

As part of the experimental population of twins known as Mengele's Zoo, the girls experience privileges and horrors unknown to others, and they find themselves changed, stripped of the personalities they once shared, their identities altered by the burdens of guilt and pain.

That winter, at a concert orchestrated by Mengele, Pearl disappears. Stasha grieves for her twin, but clings to the possibility that Pearl remains alive. When the camp is liberated by the Red Army, she and her companion Feliks--a boy bent on vengeance for his own lost twin--travel through Poland's devastation. Undeterred by injury, starvation, or the chaos around them, motivated by equal parts danger and hope, they encounter hostile villagers, Jewish resistance fighters, and fellow refugees, their quest enabled by the notion that Mengele may be captured and brought to justice within the ruins of the Warsaw Zoo. As the young survivors discover what has become of the world, they must try to imagine a future within it.

seems like most reviews either loved it or didn't like it. I agree with the good reviews that its a dark book, a sad story, etc. But also agree with the others that although I wanted to like it, i did not. I didn't like the way the author wrote, felt it was hard to follow the story and decide between what wa real or not, especially the ending seemed rush when they all come together and not clear how they reacted together after the war, This was not an engaging book for me.

and while I did not like it, I think it would be interesting for a book club to read to get different perspectives on it

Trying to mix business with pleasure, KEY News correspondent Diane Mayfield has brought her children and her sister to the New Jersey shore town of Ocean Grove to investigate a story on "girls who cry wolf" for the season premiere of Hourglass, television's highly rated news magazine. Diane lands an exclusive interview with a troubled young woman whose tale of being abducted and held against her will for three terrifying days had been disbelieved by the authorities. No sooner does Diane finish taping the interview, though, than a second victim disappears. The small community, already in the grip of a record heat wave, is now wracked by fear and terror—no one knows who could be next. With only the first victim as eyewitness, Diane and the police turn to her for clues. But it may be too late to save Diane and her loved ones from the mortal danger that lurks in Ocean Grove.
basic beach kind of read...easy fast, not bad

Raised in a primitive one-room farmhouse with no indoor plumbing, the fourth of five children, Catherine Marenghi begins her life in poverty and isolation. She leaves home at the age of seventeen. A decade later, she is a successful journalist with the means to buy her family their first decent house. But the past will not be put to rest so easily. Catherine unravels a web of long-buried family secrets, and a terrible betrayal that robbed her family of the home that was rightfully theirs. And she finally uncovers the story her parents never shared: the gladiolus farm that was once their dream.
I enjoy reading memoirs but they can also be a bit dry. I could not put this one down. I am about the same age as the author and cannot imagine growing up in the environment she did. And how the family remained positive and loving through all of that is amazing. Jimmy Carter's comment on the back rings true - "reminds us of the role our habitats play in shaping our lives".
somewhat sad that all she found out about her family in the end was after her mom passes, and unable to answer all the questions I' m sure she had. But we are all like that I think - - we don't ask the questions of our elders while they are around and able to share family history.
definitely a book to read!

Determined to forge her own destiny, Alice Barrow joins the legions of spirited young women better known as the Mill Girls. From dawn until dusk, these ladies work the looms, but the thrill of independence, change in their pockets, and friendships formed along the way mostly make the backbreaking labor worthwhile. In fact, Hiram Fiske, the steely-eyed titan of industry, has banked on that. But the working conditions are becoming increasingly dangerous and after one too many accidents, Alice finds herself unexpectedly acting as an emissary to address the factory workers' mounting list of grievances.

After traveling to the Fiske family's Beacon Hill mansion, Alice enters a world she's never even dared to dream about: exquisite silk gowns, sumptuous dinners, grand sitting parlors, and uniformed maids operating with an invisible efficiency. Of course, there's also a chilliness in the air as Alice presents her case. But with her wide, intelligent eyes and rosy-hued cheeks, Alice manages to capture the attention of Hiram's eldest son, the handsome and reserved Samuel Fiske.

Their chemistry is undeniable, soon progressing from mutual respect and shy flirtation into an unforgettable romance. But when Alice's best friend, Lovey, is found strangled in a field, Alice and Samuel are torn between loyalty to "their kind" and a chance for true love.
technically historical fiction - there was indeed a young mill girl murdered in 1832 which caused an uproar during a time when mill workers were becoming restless and angry about low wages and dangerous working conditions.
it is an easy ready, decent story and what i call a good "beach read".

not my favorite book While it was very interesting to get the perspective of women and their rights (or lack of) in this time period, it was too long, boring for most of it, too much time spent on the "little town" type of things, not great writing. I was committed to finishing it and must say the ending was better - basically because it moved along. wouldn't recommend it. However there are excellent reviews on this , and does leave a lot for discussion for book groups


East Sussex, 1914. It is the end of England’s brief Edwardian summer, and everyone agrees that the weather has never been so beautiful. Hugh Grange, down from his medical studies, is visiting his Aunt Agatha, who lives with her husband in the small, idyllic coastal town of Rye. Agatha's husband works in the Foreign Office, and she is certain he will ensure that the recent sabre rattling over the Balkans won't come to anything. And Agatha has more immediate concerns; she has just risked her carefully built reputation by pushing for the appointment of a woman to replace the Latin master.

When Beatrice Nash arrives with one trunk and several large crates of books, it is clear she is significantly more freethinking — and attractive — than anyone believes a Latin teacher should be. For her part, mourning the death of her beloved father, who has left her penniless, Beatrice simply wants to be left alone to pursue her teaching and writing.

But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the Sussex landscape and the colorful characters who populate Rye, the perfect summer is about to end. For despite Agatha's reassurances, the unimaginable is coming. Soon the limits of progress, and the old ways, will be tested as this small Sussex town and its inhabitants go to war.

not an overly deep book for a book club but a decent read.
When she arrives at the famed Barbizon Hotel in 1952, secretarial school enrollment in hand, Darby McLaughlin is everything her modeling agency hall mates aren't: plain, self-conscious, homesick, and utterly convinced she doesn't belong—a notion the models do nothing to disabuse. Yet when Darby befriends Esme, a Barbizon maid, she's introduced to an entirely new side of New York City: seedy downtown jazz clubs where the music is as addictive as the heroin that's used there, the startling sounds of bebop, and even the possibility of romance.

Over half a century later, the Barbizon's gone condo and most of its long-ago guests are forgotten. But rumors of Darby's involvement in a deadly skirmish with a hotel maid back in 1952 haunt the halls of the building as surely as the melancholy music that floats from the elderly woman's rent-controlled apartment. It's a combination too intoxicating for journalist Rose Lewin, Darby's upstairs neighbor, to resist—not to mention the perfect distraction from her own imploding personal life. Yet as Rose's obsession deepens, the ethics of her investigation become increasingly murky, and neither woman will remain unchanged when the shocking truth is finally revealed.

called the Dollhouse by the boys -- this was the authors first novel and a decent read. Its a fast read, and not overly deep . but an interesting story , especially the insight inot what the Barbizon must have been like in the 50/s. entertaining and worth the read.

For the past thirty-three years, Angela Gillespie has sent to friends and family around the world an end-of-the-year letter titled “Hello from the Gillespies.” It’s always been cheery and full of good news. This year, Angela surprises herself—she tells the truth....

The Gillespies are far from the perfect family that Angela has made them out to be. Her husband is coping badly with retirement. Her thirty-two-year-old twins are having career meltdowns. Her third daughter, badly in debt, can’t stop crying. And her ten-year-old son spends more time talking to his imaginary friend than to real ones.

Without Angela, the family would fall apart. But when a bump on the head leaves Angela with temporary amnesia, the Gillespies pull together—and pull themselves together—in wonderfully surprising ways....

good read, good story...although a bit long. I did find the daughters annoying. they are all adults yet act like teenagers and very stupid. Especially Lindy. get a grip girl and stop your whining. but in the end...a good story

Lucy Wakefield is a seemingly ordinary woman who does something extraordinary in a desperate moment: she takes a baby girl from a shopping cart and raises her as her own. It’s a secret she manages to keep for over two decades—from her daughter, the babysitter who helped raise her, family, coworkers, and friends.

When Lucy’s now-grown daughter Mia discovers the devastating truth of her origins, she is overwhelmed by confusion and anger and determines not to speak again to the mother who raised her. She reaches out to her birth mother for a tearful reunion, and Lucy is forced to flee to China to avoid prosecution. What follows is a ripple effect that alters the lives of many and challenges our understanding of the very meaning of motherhood.

the premise is a good one but the story reads a bit flat. it is told through various characters -- each chapter a different one. Not all of them are so believable and the ending was not very good.

Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.

so most of the reviews of this book are very good And I will say i enjoyed the read. having said that I do agree with many of the criticisms...typical Jodi Picoult book in that its a story with a message and a current 'social" cause of the day; pretty predictable;
But if you don't mind those critiques, it is a good read.

A breakneck race against time...and an implacable enemy.
An anonymous young woman murdered in a run-down hotel, all identifying characteristics dissolved by acid.
A father publicly beheaded in the blistering heat of a Saudi Arabian public square.
A notorious Syrian biotech expert found eyeless in a Damascus junkyard.
Smoldering human remains on a remote mountainside in Afghanistan.
A flawless plot to commit an appalling crime against humanity.
One path links them all, and only one man can make the journey.

seems people either loved or hated this book. while i can understand the criticisms and agree with some, I still found that I liked this book. Thought it was a good mystery, spy novel. It is NOT an easy read -- you have to pay attention. The story of the main character unfolds in bits and pieces. I enjoyed it.

Ava’s twenty-five-year marriage has fallen apart, and her two grown children are pursuing their own lives outside of the country. Ava joins a book group, not only for her love of reading but also out of sheer desperation for companionship. The group’s goal throughout the year is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. Ava rediscovers a mysterious book from her childhood—one that helped her through the traumas of the untimely deaths of her sister and mother. Alternating with Ava’s story is that of her troubled daughter Maggie, who, living in Paris, descends into a destructive relationship with an older man. Ava’s mission to find that book and its enigmatic author takes her on a quest that unravels the secrets of her past and offers her and Maggie the chance to remake their lives.
was slow for me in the beginning but better the second half. the concept of picking a book that matters most to you is interesting, although a point made int he book was that it could be different books depending on where you are in your life.
is it predictable in the end? maybe so. but still a good read

I must make a disclaimer - the author is a friend of mine, so I was a little nervous to read this book. What if I didn't like it? How would I write a review. So I decided that if I didn't like it , no review. Obviously that didn't happen. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There were times that some of the characters annoyed me and times that I loved them The sign of a good story I think. The book does jump back and forth between four time periods - so you have to pay attention. I did not mind this although I know some people do. But it is well worth it in the end when all the threads come together and it all makes sense. Definitely a good read.

3.5 stars
It is a bit of a page turner; horror story, mystery combined, with a bit of the supernatural. Not a deep read but entertaining.
Once the thriving attraction of rural Vermont, the Tower Motel now stands in disrepair, alive only in the memories of Amy, Piper, and Piper's kid sister, Margot. The three played there as girls until the day that their games uncovered something dark and twisted in the motel's past, something that ruined their friendship forever.

Now adult, Piper and Margot have tried to forget what they found that fateful summer, but their lives are upended when Piper receives a panicked midnight call from Margot, with news of a horrific crime for which Amy stands accused. Suddenly, Margot and Piper are forced to relive the time that they found the suitcase that once belonged to Silvie Slater, the aunt that Amy claimed had run away to Hollywood to live out her dream of becoming Hitchcock's next blonde bombshell leading lady. As Margot and Piper investigate, a cleverly woven plot unfolds—revealing the story of Sylvie and Rose, two other sisters who lived at the motel during its 1950s heyday. Each believed the other to be something truly monstrous, but only one carries the secret that would haunt the generations to come. (less)

In downtown Chicago, a young woman named Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is found among her possessions, leaving her friend and roommate Quinn Collins to wonder where Esther is and whether or not she's the person Quinn thought she knew.

Meanwhile, in a small Michigan harbor town an hour outside Chicago, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where eighteen-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher. He is immediately drawn to her charm and beauty, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something far more dark and sinister than he ever expected.

I had a hard time fora about 1/3 of third of the book...trying to go between the two stories and not getting a connection at all. Yet you finally are drawn into both stories and really start wanting to know where they are going. A good read. Just not sure I would want to discuss this at a book group...but many might

n a Washington, D.C. research lab, a brilliant scientist is attacked by his own test subjects. At Columbia University, a talented biochemist is lured out of her apartment and never seen again. In the Justice Department's new Bioethics Committee, agent Les Mahler sees a sinister pattern emerging. . .

Zoe Kincaid is a petite college student whose rare genetic makeup may hold the key to a powerful medical breakthrough. When she is kidnapped, the very thing mankind has wanted since the dawn of time threatens to unleash our final destruction.
this was an interesting concept. I did find the characters annoying and not realistic...Zoe and Natalie both seem to lack common sense, no matter whether you want to argue that zoe is 14 or 20. But the storyline raises excellent ethical questions and a good read.

I thought the threads in this book were interesting....how two different people feel differently about their experience in the camps and how people in the US would see them, issues of race in th south after WWII. But found that the chapters from the prison camp were confusing and did not enhance the story; not sure I understood the issues of the union and dock workers and what it had to do with the story. Probaby plenty for a book club to talk about,,,not sure i would recommend the book

a fun book
Are you ready to see your fixer upper?

These famous words are now synonymous with the dynamic husband-and-wife team Chip and Joanna Gaines, stars of HGTV’s Fixer Upper. As this question fills the airwaves with anticipation, their legions of fans continue to multiply and ask a different series of questions, like—Who are these people?What’s the secret to their success? And is Chip actually that funny in real life? By renovating homes in Waco, Texas, and changing lives in such a winsome and engaging way, Chip and Joanna have become more than just the stars of Fixer Upper, they have become America’s new best friends.

The Magnolia Story is the first book from Chip and Joanna, offering their fans a detailed look at their life together. From the very first renovation project they ever tackled together, to the project that nearly cost them everything; from the childhood memories that shaped them, to the twists and turns that led them to the life they share on the farm today.

if you like this show and this couple you will like this book. Easy read, nothing new and exciting but interesting to chronicle how they got where they are today.
but not a book for a book club I wouldn't think

a bit superficial, not very deep. portrays a rosy picture

you can read a summary on your own. Very intricate with all the characters you are following. Had a hard time in the beginning and thought about giving up...but so glad I did not. It all comes together in the second half...very real life mixing of two families. Loved the characters. A must read.

read the summary....Some reviewers felt it a little too sappy, characters not realistic., too slow a book. I did not think any of this. I thought this was a great story with various threads.....occurs during the depression, the beginnings of rock and roll, race relations, the design world...so many worlds rolled into one story. Excellent read

It was interesting to read this after reading a Touch of Stardust , about Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. This one is about the romance between Clark Gable and Loretta Young, although much more about Loretta Young's life and career. IT is fiction. I enjoyed reading it -- maybe I am a sap for old Hollywood romances. And I'm sure we really don't know all that went on in the Golden Age of Hollywood, no matter what biographies have been written. I had not read reviews until after finishing the book and was surprised to see so much criticism of it. However I do understand where people are coming from -- one of the biggest criticisms seemed to be writing about people when there is still family left that could be hurt by some of the story. But Frankly I think that happens all over. I still think its worth the read and I enjoyed it.

Winifred Allen needs a vacation.

Stifled by a soul-crushing job, devastated by the death of her beloved brother, and lonely after the end of a fifteen-year marriage, Wini is feeling vulnerable. So when her three best friends insist on a high-octane getaway for their annual girls’ trip, she signs on, despite her misgivings.

What starts out as an invigorating hiking and rafting excursion in the remote Allagash Wilderness soon becomes an all-too-real nightmare: A freak accident leaves the women stranded, separating them from their raft and everything they need to survive. When night descends, a fire on the mountainside lures them to a ramshackle camp that appears to be their lifeline. But as Wini and her friends grasp the true intent of their supposed saviors, long buried secrets emerge and lifelong allegiances are put to the test. To survive, Wini must reach beyond the world she knows to harness an inner strength she never knew she possessed.

middle of the road book for me. Kind of predictable based on the jacket cover. I wonder how realistic it is in this day and age== I know they are friends but four of them go off to the middle of no where on a trip where they can't find any reviews or online information? not so sure about that. Pia and the guide's relationship did not feel realistic to me. However , a decent read and the relationships between the four friend would make for interesting discussion. Quick , easy read

have read the whole trilogy.....Bay of Sighs and Island of Glass
A typical Nora Roberts trilogy...three guys, three girls, they get paired off, have great sex, and join forces to make it all right.
If you like her trilogies, you will like this as well. I enjoyed it. I just don't always think her trilogies have a lot for a book club to discuss...i think they are "fun" books to read


To celebrate the rise of their new queen, three goddesses of the moon created three stars, one of fire, one of ice, one of water. But then they fell from the sky, putting the fate of all worlds in danger. And now three women and three men join forces to pick up the pieces…

Sasha Riggs is a reclusive artist, haunted by dreams and nightmares that she turns into extraordinary paintings. Her visions lead her to the Greek island of Corfu, where five others have been lured to seek the fire star. Sasha recognizes them, because she has drawn them: a magician, an archaeologist, a wanderer, a fighter, a loner. All on a quest. All with secrets.

Sasha is the one who holds them together—the seer. And in the magician, Bran Killian, she sees a man of immense power and compassion. As Sasha struggles with her rare ability, Bran is there to support her, challenge her, and believe in her.

But Sasha and Bran are just two of the six. And they all must all work together as a team to find the fire star in a cradle of land beneath the sea. Over their every attempt at trust, unity, and love, a dark threat looms. And it seeks to corrupt everything that stands in its way of possessing the stars… (less)

From the day in 1907 that eleven-year-old Riley Purefoy meets Nadine Waveney, daughter of a well-known orchestral conductor, he takes in the difference between their two families: his, working-class; hers, "posh" and artistic. Just a few years later, romance and these differences erupt simultaneously with the war in Europe. In a fit of fury and boyish pride, Riley enlists in the army and finds himself involved in the transformative nightmare of the twentieth century.

While Riley and his commanding officer, Peter Locke, fight for their country and their survival in the trenches of Flanders, Peter's lovely and naive wife, Julia, and his cousin Rose eagerly await his return. But the sullen, distant man who arrives home on leave is not the Peter they knew. Worried that her husband is slipping away, Julia is left alone with her fears when Rose joins the nursing corps to work with a pioneering plastic surgeon treating wounded and disfigured soldiers.

Only eighteen at the outbreak of the war, Nadine and Riley want to make promises to each other—but how can they when their future is out of their hands? Youthful passion is on their side, but then their loyalty is tested by terrible injury, and even more so by the necessarily imperfect rehabilitation that follows.

I'm sure this would be great for a book club -- lots to discuss and describes the horrors of the first World War which we tend to forget. but I personally didn't care for the writing style and felt the book was just so so. I am glad i finished it -- many times during the first half i wanted to give up. But there were some interesting threads

Raised by her aunt and uncle amidst the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside, young orphan Virginia Tacci has always harbored a deep love for horses—though she knows she may never have the chance to ride. As a shepherdess in sixteenth-century Italy, Virginia’s possibilities are doubly limited by her peasant class and her gender. Yet while she tends her flock, Virginia is captivated by the daring equestrian feats of the high-spirited Isabella de’ Medici, who rides with the strength and courage of any man, much to the horror of her brother, the tyrannical Gran Duca Francesco de’ Medici.

Inspired, the young shepherdess keeps one dream close to her heart: to race in Siena’s Palio. Twenty-six years after Florence captured Siena, Virginia’s defiance will rally the broken spirit of the Senese people and threaten the pernicious reign of the Gran Duca.

Iloved this book - its like reading the history of Tuscany and some of the de Medici family.

As the daughter of a meth dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. Struggling to raise her little brother, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible "adult" around. She finds peace in the starry Midwestern night sky above the fields behind her house. One night everything changes when she witnesses one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold, wreck his motorcycle. What follows is a powerful and shocking love story between two unlikely people that asks tough questions, reminding us of all the ugly and wonderful things that life has to offer.
this is a controversial book with a lot of threads going through it that are not easy to read about. It's also emotionally draining. Having said that , I thought it was well written and really liked it. Not going to be for everyone though.

Donal Cameron is being raised by his grandmother, the cook at the legendary Double W ranch in Ivan Doig’s beloved Two Medicine Country of the Montana Rockies, a landscape that gives full rein to an eleven-year-old’s imagination. But when Gram has to have surgery for “female trouble” in the summer of 1951, all she can think to do is to ship Donal off to her sister in faraway Manitowoc, Wisconsin. There Donal is in for a rude surprise: Aunt Kate–bossy, opinionated, argumentative, and tyrannical—is nothing like her sister. She henpecks her good-natured husband, Herman the German, and Donal can’t seem to get on her good side either. After one contretemps too many, Kate packs him back to the authorities in Montana on the next Greyhound. But as it turns out, Donal isn’t traveling solo: Herman the German has decided to fly the coop with him.
Coming of age story. First one I have read by this author and will try some of his other book. This was an excellent read!

Eight years ago, Tess and Jake were considered a power couple of the New York publishing world--happy, in love, planning a family. Failed fertility treatments and a heartbreaking attempt at adoption have fractured their marriage and left Tess edgy and adrift. A visit to friends in rural Vermont throws Tess's world into further chaos when she sees a young, half-dressed child in the middle of the road, who then runs into the woods like a frightened deer.

The entire town begins searching for the little girl. But there are no sightings, no other witnesses, no reports of missing children. As local police and Jake point out, Tess's imagination has played her false before. And yet Tess is compelled to keep looking, not only to save the little girl she can't forget but to salvage her broken heart as well.
i enjoy reading this author, but this was not my favorite book. I found it difficult to follow the adoption story and didn't really get it until the end. There is much here for discussion for a book club however so for some it may be a worthwhile read. I just didn't care for it

When Autumn Carpenter stumbles upon the social media account of the family who adopted her infant daughter years ago, she finds herself instantly drawn into their picture-perfect existence.

From behind a computer screen, Autumn watches Grace's every memory, from birthdays to holidays to bedtime snuggles. But what starts as an innocent fascination spirals into an addictive obsession met with a screeching halt the day the McMullen family closes their Instaface account without so much as a warning.

Frantic and desperate to reconnect with her daughter, Autumn applies for a nanny position with the McMullens, manipulating herself into Grace's life under false pretenses. And it's only then that Autumn discovers pictures lie, the perfect family doesn't exist, and beautiful people? They have the ugliest secrets

I have to disagree with most of the reviews...i'd give this a 2.5 stars...I had to get 2/3 of the way through before it really got me interested. I know with psychological thrillers you can't get too much information in the beginning...but you really got nothing that would make you interested in these characters. not my favorite.

Ever since the Bommarito sisters were little girls, their mother, River, has written them a letter on pink paper when she has something especially important to impart. And this time, the message is urgent and impossible to ignore--River requires open-heart surgery, and Isabelle and her sisters are needed at home to run the family bakery and take care of their brother and ailing grandmother.

Isabelle has worked hard to leave Trillium River, Oregon, behind as she travels the globe taking award-winning photographs. It's not that Isabelle hates her family. On the contrary, she and her sisters Cecilia, an outspoken kindergarten teacher, and Janie, a bestselling author, share a deep, loving bond. And all of them adore their brother, Henry, whose disabilities haven't stopped him from helping out at the bakery and bringing good cheer to everyone in town.

But going home again has a way of forcing open the secrets and hurts that the Bommaritos would rather keep tightly closed--Isabelle's fleeting and too-frequent relationships, Janie's obsessive compulsive disorder, and Cecilia's self-destructive streak and grief over her husband's death. Working together to look after Henry and save their flagging bakery, Isabelle and her sisters begin to find answers to questions they never knew existed, unexpected ways to salve the wounds of their childhoods, and the courage to grasp surprising new chances at happiness.

excellent story...but make sure you have tissues for the end!

Denmark is often said to be the happiest country in the world. That's down to one thing: hygge.

'Hygge has been translated as everything from the art of creating intimacy to cosiness of the soul to taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things. My personal favourite is cocoa by candlelight...'

You know hygge when you feel it. It is when you are cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one, or sharing comfort food with your closest friends. It is those crisp blue mornings when the light through your window is just right.

points are well taken....although they are no brainers. which is what i think people who rated this low are trying to say. however the point they seem to be missing is that yes, they are no brainers but we still don't seem to do them! And it IS easier if you live in a socialized country to adopt this kind of lifestyle. Are workers in the US ever going to leave the workplace by 4 or 5pm? I doubt it.

When Annalee Ahlberg goes missing, her children fear the worst. Annalee is a sleepwalker whose affliction manifests in ways both bizarre and devastating. Once, she merely destroyed the hydrangeas in front of her Vermont home. More terrifying was the night her older daughter, Lianna, pulled her back from the precipice of the Gale River bridge.

The morning of Annalee's disappearance, a search party combs the nearby woods. Annalee's husband, Warren, flies home from a business trip. Lianna is questioned by a young, hazel-eyed detective. And her little sister, Paige, takes to swimming the Gale to look for clues. When the police discover a small swatch of fabric, a nightshirt, ripped and hanging from a tree branch, it seems certain Annalee is dead, but Gavin Rikert, the hazel-eyed detective, continues to call, continues to stop by the Ahlbergs' Victorian home.

As Lianna peels back the layers of mystery surrounding Annalee's disappearance, she finds herself drawn to Gavin, but she must ask herself: Why does the detective know so much about her mother? Why did Annalee leave her bed only when her father was away? And if she really died while sleepwalking, where was the body?
I do find it unrealistic that a policeman would act the way Gavin did , suppressing evidence. Not my most favorite of this authors' books...just an ok read

round noon on January 15, 1919, a group of firefighters was playing cards in Boston's North End when they heard a tremendous crash. It was like roaring surf, one of them said later. Like a runaway two-horse team smashing through a fence, said another. A third firefighter jumped up from his chair to look out a window-"Oh my God!" he shouted to the other men, "Run!"

A 50-foot-tall steel tank filled with 2.3 million gallons of molasses had just collapsed on Boston's waterfront, disgorging its contents as a 15-foot-high wave of molasses that at its outset traveled at 35 miles an hour. It demolished wooden homes, even the brick fire station. The number of dead wasn't known for days. It would be years before a landmark court battle determined who was responsible for the disaster.
Not a great read , however well written for historical non fiction which can be boring at times. If you didn't live in Boston, this is an interesting story and also gives some insight into the labor movement at this time in history.

It’s the last day of 1984, and 85-year-old Lillian Boxfish is about to take a walk.
As she traverses a grittier Manhattan, a city anxious after an attack by a still-at-large subway vigilante, she encounters bartenders, bodega clerks, chauffeurs, security guards, bohemians, criminals, children, parents, and parents-to-be—in surprising moments of generosity and grace. While she strolls, Lillian recalls a long and eventful life that included a brief reign as the highest-paid advertising woman in America—a career cut short by marriage, motherhood, divorce, and a breakdown.

A love letter to city life—however shiny or sleazy—Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney paints a portrait of a remarkable woman across the canvas of a changing America: from the Jazz Age to the onset of the AIDS epidemic; the Great Depression to the birth of hip-hop.

This book is based on the life of Margaret Fishback who was a poet and ad writer for Macy's in the 30's. I believe i may have to take the author up on reading some of her poetry and books. Surprisingly to me, I loved this book. Not sure all her encounters are realistic in real life, but I loved reading her summary of her life as she wanders the streets of NYC on new Years eve. Would definitely recommend this. Excellent read.

his book was inspired by a true story. I did have to keep reminding myself that it was taking place in the mid 60's.....its made that clear in the beginning. SPOILER: it was a very good murder mystery but brought up a lot of questions at the end when you finally find out who did it....like why didn't they investigate the father better than they did? did the neighbor make up the whole story about the couple on the street at 2am?
Definitely worth the read.!

t's 1965 in a tight-knit working-class neighborhood in Queens, New York, and Ruth Malone--a single mother who works long hours as a cocktail waitress--wakes to discover her two small children, Frankie Jr. and Cindy, have gone missing. Later that day, Cindy's body is found in a derelict lot a half mile from her home, strangled. Ten days later, Frankie Jr.'s decomposing body is found. Immediately, all fingers point to Ruth.

As police investigate the murders, the detritus of Ruth's life is exposed. Seen through the eyes of the cops, the empty bourbon bottles and provocative clothing which litter her apartment, the piles of letters from countless men and Ruth's little black book of phone numbers, make her a drunk, a loose woman--and therefore a bad mother. The lead detective, a strict Catholic who believes women belong in the home, leaps to the obvious conclusion: facing divorce and a custody battle, Malone took her children's lives.

Pete Wonicke is a rookie tabloid reporter who finagles an assignment to cover the murders. Determined to make his name in the paper, he begins digging into the case. Pete's interest in the story develops into an obsession with Ruth, and he comes to believe there's something more to the woman whom prosecutors, the press, and the public have painted as a promiscuous femme fatale. Did Ruth Malone violently kill her own children, is she a victim of circumstance--or is there something more sinister at play?

I probably would not have picked this book up to read if it had not been a book club choice. I agree with many other readers -- it is a must read. I really did not understand the system and how easily people are determined guilty with little to no evidence or without looking at circumstances. It was certainly an eye opener and has much for discussion.
A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time

Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.

Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.

This is the last in a series with One Second After being the first book. That is probably th ebook I would recommend for a book club to discuss. then read the following two. This is a very real and scary premise and should make us all nervous! and should make us all preppers

Anna O'Shea has failed at marriage, shed her job at a law firm, and she's trying to re-create herself when she and her recalcitrant nephew are summoned to the past in a manner that nearly destroys them. Her twenty-first-century skills pale as she struggles to find her nephew in nineteenth-century Ireland. For one of them, the past is brutally difficult, filled with hunger and struggle. For the other, the past is filled with privilege, status, and a reprieve from the crushing pain of present-day life. For both Anna and her nephew, the past offers them a chance at love.
The past and present wrap around finely wrought characters who reveal the road home. Mystical, charming, and fantastic, New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Sheehan's Now & Then is a poignant and beautiful tale of a remarkable journey. It is a miraculous evocation of a breathtaking place in a volatile age filled with rich, unforgettable, deeply human characters and one unforgettable dog named Madigan.

I liked this book although I did feel you got thrown into the time travel part abruptly without a lot of explanation on what is happening. you don't really get it til the end of the book Why the book jacket describes the dog Madigan I have no clue...its not a major character although the author does link the wolfhound to the Irish but I only felt this as a more subtle thread. the ending was a bit abrupt for me...i would have liked the explanation to take longer..it felt rushed to me. ZBut the book was a good read

Amy Dickinson has made a career out of helping others, through her internationally syndicated advice column "Ask Amy." Readers love her for her honesty, her small-town values, and for the fact that her motto is "I make the mistakes so you don't have to." In The Mighty Queens of Freeville, Amy Dickinson shares those mistakes and her remarkable story. This is the tale of Amy and her daughter and the people who helped raise them after Amy found herself a reluctant single parent. Though divorce runs through her family like an aggressive chromosome, the women of her family taught her what family is about. They helped her to pick up the pieces when her life fell apart and to reassemble them into something new. It is a story of frequent failures and surprising successes, as Amy starts and loses careers, bumbles through blind dates and adult education classes, travels across the country with her daughter and their giant tabby cat, and tries to come to terms with the family's aptitude for "dorkitude." Though they live in London, D.C., and Chicago, all roads lead them back to her hometown of Freeville (pop. 458), a tiny village where Amy's family has tilled and cultivated the land, tended chickens and Holsteins, and built houses and backyard sheds for more than 200 years. Most important, though, her family members all still live within a ten-house radius of each other. With kindness and razor-sharp wit, they welcome Amy and her daughter back weekend after weekend, summer after summer, offering a moving testament to the many women who have led small lives of great consequence in a tiny place.

a quick easy read. parts i liked and parts i did find a bit boring. However I salute the fact that this seems to be a wonderful family of women who stuck together and were always there for each other. worth the read

(a summary from another reviewer....copied because she said it very well and briefly..thanks Jessica)
It’s a romp through Prohibition-era Manhattan, where flapper Geneva (Gin) Kelly has landed after running away from her abusive stepfather in rural Western Maryland. She gets caught up in a sweep of the speakeasy next to her apartment and the dashing agent, Oliver Anson, persuades her to help him take down her stepfather, who has since become one of the country’s most notorious—and dangerous—bootleggers. Twists and turns abound in her storyline, but meanwhile, in 1998, Ella Hawthorne moves into that same apartment building after leaving her cheating husband. Intrigued by rumors of ghosts in the former speakeasy next door and the handsome fix-it-man upstairs, Ella is looking for the inspiration she needs to start a new life.

having said all the above..I really couldn't give it the five stars everyone else did. I've only read one other book by this author: The Secret Life of Violet Grant - and loved it. So i can't speak to the fact that there were recurrent characters in this book from others. Maybe that made a difference. Also the fact that others KNEW this was the first in a new series -- not sure how they know this -- there was nothing in the beginning or end of the copy of the book I had that alluded to this. Which made me very disappointed in the end that many of the threads were not pulled together. I loved reading it until the end.

Anne Tyler gives us a wise, haunting, and deeply moving new novel in which she explores how a middle-aged man, ripped apart by the death of his wife, is gradually restored by her frequent appearances—in their house, on the roadway, in the market.

Crippled in his right arm and leg, Aaron spent his childhood fending off a sister who wants to manage him. So when he meets Dorothy, a plain, outspoken, self-dependent young woman, she is like a breath of fresh air. Unhesitatingly he marries her, and they have a relatively happy, unremarkable marriage. But when a tree crashes into their house and Dorothy is killed, Aaron feels as though he has been erased forever. Only Dorothy’s unexpected appearances from the dead help him to live in the moment and to find some peace.

Gradually he discovers, as he works in the family’s vanity-publishing business, turning out titles that presume to guide beginners through the trials of life, that maybe for this beginner there is a way of saying goodbye.

I knew i had read this book before but since it was for a book club and i had forgotten all the nuances, i reread it. easy because it was short. A good read....interesting to see how Aaron evaluates the relationship as he goes through his grieving process.

In the small, affluent town of Fairview, Connecticut everything seems picture perfect.

Until one night when young Jenny Kramer is attacked at a local party. In the hours immediately after, she is given a controversial drug to medically erase her memory of the violent assault. But, in the weeks and months that follow, as she heals from her physical wounds, and with no factual recall of the attack, Jenny struggles with her raging emotional memory. Her father, Tom, becomes obsessed with his inability to find her attacker and seek justice while her mother, Charlotte, prefers to pretend this horrific event did not touch her perfect country club world.

As they seek help for their daughter, the fault lines within their marriage and their close-knit community emerge from the shadows where they have been hidden for years, and the relentless quest to find the monster who invaded their town - or perhaps lives among them - drive this psychological thriller to a shocking and unexpected conclusion.

in the beginning i thought the narrator was a highly intelligent , perceptive clinician. Only as you read on do you begin to wonder about his motives and how he can do what he does. Many twists and turns and still a somewhat surprise ending! good read

From the critically acclaimed author of The Widow's War comes a captivating work of literary historical fiction, set in America in the years after the Revolution, that explores the tenuous relationship between the brilliant and complex founding father Thomas Jefferson and his devoted daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph.

this is an interesting story to read. I had already read the book America's First Daughter on the same subject...that was not historical fiction - it was considered non fiction. It covered more of Martha Jefferson's life in more depth i.e. spent more time on her time in Paris.

It is interesting to read about this family...what we thought their life would be like is not entirely true. they were all in such debt; such confliction over slavery; and TJ's relationship with Sally Hemmings. Slow reading book but very interesting. Martha does come across as privileged and a bit whiney...however one must take into consideration the time in which she lived and the social lifestyle she was brought up in.

Set at the end of World War II, in a crumbling Bavarian castle that once played host to all of German high society, a powerful and propulsive story of three widows whose lives and fates become intertwined—an affecting, shocking, and ultimately redemptive novel from the author of the New York Times Notable Book The Hazards of Good Breeding

Amid the ashes of Nazi Germany’s defeat, Marianne von Lingenfels returns to the once grand castle of her husband’s ancestors, an imposing stone fortress now fallen into ruin following years of war. The widow of a resistor murdered in the failed July, 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Marianne plans to uphold the promise she made to her husband’s brave conspirators: to find and protect their wives, her fellow resistance widows.

as one reviewer commented, sometimes we think that if we read one more story it will help us make sense of all this. It doesn't but its interesting that its told from the women's point of view vs the soldiers, some Nazi points of views as well. I thought it was a good read

if you like Silva's series on Gabriel Allon you will probably like this book. The criticsm is that it was published last fall during the presidential election and was biased regarding the rise if ISIS and the then current presidential administration. it is what it is.

not sure this series is what i would recommend for a book club, however I like her novels and this has brought the queens to a close which made it interesting

interesting that the reviews were so mixed...seems people either loved it or not. Since I am not a reader of the authors other books I can't compare. However I will agree with one criticism....he explains way too much!! I could do with a lot less. Having said that I thought it was an excellent sci fi thriller! there needs to be a second book although am hoping it wouldn't be a HUGE series. I haven't seen any reviews yet that compare the book to what is going on in todays world -- makes it a little scary!

Kate Bishop thought she was an ordinary woman living and working in Chicago. But when she unexpectedly finds herself in the middle of a police investigation into a brutal murder, Kate makes a shocking discovery: she has the ability to identify killers just by looking into their eyes.

Trying to grasp the implications of this revelation, Kate is drawn deep into a world of terror. She is tracked down by Jack Raines, a mysterious author with shadowy connections to those who share her ability. He tells Kate that her unique vision also makes her a target, and only he can help her.

Now, hot on Jack and Kate’s heels are a force of super-predators, vicious and bloodthirsty killers who will stop at nothing until Kate is dead. But even as she fights for her life, Kate still isn’t sure if Jack is really her salvation, or another killer coming to slaughter her.

An explosive mix of action and suspense, Nest is a landmark new novel from worldwide bestselling author Terry Goodkind, and a complete reinvention of the contemporary thriller. Travel with Goodkind on a dangerous journey to the back alleys of the darknet, to the darkest corners of our minds, and to the very origins of what it is to be human.

Maddy is a devoted stay-at-home wife and mother, host of excellent parties, giver of thoughtful gifts, and bestower of a searingly perceptive piece of advice or two. She is the cornerstone of her family, a true matriarch...until she commits suicide, leaving her husband Brady and teenage daughter Eve heartbroken and reeling, wondering what happened. How could the exuberant, exacting woman they loved disappear so abruptly, seemingly without reason, from their lives? How they can possibly continue without her? As they sift through details of her last days, trying to understand the woman they thought they knew, Brady and Eve are forced to come to terms with unsettling truths.

Maddy, however, isn’t ready to leave her family forever. Watching from beyond, she tries to find the perfect replacement for herself.

this is the author's first novel and an excellent read. Tough subject but I really liked the character development and the honesty portrayed around this subject.

Dana Catrell is horrified to learn she was the last person to see her neighbor Celia alive. Suffering from a devastating mania, a result of her bipolar disorder, Dana finds that there are troubling holes in her memory, including what happened on the afternoon of Celia's death. As evidence starts to point in her direction, Dana struggles to clear her name before her own demons win out.

not a bad read....decent murder mystery...decent for beach read

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

Basically a medieval , Russian Fairy tale -- so very fantasy type of story. If you like that type, you will like this.
First in a series of three. Very good for a first time author

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

while I do agree with some of the constructive criticism, i still really liked this book. I had some difficulty with the parallel stories and no know ing how they connectect for much of the book. but as you realize where they come together it is wonderful. A good read!!

Two years after vanishing into the Sudanese desert, the leader of a British archeological expedition, Professor Harold McCabe, comes stumbling out of the sands, frantic and delirious, but he dies before he can tell his story. The mystery deepens when an autopsy uncovers a bizarre corruption: someone had begun to mummify the professor's body--while he was still alive.

His strange remains are returned to London for further study, when alarming news arrives from Egypt. The medical team who had performed the man's autopsy has fallen ill with an unknown disease, one that is quickly spreading throughout Cairo. Fearing the worst, a colleague of the professor reaches out to a longtime friend: Painter Crowe, the director of Sigma Force. The call is urgent, for Professor McCabe had vanished into the desert while searching for proof of the ten plagues of Moses. As the pandemic grows, a disturbing question arises.

Are those plagues starting again?

this is a 'save the world" group who has been the subject of the authors books before. I haven't read all of them so was not particularly bored by this one , where others who have reviewed it were. It 's pretty predictable, however I do like the way the author wove historical figures into the story: Mark Twain, Teslor, Stanley and Livingston. Decent plot, good beach read.

One morning, Deming Guo’s mother, an undocumented Chinese immigrant named Polly, goes to her job at the nail salon and never comes home. No one can find any trace of her.

With his mother gone, eleven-year-old Deming is left with no one to care for him. He is eventually adopted by two white college professors who move him from the Bronx to a small town upstate. They rename him Daniel Wilkinson in their efforts to make him over into their version of an “all-American boy.” But far away from all he’s ever known, Daniel struggles to reconcile his new life with his mother’s disappearance and the memories of the family and community he left behind.

i know most of the reviews of this book are very positive. Its not a horrible book -- i just could not get into the characters. There wasn't anything I liked about either Polly or Deming. He's trying to find himself all through the book and I kind of understood that -- however he did nothing to help himself either. Illegal immigration, coming of age, etc are some of the threads....but it didn't ring for me. Sorry.
I did recommend it for a book club only because there were so many positive reviews and I do think there are numerous threads to discuss

One night in 1917 Beatrice Haven sneaks out of her uncle's house on Cape Ann, Massachusetts, leaves her newborn baby at the foot of a pear tree, and watches as another woman claims the infant as her own. The unwed daughter of wealthy Jewish industrialists and a gifted pianist bound for Radcliffe, Bea plans to leave her shameful secret behind and make a fresh start. Ten years later, Prohibition is in full swing, post-WWI America is in the grips of rampant xenophobia, and Bea's hopes for her future remain unfulfilled. She returns to her uncle’s house, seeking a refuge from her unhappiness. But she discovers far more when the rum-running manager of the local quarry inadvertently reunites her with Emma Murphy, the headstrong Irish Catholic woman who has been raising Bea's abandoned child—now a bright, bold, cross-dressing girl named Lucy Pear, with secrets of her own.
I really wanted to like this book -- but there were too many threads going on and I really didn't think it came together. It was a boring story.

seems that most reviewers loved this book. It IS an interesting premise..so you have to buy into the time travel/magic concepts I suggest reading the other reviews..there are pros / cons. I'm glad I read it but found it hard to follow it due to being told in so many different ways: Journals, power point presentations, memos, etc

Tristan needs Mel to translate some very old documents, which, if authentic, are earth-shattering. They prove that magic actually existed and was practiced for centuries. But the arrival of the scientific revolution and the Age of Enlightenment weakened its power and endangered its practitioners. Magic stopped working altogether in 1851, at the time of the Great Exhibition at London’s Crystal Palace—the world’s fair celebrating the rise of industrial technology and commerce. Something about the modern world "jams" the "frequencies" used by magic, and it’s up to Tristan to find out why.

And so the Department of Diachronic Operations—D.O.D.O. —gets cracking on its real mission: to develop a device that can bring magic back, and send Diachronic Operatives back in time to keep it alive . . . and meddle with a little history at the same time. But while Tristan and his expanding operation master the science and build the technology, they overlook the mercurial—and treacherous—nature of the human heart.

3.5 starts
To Christina Olson, the entire world was her family’s remote farm in the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. Born in the home her family had lived in for generations, and increasingly incapacitated by illness, Christina seemed destined for a small life. Instead, for more than twenty years, she was host and inspiration for the artist Andrew Wyeth, and became the subject of one of the best known American paintings of the twentieth century.

I did like reading this book..it did make me want to find out what happened to Christine.
this is the author of the Orphan Train and I do like how she envisions Christine's life

A young black man calling himself Victor has struck a bargain with federal law enforcement, working as a bounty hunter for the US Marshall Service in exchange for his freedom. He's got plenty of work. In this version of America, slavery continues in four states called "the Hard Four." On the trail of a runaway known as Jackdaw, Victor arrives in Indianapolis knowing that something isn't right--with the case file, with his work, and with the country itself.
he works to infiltrate the local cell of a abolitionist movement called the Underground Airlines

not a bad read, since the premise is interesting But the character is not overly fleshed out,,although I'm not sure that you could. Bit of a wooden read.

I struggled with this book. While I find the concept interesting and good historical information I could not relate to the characters. Also found it confusing to have the book being told in present day, then going back to the past with characters. Not my style.

Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hellish for all the slaves but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood - where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned and, though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted.

read the summary of this book on your own. Its an easy read - is sad and uplifting at the same time if that is possible. Sad because a young talent's life is ended so soon. But to read his story of going through the diagnosis and process is indeed poetic , uplifting and informative. Not many can go through this like the author did. Yet I do think there are many that do and we don't hear about it. To be able to articulate it as well as the author did and put on paper, makes one hopeful that if presented with the same situation , they might be able to have at least SOME of the qualities the author had. Good read

not really sure this is a book club type of selection. However if you like the author you will like this book. Good murder mystery!!

Set in Provincetown, so for those of us who are Cape Codders, it makes for a delicious read - to recognize places we've been and the culture of that town. I loved this book. There were traits in certain characters that were annoying...but that is why it makes the characters interesting and believable. While many will tout this as a beach read (and it is), it is very much more than fluff. definitely a good read.

Marin Bishop has always played by the rules, and it's paid off: at twenty-eight she has a handsome fiancé, a prestigious Manhattan legal career, and the hard-won admiration of her father. But one moment of weakness leaves Marin unemployed and alone, all in a single day. Then a woman claiming to be Marin's half-sister shows up, and it's all Marin can do not to break down completely. Seeking escape, Marin agrees to a road trip to meet the grandmother she never knew she had. As the summer unfolds at her grandmother's quaint beachside B&B, it becomes clear that the truth of her half-sister is just the beginning of revelations that will change Marin's life forever. THE FOREVER SUMMER is a delicious page-turner and a provocative exploration of what happens when our notions of love, truth, and family are put to the ultimate test.

What happens when the Pope and the Dalai Lama decide they need an undercover vacation? During a highly publicized official visit at the Vatican, the Pope suggests an adventure so unexpected and appealing that neither man can resist. Before dawn, two of the most beloved and famous people on the planet don disguises, slip into a waiting car, and experience the countryside as regular people. Along for the ride are the Pope's overwhelmed cousin Paolo and his estranged wife Rosa, an eccentric hairdresser with a lust for life who cannot resist the call to adventure—or the fun.

this was a whimsical book to read, and a decent read. Just not the 4-5 stars others have given it.
would not be my choice for a book club but i can see where it would have enough for discussion

An elusive courtesan, Marthe de Florian cultivated a life of art and beauty, casting out all recollections of her impoverished childhood in the dark alleys of Montmartre. With Europe on the brink of war, she shares her story with her granddaughter Solange Beaugiron, using her prized possessions to reveal her innermost secrets. Most striking of all are a beautiful string of pearls and a magnificent portrait of Marthe painted by the Italian artist Giovanni Boldini. As Marthe’s tale unfolds, like velvet itself, stitched with its own shadow and light, it helps to guide Solange on her own path.

Inspired by the true account of an abandoned Parisian apartment, Alyson Richman brings to life Solange, the young woman forced to leave her fabled grandmother’s legacy behind to save all that she loved.

this is the third book i have read which was based on the true account of the abandoned Parisian apartment. It was a good story and maybe if I had not read the others first I might have given it 4 starts. Each book was a little different. My problem with reading this one is that all of it seemed familiar due to having read the other two. If you haven't read any of them , this was a good read.

In Helen on 86th Street and Other Stories, girls grow into women and women become wise in portraits filled with biting humor and small but hard-earned victories. One girl makes a burnt offering of letters written to her wayward father, while another struggles to leave her dying father and face adult life. Women navigate the rocky shoals of adultery, illness, and infertility as they make their way in an unsteady world, where the heart is easily betrayed and loyalty is rarely a straightforward matter. Wendi Kaufman writes intimately of daughters, mothers, and lovers, of first loves and difficult truths.
i'm not a big short story reader but a friend recommended this book. Am very glad I picked it up. I really enjoyed the stories and loved the fact that they were short...easy to read in a short span of time when you only have 10 minutes.
Definitely worth the read.

India and Matt thought all their problems would come to an end once they found Chronos. But the watch magician brings with him as many questions as answers, and a load of trouble. To fix Matt’s magic watch, they must find an old diary that once belonged to a doctor magician murdered decades ago. The hunt drags them into a sordid mystery involving two of London’s craft guilds. With old and new enemies determined to stop them, and long-held secrets unearthed, Matt and India must work together better than ever.

4th in the Glass and Steele series - and i do like it. but starting to get impatient about bringing it to some resolution. but i love the characters!

a solid 3.5 Great book for the beach or vacation -- easy read and not too long. Good suspense story although getting close to the end you may be able to see where its going. Still a very entertaining book and kept my interest! Finished it in one day.

Elementary school teacher Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage was far from perfect, but even in its ups and downs it was predictable, familiar. Or at least she thought it was…until two police officers showed up at her door with devastating news. Her husband of eight years, the one who should have been on a business trip to Kansas, had suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. And he wasn’t alone.

For Jacks, laying her husband to rest was hard. But it was even harder to think that his final moments belonged to another woman—one who had left behind her own grieving and bewildered fiancé. Nick, just as blindsided by the affair, wants answers. So he suggests that he and Jacks search for the truth together, retracing the doomed lovers’ last days in paradise.

this book was just ok for me...I didn't find the characters having a great deal of depth. especially Jared who I found very immature and self centered. None of it seemed that realistic and not a huge amount of depth in the story. very predicable.
Thirty-five-year-old Miranda is not an impulsive person. She’s been at Domestic Goddess magazine for eight years, she has great friends, and she’s finally moving on after a breakup. Having a baby isn’t even on her radar—until the day she discovers an abandoned newborn on the platform of a Brooklyn subway station. Rushing the little girl to the closest police station, Miranda hopes and prays she’ll be all right and that a loving family will step forward to take her.

Yet Miranda can’t seem to get the baby off her mind and keeps coming up with excuses to go check on her, until finally a family court judge asks whether she’d like to be the baby’s foster parent—maybe even adopt her. To her own surprise, Miranda jumps at the chance. But nothing could have prepared her for the ecstasy of new-mother love—or the heartbreak she faces when the baby’s father surfaces....

actually a 3.5. Some of the plot is typical and easily recognizable. You guess where this is going

On a cool June morning, a woman is walking her dog in the idyllic coastal village of Salten along a tidal estuary known as the Reach. Before she can stop him, the dog charges into the water to retrieve what first appears to be a wayward stick, but to her horror, turns out to be something much more sinister...

The next morning, three women in and around London—Fatima, Thea, and Isabel—receive the text they had always hoped would NEVER come, from the fourth in their formerly inseparable clique, Kate, that says only, “I need you.”
The four were notorious for playing the "lying game", telling lies at every turn to students and faculty. But their little game had consequences as they realize in modern day.

as the story moves on you know something happened that they are still all lying about. However there are good twists and turns at the end that keep you interested.

sreally a 3.5 If you like history and especially from this era and family , its a good read . Well written, not dry at all, and fun to read.

When Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901, his beautiful and flamboyant daughter was transformed into "Princess Alice," arguably the century's first global celebrity. Thirty-two years later, her first cousin Eleanor moved into the White House as First Lady. Born eight months and twenty blocks apart from each other in New York City, Eleanor and Alice spent a large part of their childhoods together and were far more alike than most historians acknowledge.

But their politics and temperaments couldn't have been more distinct. Do-gooder Eleanor was committed to social justice but hated the limelight; acid-tongued Alice, who became the wife of philandering Republican congressman Nicholas Longworth, was an opponent of big government who gained notoriety for her cutting remarks (she famously quipped that dour President Coolidge “looked like he was weaned on a pickle”). While Eleanor revolutionized the role of First Lady with her outspoken passion for human rights, Alice made the most of her insider connections to influence politics, including doing as much to defeat the League of Nations as anyone in elective office.

The cousins themselves liked to play up their oil-and-water relationship. “When I think of Frank and Eleanor in the White House I could grind my teeth to powder and blow them out my nose,” Alice once said. In the 1930s they even wrote opposing syndicated newspaper columns and embarked on competing nationwide speaking tours. Blood may be thicker than water, but when the family business is politics, winning trumps everything.

If you liked the Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, I think you'll like this. It s an easy ready. But from the first chapter I did not want to put down this book. Sign of a good choice for me. And it was so interesting to read about that time period in Seattle. Definitely a good read.

From the bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet comes a powerful novel, inspired by a true story, about a boy whose life is transformed at Seattle's epic 1909 World's Fair.

For twelve-year-old Ernest Young, a charity student at a boarding school, the chance to go to the World's Fair feels like a gift. But only once he's there, amid the exotic exhibits, fireworks, and Ferris wheels, does he discover that he is the one who is actually the prize. The half-Chinese orphan is astounded to learn he will be raffled off--a healthy boy "to a good home."

The winning ticket belongs to the flamboyant madam of a high-class brothel, famous for educating her girls. There, Ernest becomes the new houseboy and befriends Maisie, the madam's precocious daughter, and a bold scullery maid named Fahn. Their friendship and affection form the first real family Ernest has ever known--and against all odds, this new sporting life gives him the sense of home he's always desired.

But as the grande dame succumbs to an occupational hazard and their world of finery begins to crumble, all three must grapple with hope, ambition, and first love.

Fifty years later, in the shadow of Seattle's second World's Fair, Ernest struggles to help his ailing wife reconcile who she once was with who she wanted to be, while trying to keep family secrets hidden from their grown-up daughters.

Caroline Cashion, a professor of French literature at Georgetown University, is stunned when an MRI reveals that she has a bullet lodged near the base of her skull. It makes no sense: she has never been shot. She has no entry wound. No scar. When she confronts her parents, they initially profess bewilderment. Then, over the course of one awful evening, she learns the truth: she was adopted when she was three years old, after her real parents were murdered in cold blood. Caroline had been there the night of the attack, and she was hit by a single gunshot to the neck. Buried too deep among vital nerves and blood vessels, the surgeons had left it, and stitched up the traumatized little girl with the bullet still inside.

That was thirty-four years ago.

Now, Caroline returns to her hometown to learn whatever she can about who her parents were and why they died. Along the way she meets a cop who worked the case, who reveals that even after all these years, the police do not have enough evidence to nail their suspect. The killer is still at large. Caroline is in danger: the bullet in her neck could identify the murderer, and he'll do anything to keep it out of the police hands. Now Caroline will have to decide: run for her life, or stay and fight?

This was a decent read -- it draws you in from the beginning. And despite the fact that the jacket tells you what is going to happen, it does not detract from the story. The ending for me wasn't great. Just not sure I can think that the characters' persona can change the way it did, for her to do what she did. Not plausible for me. But still worth the read.

Joy has no one. She spends her days working the graveyard shift at a grocery store outside Boston and nursing an addiction to cough syrup, an attempt to suppress her troubled past. But when a sickness that begins with memory loss and ends with death sweeps the country, Joy, for the first time in her life, seems to have an advantage: she is immune. When Joy’s immunity gains her admittance to a hospital in rural Kansas, she sees a chance to escape her bleak existence. There she submits to peculiar treatments and follows seemingly arbitrary rules, forming cautious bonds with other patients—including her roommate, whom she turns to in the night for comfort, and twin boys who are digging a secret tunnel.

As winter descends, the hospital’s fragile order breaks down and Joy breaks free, embarking on a journey from Kansas to Florida, where she believes she can find her birth mother, the woman who abandoned her as a child. On the road in a devastated America, she encounters mysterious companions, cities turned strange, and one very eerie house. As Joy closes in on Florida, she must confront her own damaged memory and the secrets she has been keeping from herself.

i agree with much of the constructive criticism...i was enjoying this book until half way through -- it really did fall apart. the travels to find her mother were annoying, made no sense, etc. Not a book for me.

am a fan of this author's books....and if you are as well, you will like it.
Definitely a good read and one I did NOT want to put down.
A Texas Ranger, relegated to deskwork due to past recklessness, petitions to regain custody of his five-year-old daughter, and his case is assigned to a family court judge who is as attractive as she is ambitious. When a masked gunman barges in during the custody hearing with his sights on the judge, the Ranger reacts instinctually and goes after him. But authorities apprehend the wrong man, and the real gunman remains unknown, at large, and a threat. Will this take-charge lawman jeopardize his chances of custody by going after the would-be assassin? And will this unlikely pair be able to deny the forbidden attraction building between them?

after reading "The Bridge" I was anxious to read this one. Too bad this author only wrote two books before his death. I liked this one as much as the first. It is a little confusing at times when he moves between the 1990's and 1964 -- the chapter titles don't clarify that for you. But if you can get past that, the story line is very very good. Love story, court drama, civil rights history all wrapped into one. An excellent era.
Born and raised in Mississippi, Carter Ransom came to New York as a young man and has risen to become a columnist with a major city newspaper. But when his life in New York falls apart and he heads back home to recover, the still-live conflicts of his youth in the civil rights era rise up all around him again. A twenty-five-year-old murder case has just been reopened, a church bombing that killed Carter's first love. Carter's father was the judge in the case, and now there's evidence that the trial was flawed, even fixed, and the case's reopening threatens the foundation of Carter's identity, as well as his relationship to his family.

could be a 3.5 Recommended to me by friends. First in a series. I honestly don't know that i can read all the books that follow....i tend to get tired of the same character over and over. HOwerver I will read at least a few. While i found the constant playing of back stories a little tedious, I thought it was a good mystery novel and had me guessing until the end.

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montréal and yet a world away. Jane Neal, a long-time resident of Three Pines, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it's a tragic hunting accident and nothing more but Gamache smells something foul this holiday season…and is soon certain that Jane died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.

I really would give this a 2.5 -3. I loved the Art of Racing in the Rain and this one was recommended to me, since it was Mr Stein's first novel. It was a bit weird for me and I had a hard time relating to the characters. Not my favorite. having said that, it probably would create a lot of discussion for a book group

In this haunting debut, Garth Stein brilliantly invokes his Native American heritage and its folklore to create an electrifying supernatural thriller. When a grieving mother returns to the remote Alaskan town where her young son drowned, she discovers that the truth about her son's death is shrouded in legend— and buried in a terrifying wrinkle between life and death. When Jenna Rosen abandons her comfortable Seattle life to return to Wrangell, Alaska, it's a wrenching return to her past. Long ago the home of her Native American grandmother, Wrangell is located near the Thunder Bay resort, where Jenna's young son, Bobby, disappeared two years before. His body was never recovered, and Jenna is determined to lay to rest the aching mystery of his death. But the spectacular town provides little comfort beyond the steady and tender affections of Eddie, a local fisherman. And then whispers of ancient legends begin to suggest a frightening new possibility about Bobby's fate. Soon, Jenna must sift through the beliefs of her ancestors, the Tlingit— who still tell of powerful, menacing forces at work in the Alaskan wilderness.

second in the inspector gamache series. I was ok with the first and didn't really think I'd continue with the series. However I tried this second book and found it once again, an excellent murder mystery and not quite annoying as the first. There are still things I want to find out in terms of what is happening with some characters so I think I WILL continue the series for now. Easy read, draws you in and keeps you guessing

I wanted to love this book more than I did....but watching a tv show and reading about their life are two very different things. I thought it was very slow moving and really covered a short amount of time - but I guess they didn't stay in Kansas very long. I probably need to go back and read the Little House series. Howerver it is still worth the read. The life that settlers lived was very hard -- not sure why anyone wanted to travel and settle in new land the way the did. A woman really needed dozens of skills to survive for both her and her family. It is also appalling how we treated Native Americans - - and what our attitudes were towards them at the time.

In this novel authorized by the Little House estate, Sarah Miller vividly recreates the beauty, hardship, and joys of the frontier in a dazzling work of historical fiction, a captivating story that illuminates one courageous, resilient, and loving pioneer woman as never before—Caroline Ingalls, "Ma" in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved Little House books.

In the frigid days of February, 1870, Caroline Ingalls and her family leave the familiar comforts of the Big Woods of Wisconsin and the warm bosom of her family, for a new life in Kansas Indian Territory. Packing what they can carry in their wagon, Caroline, her husband Charles, and their little girls, Mary and Laura, head west to settle in a beautiful, unpredictable land full of promise and peril.

The pioneer life is a hard one, especially for a pregnant woman with no friends or kin to turn to for comfort or help. The burden of work must be shouldered alone, sickness tended without the aid of doctors, and babies birthed without the accustomed hands of mothers or sisters. But Caroline’s new world is also full of tender joys. In adapting to this strange new place and transforming a rough log house built by Charles’ hands into a home, Caroline must draw on untapped wells of strength she does not know she possesses.

True story -- very sad at times but its a what happens in real life kind of story. And how hard it is to make decision regarding your child's health. Good read.

Happiness begins with a charming courtship between hopelessly attracted opposites: Heather, a world-roaming California girl, and Brian, an intellectual, homebody writer, kind and slyly funny, but loath to leave his Upper West Side studio. Their magical interlude ends, full stop, when Heather becomes pregnant - Brian is sure he loves her, only he doesn't want kids. Heather returns to California to deliver their daughter alone, buoyed by family and friends. Mere hours after Gracie's arrival, Heather's bliss is interrupted when a nurse wakes her, "Get dressed, your baby is in trouble."

This is not how Heather had imagined new motherhood – alone, heartsick, an unexpectedly solo caretaker of a baby who smelled "like sliced apples and salted pretzels" but might be perilously ill. Brian reappears as Gracie's condition grows dire; together Heather and Brian have to decide what they are willing to risk to ensure their girl sees adulthood.

the journal of Margaret Kelly, a woman who participated in the government's "Brides for Indians" program in 1873, a program whose conceit was that the way to peace between the United States and the Cheyenne Nation was for One Thousand White Women to be given as brides in exchange for three hundred horses. These "brides" were mostly fallen women; women in prison, prostitutes, the occasional adventurer, or those incarcerated in asylums. No one expected this program to work. The brides themselves thought it was simply a chance at freedom. But many of them fell in love with the Cheyennes spouses and had children with them...and became Cheyenne themselves.

The Vengeance Of Mothers is a novel that explores what happens to the bonds between wives and husbands, children and mothers, when society sees them as "unspeakable." What does it mean to be white, to be Cheyenne, and how far will these women go to avenge the ones they love? As he did in One Thousand White Women, Jim Fergus brings to light a time and place in American history, and fills it with unforgettable characters who live and breathe with a passion we can relate to even today.

Make sure you read One Thousand WHite Women first as this is a sequel There is a lot of controversy evidently regarding the "history" on which these two books are presented. whether or not there was such a bride program (which sounds ridiculous - however how we treated Natvie Americans then was also ridiculous), it still makes for an interesting read. It just ended abruptly for me and I wanted a bit more. Still a good read.

i really give this a 4.5. You can read the summary of the story. I agree with all the positive reviews, and also agree you don't have to have read Practical Magic first. I had only seen the movie, but will probably read that book as well. I thought these characters were wonderful, and loved reading about their magical powers.
The negative reviews I read were really from readers who have a hard time connecting with "magic" as a subject. So if that is you, this book is probably not a good one for you.
Otherwise , a definitely good read.

Claire and Alice had been separated as young children, when their father took Alice on a long holiday to America and never came back, splitting the family. As Claire grew up and became a solicitor she was able to afford to high private detectives, but they never found Alice. Suddenly this year though, Alice makes contact with her mum, and shortly afterwards she is back in the family house, and everyone is making up for lost time trying to reconnect.

However Claire can't really feel much for Alice, and despite being happy her sister is home, also suspects something is fishy, but the way everything is presented, the rest of her family think she is going mad.

I would give this 3.5 starts. I did find it predictable ...interesting that so many others did not. However I like this author and her style, so I still felt this book was intriguing. there were times in the beginning that you could go either way with this. But I did have a few criticisms SPOILER!!

If I didn't know Clare was a solicitor I would not have guessed. do you really just take someone's word that she is your long lost sister without checking her out?
you never find out why Leonard asked Clare in the end if Tom had showed her anything on his phone. Why would he ask that unless he knew tom had the pictures?
should clare have told Luke about Hannah's questionable paternity? Isn't she just recreating her mothers mistake?
definitely a good read.

read the summary of the book first....

I found the plot and the story line intriguing...but the read was just so so for me. It was confusing in the beginning switching back and forth between time periods. I didn't feel especially connected to the characters...especially Roberta. There was no depth to her. All the loose ends were tied up at the end but haphazardly and quickly.
I read it to the end to see what happened...but just an ok read for me.

as many other reviewers note, don't expect this book to be like the movie. The movie was great, but is LOOSELY based on the book. Book is more in depth and you can tell the story more intricately than you could a movie. So be prepared for that and if you liked the movie, you will love the book. I had just finished the new one "rules of magic" so thought it was time to reread the original. Glad I did after the newest one. You pick up on a lot more stuff.
Good read.

yes its predictable, a bit sad, maybe sappy. But the characters are good and one hopes that lonely people would really find themselves like they do in this book. read the summary -- its a short book and worth the read.

I always find it interesting to read the reviews of a book after I've read it. And that doesn't disappoint in this case. I agree with some of the constructive criticism...starts out a bit slow, ends rather quickly, hard to talk about with out spoiling the story. All I know is that the backstory that starts at the beginning had me hooked early on. Made me think it was going to be a different kind of book than how it turned out. I like this author's writing, I couldn't wait to finish it, and yes maybe it was a bit rushed in the end. But I think it had to kind of be that way. Did it leave some unanswered questions? yes maybe however its a story!!! you have to know its not going to end up with everything neatly packaged. Definitely a good read!

you can read the synopsis yourself. Reviews are all over the place on this one. I must say though, while i have always liked this author....i really don't get the 4-5 stars and raves. it was a fair book. Characters were too shallow for my taste, seemed to glorify their scam, not so sure the ending is plausible. Just a fair read for me.

Elmwood Springs, Missouri, is a small town like any other, but something strange is happening at the cemetery. Still Meadows, as it’s called, is anything but still. Original, profound, The Whole Town’s Talking, tells the story of Lordor Nordstrom, his Swedish mail-order bride, Katrina, and their neighbors and descendants as they live, love, die, and carry on in mysterious and surprising ways.
as others have described it...quirky plot, silly, whimsical, fantastical,
A tad on the long side for me.....drew in too many characters in the end. and not sure the ending was the quite the way i would hav liked in some ways. But an easy read and cute story.

One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn't add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister's return might just be the beginning of the crime.

there were mixed reviews on this book - interesting. and while i respect the constructive criticism I really felt the story was a good one. I suspected how some things would turn out however there were plenty of twists and turns to keep my interest. I found it hard to put this book down and would recommend giving it a try. Especially if you read the authors first book and liked it.

i actually give it a 2.5
you can read the summary of the book....
It is a christian , inspirational type of read. which I don't mind. However I did find it a bit preachy, and a bit unbelievable at times. but might not be a bad read for some.

really a 3.5 -4
you have to like this authors books and you have to like history. there was a bit of technical bridge buidling stuff that i would skip over. but its a great biography of the two men who designed and built the bridge, great history of the politics in NY at the time the bridge was built, and fascinating that it was built in the era it was. If you like all that...a good read.

this is the authors first book, which I read after reading her later books. While i loved her later books this one was not my favorite. Its not a bad read. But read a little disjointed for me. Did not love any of the characters . But finished because I wanted to see what happened....she does wrap everything up nicely

Three years ago, Madison Culver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. She would be eight years old now—if she has survived. Desperate to find their beloved daughter, certain someone took her, the Culvers turn to Naomi, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing. Known to the police and a select group of parents as The Child Finder, Naomi is their last hope.

the subject matter is a bit disturbing but the book handles it beautifully. good writing and a page turner. easy and fast to read.

despite some of the constructive criticism in reviews i really liked this book. I liked the NYC history part of it and I did like the twists / turns and did not find them contrived and irrelevant as some of the other reviewers. ITs an easy read and I recommend it.

excellent sequel to the first one...Into the Light

3.5
very good read....well written!!!
Helen wasn't in the market to adopt a kitten but her two boys changed her mind. When the cat was delivered weeks later, she had no way of know ing the family had suffered a tragic loss. helen was not going to keep the cat until she saw something she thought she would never see again....her son's smile.

For a memoir , treads more like a story and is very insightful and entertaining.

3.5 I'm glad I did not read the reviews before I read the book...This meant I was surprised along the way as to how the story unfolded. Reading the reviews after helped me appreciate segments more. Its interesting to read the good and the not so good reviews. Really boils down to whether you like sci fi or not. I'm in the middle. I got stuck at many of the technological explanations and found I skimmed over those frequently. Howerver the storyline is good I thought. Reality in the beginning - could it really happen ? to a bit of disbelief in the last third -- could those few survivors really create the future as they did? doesn't seem plausible Then again - that's sci fi!

I tried, but cannot agree with the other reviewers. One of the worst books i ever read. I can't relate to the charters...nothing about any of them is appealing; prose is awful. The only reason i finished it , is because it was short and was looking for some kind of conclusion. Left me high and dry.

could be a 3.5 Interesting the range of reviews. I had stopped reading this author for a while because as another reviewer mentioned, i felt her books were chick lit....which isn't bad...just had had enough of them for awhile. Despite the range of reviews, i really liked this one.. More than chick lit, i felt this was little deeper and a good story.

read the review of the story yourself. I loved this book. I Had also enjoyed the authors first book. Most of the reviews are very positive...but i also enjoy reading the ones not so complementary. There are some good points in those and while i may disagree with the overall review, they make for good discussions. This was well worth the read.

3.5
Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

decent mystery , thriller. Predictable. some spots went into more depth and description than necessary. some good twists in the end and pulls everything together nicely.

you can read the summary of the plot.....
I usually really like this authors book....but The Hurricane sisters was still my favorite.
This is more chick lit; plot is predictable; not very deep; Adam is not a believable character for me/ most of the characters are shallow. Best part was the trips to Greece.

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace: he has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You'd like to get to know Grace better. But it's difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love.

Picture this: a dinner party at their perfect home, the conversation and wine flowing. They appear to be in their element while entertaining. And Grace's friends are eager to reciprocate with lunch the following week. Grace wants to go, but knows she never will. Her friends call—so why doesn't Grace ever answer the phone? And how can she cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim?

And why are there bars on one of the bedroom windows?

The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?

some areas might be predictable but this was a good psychological thriller and the last few pages are awesome!

you can read the summary of the story.....Not a deep book, however the premise is interesting and it held my interest throughout. Good read

really a 3.5
I did enjoy this book...just not as a full 4 or 5. I liked the first 2/3 better than the last 1/3. So many characters that I found it hard to relate to any of them in depth. And felt the last 1/3 was even harder to get into the characters. However it was fascinating to read about the Korean/ Japanese relationships and what happened in that time period -- history that we westerners do not usually hear about or understand.
Worth the read.

you can read the review yourself. I agree with another reviewer -- if this hadn't kept coming up on my FB page as one of the best books to read, maybe I would have liked it more. Not one of my favorite books. Not a bad read and obviously so many more LOVED this book. the relationship between the two sisters is probably very real -- i just couldn't get close to either one of them. They both kept annoying me with their choices, their lack of standing up for themselves, etc. As I said , this is probably real life. it just didn't do too much for me. Seemed more gloomy than anything good happeingng. I have read all three

an unforgettable fable about a father's journey and a timeless guide to life's many questions.

A knight, fearing he may not return from battle, writes a letter to his children in an attempt to leave a record of all he knows. In a series of ruminations on solitude, humility, forgiveness, honesty, courage, grace, pride, and patience, he draws on the ancient teachings of Eastern and Western philosophy, and on the great spiritual and political writings of our time. His intent: to give his children a compass for a journey they will have to make alone, a short guide to what gives life meaning and beauty.
Basic little book of parables.

It is interesting to read the variety of reviews on this book. I tend to agree with the most positive and even the less positive points. However it was an interesting read for me and kept me entertained. Lack of character development didn't bother me...i was too caught up in the action. So for me it was a good read and I recommend it.

really a 3.5
Cassandra Bowden is no stranger to hungover mornings. She's a binge drinker, her job with the airline making it easy to find adventure, and the occasional blackouts seem to be inevitable. She lives with them, and the accompanying self-loathing. When she awakes in a Dubai hotel room, she tries to piece the previous night back together, already counting the minutes until she has to catch her crew shuttle to the airport. She quietly slides out of bed, careful not to aggravate her already pounding head, and looks at the man she spent the night with. She sees his dark hair. His utter stillness. And blood, a slick, still wet pool on the crisp white sheets. Afraid to call the police--she's a single woman alone in a hotel room far from home--Cassie begins to lie. She lies as she joins the other flight attendants and pilots in the van. She lies on the way to Paris as she works the first class cabin. She lies to the FBI agents in New York who meet her at the gate. Soon it's too late to come clean-or face the truth about what really happened back in Dubai. Could she have killed him? If not, who did?

I like this author but have to say this wasn't my favorite book of his. It was a good read...slow thriller and I would recommend it. For me, I really did not like the main character....a mess and a bit unbelievable for me

you can read the summary yourself...this is the 5th book i've read in this series. I keep waiting to be bored and finished with the characters....but that hasn't happened yet!! so I'l keep reading. It amazes me that there is something different enough in each book to keep my attention and make me want to continue reading. I never figure out "who done it" until the end. Anohter well done story!

you can easily read the summary yourself --- i have enjoyed John Boyne's previous books....was not so sure I would like this one. It is an excellent read. I have heard the author speak and he stated that he likes to think that the story is more about a country coming of age , than anything else. Being Irish, this is the first time he has written a book about his own country. I'm not sure it would have been a book i would have gravitated towards and not sure why it ended up on my list of "to reads". But I'm glad I did. The writing is excellent, the characters are wonderful , and I enjoyed the way the author divided the segments into 7 year periods. Made it very interesting. Definitely worth your time.

this was just an ok read for me. Glad i read it, but really not the 4-5 starts everyone was raving about. the plot was pretty good...just couldn't like the main character...not very deep, not very likable, not very reliable. however a decent read for the beach .

there are other books relating to WW II that are better. not a bad read..just not outstanding

you can read the summary for yourself. This is a non-fiction story of the girls in the early 1900's who thought they had a fun, good paying job. In the end , it cost most of them their lives. Similar story to Henrietta Lacks -- if you liked that , you would like this as well. I kept getting all the girls names confused, but that doesn't really matter. Its a sad story that they were not taken seriously. Good read.

This was an ok book for me. Glad i read it, it held my interest...just not outstanding.

really 3.5
periodically i think i'm going to get tired of Nora Roberts books. Then I read another one and realize....nope, I'm not. I liked the fact that this was a stand alone story and not part of a series (although I like her series books as well). Romance, mystery, thriller, sex...this book has it all and a great summer read.

Willa Drake can count on one hand the defining moments of her life: when she was eleven and her mother disappeared, being proposed to at twenty-one, the accident that would make her a widow at forty-one. At each of these moments, Willa ended up on a path laid out for her by others.

So when she receives a phone call telling her that her son’s ex-girlfriend has been shot and needs her help, she drops everything and flies across the country. The spur-of-the-moment decision to look after this woman – and her nine-year-old daughter, and her dog – will lead Willa into uncharted territory. Surrounded by new and surprising neighbours, she is plunged into the rituals that make a community and takes pleasure in the most unexpected things.

I thnk you are either an Anne Tyler fan or not and sad to say I am not. Someone mentioned that her books are not earth shattering but they are about life and people. I would agree with that, but none of the characters in this book grabbed me at all. I really didn't like Willa - She makes no decisions for herself until the end. I'd like something to "Happen" in a story but sadly it really doesn't.

It is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are doing their best to live normal lives, even as the shadow of war grows closer. The talk around the family Seder table is of new babies and budding romance, not of the increasing hardships threatening Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland. But soon the horrors overtaking Europe will become inescapable and the Kurcs will be flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate his or her own path to safety.

seems i have been reading a lot of WW II books lately....I agree with a lot of the constructive criticism:
too many characters to follow, more non-fiction than fiction, too much of a happy ending, not typical of what happened to most jewish families, didnt' feel strongly connected to characters.

But the fact that it WAS a true story and this author's family history is what made me like it. Yes they were very lucky as a family - most were not. But nice to read about a family that WAS lucky. And because it WAS a large family , it is hard to get really connected to anyone. So it did read a bit like non fiction...from many perspectives it was.
I recommend this ...good read

After Grandmére Ursule gives her life to save her tribe, her magic seems to die with her. Even so, her family keeps the Old Faith, practicing the spells and rites that have been handed from mother to daughter for generations. Until one day, Ursule’s young granddaughter steps into the circle, and magic flows anew.

From early 19th century Brittany to London during the Second World War, five generations of witches fight the battles of their time, deciding how far they are willing to go to protect their family, their heritage, and ultimately, all of our futures.

I do agree with some of the constructive criticism - repetitive in the characters, not a huge amount of depth, ending abrupt. Some people will have a hard time with the concept of magic, etc. But I did enjoy this book and found it entertaining.

i truly did not like this book -- which is why i finished it - somewhere i thought the story would have some redeeming qualities but for me it did not. The concept intrigued me but honestly could not get into the stories. Too many characters to follow -- not just the five girls - the niece, the two associated with the show, Yvette...in addition i found the characters without any depth and totally unlikeable. They all do whatever it takes to stay on TV - is that realistic? maybe so . I don't watch reality tv. You should read some of the more likable reviews to see if this book is for you.

a bit of a let down after # 9 - not as much action. and just seems to tie up one minor loose end. However the series continues and can't wait to read # 11

you can read the summary of the plot for yourself. I wanted to like this book and might have given it a higher rating if not for the ending. there was a lot of suffering in this book and i don't doubt that the domestic abuse, human trafficking, etc is true. but the ending just wasn't complete enough for me.

read the summary for yourself. i liked this book but the ending left me a little bit wanting. Not sure I would give it the four and five stars everyone else is but a good read. Lots for a group to discuss

really a 3.5 Not quite a 4 for me.....i liked it from the beginning , unlike some other readers. However the ending got a little convoluted for me...but it had some good twists and turns
Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life: he’s the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor manor in England, they had a whirlwind romance in London, they have three year old twins on whom they dote, and he’s recreated her family home on the banks of the Hudson and renamed it Illyria. Yes, there are rumors that she’s having an affair with the architect, but rumors are rumors and people will gossip. But then Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest on the night of their Twelfth Night Ball, Annabelle goes missing, presumed drowned, and the papers go mad. Bay’s sister, Janie, forms an unlikely alliance with a reporter to uncover the truth, convinced that Bay would never have killed his wife, that it must be a third party, but the more she learns about her brother and his wife, the more everything she thought she knew about them starts to unravel. Who were her brother and his wife, really? And why did her brother die with the name George on his lips?

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.
You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.
You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.
You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.
Assume nothing.

unlike some others , I really did not figure some of this out until about 1/2 way through. it is a very good read!

this was just an ok read for me. certainly a decent one and glad I read it, but not the 4-5 stars everyone else is giving it. I should say that I really like this author so was excited to read it. but from the beginning, i felt i knew pretty much most of what was going to happen. Having said that , its not an easy story if you know anything about abuseive relationships....so from that perspective , it truly hits home. And having children that lived in Fairbanks for only one year, ON the grid, , her descriptions of life there are right on point. I just felt like i loved her other book better.

second in a series. Its been awhile since Iread the first one so there was much that I had forgotten. I suggest reading the two closer together than I did. It was an ok read for me. I think the second half got a bit disjointed for me and a confusing. but still a decent read.

more 3.5
you can read the summary for yourself. This is a good book. Lots of issues for discussion and while you might guess the outcome of some of the threads, the issues are well done

actually 2.5
The zoo is nearly empty as Joan and her four-year-old son soak up the last few moments of playtime. They are happy, and the day has been close to perfect. But what Joan sees as she hustles her son toward the exit gate minutes before closing time sends her sprinting back into the zoo, her child in her arms. And for the next three hours—the entire scope of the novel—she keeps on running.

Joan’s intimate knowledge of her son and of the zoo itself—the hidden pathways and under-renovation exhibits, the best spots on the carousel and overstocked snack machines—is all that keeps them a step ahead of danger.

i have mixed feelings about this book . I had to finish it to see what happens. But many things about it disappointed me. Too much time spent on the make believe of Lincoln and the mother in the beginning. Silly to throw the phone away. Find a way to delete the light. Call the police yourself...she never did. The shooters could have looked at the phone and seen her texts to see what she had already communicated.
The ending: incomplete and abrupt. Did she live? what about the others? what about the baby?
maybe that would have been too pat an ending but it would have competed the story.
Having said all that, it was a good description of what people may / may not do in a horrific situation such as this.

traces the rise and fall of a domestic left-wing terrorist group. Told from the individual perspectives of an FBI agent, an undercover agent within the group, a convert to the terrorist organization, and a writer on the edges of the whole affair, this is another tightly wound thriller, and an intimate exploration of the people behind the politics, from a master of suspense.

but is the group really a terrorist group? or a protest group? Not a bad spy fiction piece, but as someone said, not compelling literature. decent read, but read carefully. Lots of twists/turns and you have to pay attention. Got a little too wordy in some spots.

never very sure if this is the right kind of book for a book club. So I guess if your group likes to read spy thrillers then this would be a good choice

3.5...maybe a four
you can read the book summary for yourself.
I did enjoy this book. I thought Clara's story was better than Virginias and while clara was a character that grated more on your nerves I think, I liked her better than Virginia. I had to keep reminding myself that Virginia lived in the 70's so how she reacted to her divorce would be different than in today's times. But i didn't find some her actions all that believable -- i.e.. her liaison with Dennis , especially when she did it for a reason.
however the ending was excellent and I did like reading about the attempt to save the terminal Maybe because I lived in the state at the time and it was always big news, especially when Jackie O got involved.
If you like this author you will not be disappointed by this book

I read this book when i was a teenager and KNOW that I didn't get everything. So it was great to read it now and appreciate everything I did't first time around. My copy had a forward by Anna QUindlin which was so interesting and put a lot of things into perspective.
Yes its a classic and a wonderful one!

hese are short , easy books to read. I find that just as I am getting tired of them, i have to read the next to see what happens!

3.5
first book i have read by this author.....good read! by the end you have an inkling of who done it, but not until then. Good twists and turns.

you can read the summary for yourself.....you can guess some of the ways this story goes ===a typical courtroom drama read. However it held my interest, made you want more and some very good twists at the end.
Definitely worth the read.

you can read the summary for yourself.
Livvy bothered me a bit in the beginning re: not being responsible, fly by night , etc. But some other readers point out correctly , through the book she "comes of age" so to speak. Its a pretty predictable book. what I like to call a beach read but a nice story..worth the read.
You would have to decide for your own book club if something simple and what i call a beach read is a good one to discuss. There is certainly many themes here to expand on.

you can read the summary of the story for yourself.
This is a memoir...i have read others that are difficult to comprehend such as this one...The Glass Castle, The Glad Farm. so i know there are tough stories out there. It was an interesting read but I can also see where some might find some sections "far fetched". I do find it a bit difficult to figure out how someone with no formal education makes their way to a PhD from Cambridge and finds the money for incidentals such as travel, food, etc. But I also know that many have lived through unimaginable circumstances -- that unless you yourself have come from a smililar community its hard to imagine.
Worth the read.

i really can't rate this book...it was a DNF for me (did nt finish)
i got through 1/2 of it. while i loved the book about Rosemary Kennedy, this one seemed dull, draggy, and not engaging. so sorry...can't recommend this one

closer to 4...3.5
you can read the summary yourself. For a debut novel this was really good. Creepy and chilling are two good descriptive words. the story line is a bit hard to read --torturing of children. But you are really left guessing which way this is going to go until the end. Well worth the read

I could not get into this book at all. Maybe i would do better with an actual biography of Joy Davidman but as a novel, it did not draw me in or make me want to read more. Very blah. After 150 pages I cut my losses and have moved on. I'm glad that others have found it interesting though.

I liked the authors previous two books better than this one.
It wasn't bad...but the middle was slow moving.....i was getting tired of Finn second guessing and sending all the emails. Ending a bit abrupt. not sure I would call it gripping. Not a bad read though.

you can read the summary for yourself....i know there were some who felt this was a soap opera type story....maybe so. However I really liked it. Have read other books by this author and she does not disappoint. Well worth the read.

you can read the summary yourself.
I like this author and one of my faves of hers is Henry's Sisters. So I was excited to read this one as well. it starts out exciting, but in my opinion gets a little bogged down during her recovery phase. Some of the constructive criticism is true --- a little predictable and soap opera type. However its a good story, entertaining and well worth the read. lots of threads to discussion from adoption, to finding birth parents, to friendship, etc

3.5 -4
you can read the summary for yourself.
a very good read. In the beginning it was hard for me to keep the women in both time periods straight. so you have to take it a bit slow --at least I did. But you get caught up in the story and trying to figure out the relationships between the two centuries. Based on a true story, this was done very well

you can read the summary for yourself. I will start out saying I have read all of Boyne's books and like them all very much. He's an excellent writer. If you had asked me about 1/2 through this one, I would have said it was ok and my least favorite. I hated the main character (sometimes that's how you can tell its a good book! ) and he was annoying me. However I kept on and was indeed not disappointed! And the ending was excellent. So i would put this on my TO READ list and if you find yourself giving up, DON"T. it continues to get better and is very well written.

you can read the summary for yourself.
this book reminds me of Big little Lies , but I thought that was a bit better. As others have pointed out, timeline is short, story is complex and layered. Its a decent read however I felt the characters were a big hard to get into. Cora seems to second guess everything she says and does in the beginning which makes it hard to like her. Not sure Sarah is quite believable in some of her acts.

really 3.5
I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read. I agree it was predictable, however you want to keep reading to know WHY it is predictable. And although you suspect something is off with one of the characters, you don't really know why until the end and its not exactly what I suspected.
well worth the read.

Germany, 1942. Franciscan friar Anton Starzmann is stripped of his place in the world when his school is seized by the Nazis. He relocates to a small German hamlet to wed Elisabeth Herter, a widow who seeks a marriage—in name only—to a man who can help raise her three children. Anton seeks something too—atonement for failing to protect his young students from the wrath of the Nazis. But neither he nor Elisabeth expects their lives to be shaken once again by the inescapable rumble of war.

As Anton struggles to adapt to the roles of husband and father, he learns of the Red Orchestra, an underground network of resisters plotting to assassinate Hitler. Despite Elisabeth’s reservations, Anton joins this army of shadows. But when the SS discovers his schemes, Anton will embark on a final act of defiance that may cost him his life—even if it means saying goodbye to the family he has come to love more than he ever believed possible.

this was yet another WW II story - - what did make it interesting is that it was based on fact. if you can stay away from the "Politics" of when she decided to write this novel (she is entitled to her own opinion) and the reviewers who disagree with her, thereby giving it low ratings, you will find it an interesting story.

although this is an older book it was a good read. Simple murder mystery - - the two different cases intertwine well, good beach read because it is not complicated, easy to read. This is the first one of this author I've read and am surprised she hasn't written more recent books

3.5 I liked this one even better than the first in the series. You CAN read this as a stand alone and still understand the characters. However I think you have a better appreciation for the character development if you've read the first one. Again, a simple, easy read....not so detailed you get lost. What I call a good beach read. But a good murder mystery. even when you don't think there's a murder.
Just don't think its deep enough for a book club discussion UNLESS you just want to have fun with it.

you can read the summary yourself. As someone else mentioned in a review, it is very obvious that the author loves his characters. You might think this book would get too scientifically complicated...but it does not. Even though its historical fiction, you become amazed at the interactions of the main characters. I actually could not put down this book.....its excellent.

have always loved this author and have waited a year for book # 2 in this series. Read it in two days and now bummed i have to wait another year or book # 3. She did a great job in the opening chapters of reminding us what happened in book # 1. I think you do have to like sci/fi and odd magic/supernatural to want to read this book If you do, i don't hank you'll be disappointed.

the overall story is not bad, however there is a lot of religious dogma and scientific explanations to go through. A decent read.....just really no conclusion

3.5
It took me awhile to appreciate this story - you keep reading because you want to find out what actually happens. Some critiques question how she functioned in the world - - but i think you can figure that out. some might question whether she was indeed really functioning. Stay with it if it starts out slow for you...its a good read and can create a lot of discussion.

I found Emma's character hard to like...so many problems in present day alone. What were her problem and what was Luke really responsible for? however i did think it was a good psychological thriller and while you may be able to guess where some of it is going to go, it makes for a good read.

you can read the summary for yourself.
I will say this book might not be for every one. You need to like a book with whimsy and magic in it. This story grabs you on the first page and has you going between believing in magic vs reality. Its a good read and the characters are excellent.

3.5 - 4
You can read the summary. I do like this author and once again was not disappointed in her latest book. while there were times that Suzanne drove me crazy in her relationships with her children....the story was partly about her journey to becoming herself...so it made sense. I did feel the ending was a bit anticlimactic ---probably because I wanted MORE!!! Good read!!!

3.5
I agree with a lot of positive and not as positive criticism from many reviewers. However still a good read. It is indeed a psychological thriller type of book, deals with abuse, and is also quite graphic. So if this is not your style, you might want to skip it. I did have a hard time in the beginning...I wasn't very drawn to Elena. But if that's what you find as well, stick with it, because it gets better. i did find it a little difficult to understand Leanna at the end. but still a good read.

not the most well written book - a bit still and not engaging. written more like a narrative and not very enticing. Howerver to learn about the era that people live in and how you got along is interesting to see. Other than so much tragedy in one life, life itself was probably like this for most people. You do want to just shake some of the charachers and tell them to wake up , but I'm suspecting many people were like this in those days. Depressing and sad and you do wish Maude had a better life in many ways. while not my most favorite book I'm guessing a book club would find many interesting things to discuss in this one

interesting book. Hard to follow all the names and kingdoms. category of fantasy / sci fi so many might not like this. I find it interesting that it is in the young adult category. but a good read.

you can read the summary for yourself. I do agree with some criticism that there are a lot of characters -- i did find it a bit hard to keep track of the ladies. But if you like a LIanne Moriarity stories I think you'll like this one. Good thriller and I had a hard time figuring out until the very very end. Good read.

I did not find this the best written book, however the story line is good and the author did a nice job of telling the characters stories

3.5
this was a good story...just not the 4-5 stars for me that everyone else is giving it.
It is interesting to read about england post WW II...you tend to forget that it still was a very hard world for the english --- rebuilding needed to take place and the economy was in tatters.
the story was a different take on that time period.....you still wonder why Ann and Miriam did not stay in touch, especially after Ann saw her design in canada

Story of three young adults. After the three of them collide in Central Park, they slowly reveal the parts of their past that they haven't been able to confront, and together, they find their way back to who they're supposed to be. Told over the course of a single day from three different perspectives,

I liked her previous book better...this was not the most in depth story, but it is still well written and something about it grabs you. I like that the author didn't extend it and make it longer than it needed to be --- ended when it should. Worth the read.

you can read the summary for itself. I agree with many of the comments: the story is brutal, violent, a difficult read, yet well written. At times I did think it could have ended sooner....the tragedy and abuse just keeps going on. You begin to hate Rozelle for what she does to her children - - could it be a story/ situation that really could have taken place? who knows. but worth the read

this book fell flat for me. I wanted to really like it as i've liked previous books. But I felt the characters were all annoying, and the turn that the story takes is unbelievable to me. sorry

really a 3.5. Well maybe a 4. Can you tell i can't decide? read the summary for yourself and read other reviews...much better than mine. You have to be ok reading a book that involves the concept of time travel. The plot is amazing --- difficult, intricate and full of layers. but really the story grabs you and you keep reading because you HAVE to find out what happens. You don't until the very end. Not sure the author explains all the "whys" sufficiently enough for me at the end. But this is a very interesting read. Especially good for a debut author.

not sure what book 1 was about but I didn't read it before book 2 and found it was fine. However you will need to read this one before reading book 3 when it comes out.
Patryk is in his 90's and his granddaughter and great grandson have come to take him from his home to an assisted living facility. He doesn't want to go so hides in the attic hoping they won't find him. However they do and take him downstairs to the kitchen while he is holding a scrapbook put together by HIS grandmother, which tells the story of their family and life in Donora Pennsylvania. If they won't take him to the facility until the next day he promises to tell them the story of their family, dating back to the early 1900's....how they came from Poland and how they are connected to Stan Musial, the baseball player.
An easy read and a very good story.
also interesting to get the history of the mill towns at that time - sacrifices families made, and the damage to health that came with it.

I think you either like stephen king or you don't. You have to be willing to have a little paranormal in yur story. If this is not for you, neither is this book. I do recommend reading the Bill Hodges trilogy first --- you see some same characters in this book. But you don't really have to. That trilogy has the paranormal in it as well and I liked that series. this is a good read and one that I couldn't put down!

you can read the summary yourself....I did not realize this was the third book in a trilogy > Alhtough i did the first two books it was a while ago. I didn't feel I was missing out on anything by not remembering the first two....still loved this story. Good read

I was almost afraid to read this book due to all the hype and was afraid i would be disappointed. I was watching the sunday am CBS show and there was an interview with the author --- she now lives in Idaho and is 70 years old. this is her first fiction book. So that intrigued me It took her 10 years to write it. For someone to put in that effort, I figured I should at least give it a shot. So I purchased the book rather than wait for my turn at the library. I did enjoy reading this book immensely. Its a great story and you really wonder how Kya ends up the way she does!! well worth the read

I enjoy this author and really wanted to like this book. However i was tempted to put it down many times. I only didn't because i needed to find out in the end who was narrating this story. I think it was long and drawn out. I normally do not mind reading something that jumps between time, but this one jumped too much and too many times . I had a hard time following the characters and never truly did understand why the house called to some of the characters. I would not hesitate to recommend any of her other books...just not this one.

you can read the summary for yourself.....
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down Someone called it a popcorn thriller. LOL! good description though. Its not a "deep" book, yet it holds your interest and though some things are predictable, some are not. I like the way the author weaves in the movie theme and relates it to Anna' problems. Definitely a great read for me.

3.5
you can read the summary for yourself. A pretty predictable story line, however written well and a good read. the kind of story you keep reading because you have to know what happens.

i'ave read a few of the not as highly rated reviews and I get their comments. Some felt the blackness and racism of the time was not portrayed appropriately and realistically. I say this is just a story. Was Armstrong treated the way he described in real life...probably not. But its a STORY. having said that I truly enjoy reading this author.. Her writing is excellent and while there are a lot of characters and stories going on, i did not feel lost like i do in some books. Her writing stayed on point. I loved the THIRTEENTH TALE so was pretty sure this might be good as well. yes its part fairy tale, part fable, a little science thrown in , which i thought made it very interesting. Takes place in the 1800's when some of that is coming up and society is going to be changing. I think it was well worth the read.

I'll give this a 3 - 3.5 I can't in all honesty give it the four and five starts others are giving it. I did enjoy reading the book however can totally agree with some of the criticism coming from the lower ratings. I really don't see the purpose of setting the storyline in the future - 2079. Didn't seem to make a difference in the story line. Same thing for the blog, other than getting the title name from it. Could have easily told the story with out her doing the blog. But still a decent read for me.

3.5
while i enjoyed this book, not so sure its a 5.
Its and easy read, now heavy, and while in the beginning I didn't think i was going to like it, Its quite humorous and I enjoyed it. To me its the perfect beach read for this summer

its always interesting to read others reviews after I have finished a book - - so i can agree with some of the constructive criticism and the raves. I totally enjoy this author so was excited to get this book to read and I wasn't disappointed. While I agree it might not be the best one to describe the tragic occurrences during that time, it was still an excellent story. and there were still twists at the end that I did not anticipate.....a good read.

3.5
pre quel to the Lilac Girls...again historical fiction and based on real people. In the Lilac Girls, the major character was Caroline Ferriday. IN this book, she is a teenager and the major character is her mother Eliza Ferriday. Based on a true story about an American woman who was helping the white russians who immigrated to the US during and after WW I while at the same time trying to find her friend , who was Russian and a cousin to the Romanovs. Its an interesting book...not much excitement. But the history is the story. Similar to the first book in that there are three main female characters that you get to know. Its interesting to read and see how the characters change but the personalities are not portrayed very deeply or intensely , especially Varinka.

i've read a number of books by this author and usually like them. This wasn't my favorite. while I do like his writing and I'm sure some of what is in this book really happens, i'm not so sure it does to the extent that the author takes it. A bit unbelievable for me and a bit drawn out.

3.5
maybe i should give it a 4. I did really enjoy this book...Not exciting or very deep. But a good one for a first time author. Characters a re well developed and the storyline is good. Made me wish that Kevin had heard all the stories Maurice told throughout.

3.5
agree with many of the reviews. Lots of twists and turns. Lots of suspects. If you are a parent, you can see yourself in many of these mothers. will make for excellent discussion

interesting to read others reviews. although i do agree with some of the constructive criticism, i actually really liked this book. Is it realistic? probably not. but its a book, fiction, and I don't expect everything to be realistic when i read some stories. There were good twists in this one. Worth your time I thought.

some predictable twists and turns andyou'lll figure it out before the end. However a decent beach read

not so sure a book club choice unless your club is really into murder mysteries,

this is not a bad read and there are some good twists and turns. But it seems we spend too much time with Hannah and Mark over explaining their issues . I didn't think it was especially realistic for Hannah to be so nice when Diane arrives on her doorstep, considering the issues that went before.
However still a good beach read.

read the review for yourself.

I really liked THE TUMBLING TURNER SISTERS, so wanted to love this one as well. Not so much.
It was a decent read. I love the era. She did her research well. However I didn't feel invested in any of the characters except maybe Henry. None of the reviews I read mentioned the ending and that's what really did it in for me. Maybe because i was reading on a device and did't see the remaining number of pages. SPOILER: but was so disappointed it ended as abruptly as it did It seemed to think it tied everything together and now done.
A lot of issues to be addressed by just three characters....almost like th author was trying to show you EVERYTHING not so good in hollywood at the time
I still enjoy this author...just a disappointment for me.

not my favorite Picoult book...and i do like this author
Didn't feel the story was relatable, didn't care for the ending...not even sure what it was. Characters lacked depth. Definitely could not relate to nicholas..

really a 3.5
If you are ok with a witch story, YA novel, and lesbianism this is a very good debut novel. Author sets it up for a possible sequel and I would read it. The only thing I found a little confusing was the constant referral to an experience in NYC prior to this story - - makes you think there was a previous novel, but there wasn't. I think a lot in here is predictable, but it doesn't matter. The story moves right along, doesn't get bogged down, and has good twists and turns.
Good read!

I have always loved Anna Quindlen's writing - - some better than others. Maybe it was the fact that we were fellow new yorkers and I always read her column in the paper. If you've read her over the years, you've seen her progress in style, prose, and life. So its only fitting that she has now written a book about grand parenting. As others have said, it reads like she is sitting here talking with you. The advice and experiences are excellent and she is spot on. A great book for new grandparents but good also for those of us experienced. Her take on granparenting in general and how it has changed over the years due to advances in society, demographics, generations is spot on as well. A short read but profound, funny, and well worth your time.

I like reading other readers reviews after I've finished a book. So was a little surprised to read the three star reviews and the comments. I understand the issues ( a little slow, more like a YA book, not as descriptive about internment camps as other book, etc) but i do have to disagree. For me it was an intriguing story about an adolescent having to cope with life during the war in the many ways as Elise did. So it was a good read for me.

3.5
I enjoyed THE GERMAN GIRL by this author as well. This was a pretty good read, loosely based on two events that occurred during WW II. But more about the resistance and what people went through during that time, although there are many books with similar stories.

I usually read the reviews of a book after I've read it. I like to see what i might have missed both positive and not so positive. I do get the negative reviews: hard to picture a philosophizing dog, didn't like using car racing as a metaphor for life, hollow characters, etc.
However to me , this was a STORY, not something real. I loved the humor in it, i loved the dog trying desperately to be human in his next life. To me this was one of my most favorite books - - and this is the second time I've read it...to refresh myself and get ready for the movie!

3.5
this was a slow start for me. I actually dreaded reading about the early start of Claude Ballard and didn't think i would finish the book But stuck with it and it actually grew on me. Another book that paints Edison in a bad light, so you really wonder what he was really like. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, hence the 3.5 rating. but the historical aspects of it were very good and i ended up liking this book a lot more than I thought I would

this is not a bad story == I didn't connect with the characters all that well, so for me I don't see it as a 4-5 star book. But not a bad read.
a bit slow for a book club recommendation, but it might appeal to some

if you like historical fiction you will like this book. Of course hard to tell how much is truth, its based on history and is a very likable story.

actually a 3.5
i picked up this book because it was Jenna Bush Hager pick for may or june so was interested to see what she chose.
for me it was a decent story. As others have said..the middle dragged a bit, and I had a hard time liking the character of Sylvie. I was a bit surprised that she chose suicide.
I did not guess all the answers to the twists and turns....and I think it was a good read

really 3.5, close to a 4
Was good historical fiction about a fun subject - fashion. If you ike that you'll ike this book. Good summer read.

maybe a 1.5
another reviewer put it perfectly....it reads as several stories trying to come together as one. And it doesn't. Lacks cohesion. don't feel connected to ANY of the characters.

some people will not care for this book as they might be tired of WW II stories. there are indeed a lot of them out there. some criticism was about the writing -- basic and not deep. i get that. however I like this author and her stories...there is always enough historical issues in there to grab my attention so for me a very good read.

I don't think this was a five star book but i do think it was entertaining and held my interest, with enough history in there to make it interesting.

you can read the synopsis for yourself ---
this is not a thriller but has a lot of suspense in it. I really liked the development of the main character. This was a really good read for me and found it difficult to put down.

I think I am just not a fan of this author. However I did like this book better than the Underground Railroad, and appreiciate this subject matter and the reason he wrote the book. I found the forward to the book written by the author very enlightening and helpful in understanding the subject matter and why he chose to write it. there was a twist at the end I did not expect and won't mention so as not to spoil it for readers. while not my favorite book, still a very worthwhile read.

3.5
a good psychological thriller ...good story about choices. interesting to see how the authors wrote the two parallel story lines - similar and parts of one in the other. Just not sure which ending I would have gone with!
good beach read

this was just a so so read for me. The subject matter of the orphan trains is interesting. the romance thread was just a typical so so read for me. However a decent beach read

I'm almost hesitant to write anything as a review since so many seemed to love and appreciate this book For this I am glad - but it wasn't for me. I get what the author was trying to do == maybe a similar story like "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"; and I don't mind a story that really isn't much about anything...but this never got off the ground for me. And felt it was confusing as it bounced a bit between time frames. Just not for me. Sorry

i'd say a 3.5...maybe a 4
Not the deepest story you will read but something hard to put down, well written, straight to the point without wandering like some books do. Good read!

I think this book has so many high ratings because you are either going to love it, or not. I don't think there will be much in between. This is not the typical kind of book I read or like . HOWEVER, i really liked this one. well written, and touches on a number of threads. Short easy read and that's also what makes it alluring --- it's not dragged out...gets to the point.
wroth your time.

SPOILER: sorry...IMO this is not a 4-5 star book. Characters are unlikeable, not very deep, lot of personal problems, Even the main narrator is not deep and SPOILER...hard to believe she could pull anything off. However, its still not a bad read if you want just something slightly entertaining for the beach. Some book clubs might like this

sorry....can't say this a five star book and have not ready any others in the series. But it is a decent murder mystery read and worth the time. too simple a book for a book club choice...for me anyway

I usually enjoy this author and for me this book did not disappoint. I know some reviewers had difficulty with it, but I enjoyed it.

interesting book about the two sisters. Neither one of them come off in a very good light....then again they were human and their relationship was probably just like the ones the rest of us have had. It IS bit sad that Jackie didn't leave her sister even a memento (Like their fathers desk that Lee let Jackie have) then again her children could have let her taken what she wanted. But that's a story for another relationship - one that will probably never be told.

2.5 rounded up SPOILER ALERT
I'm glad i read this book, but it had a lot of flaws for me. Maggie isn't a likable character and really messes up. Lakshima at least has some excuse for her failings and liked her character a bit more. Her sister however I felt was a spoiled brat. After all her complaints then she was unhappy after Lakshima married the intended husband thus allowing her to wed her true love....yet that wasn't enough for her. stupid. The ending was not great. An easy book to pass on for me.

really a 2.5
glad to see for once. that a book here isn't getting tons of 4 and 5 starts.
I think that I"ve just been reading so many WW II books lately that this was a welcome change
ITs Jurassic part with dragons. So if you like that you'l like the book. Totally unbelievable and over the top. Having said that , it was entertaining to a point.

5th in the Memory Man series by this author. If you haven't read the others, it might be best to read them in order -- you understand the main characters better. The story line is a bit far fetched but this is a good series and if you like it, you really don't care. you just enjoy how Amos Decker solves the cases. Good read

I was tempted numerous times to put this book down. But was reading it for a book club so wanted to finish it. I'm glad I finished it and did the ending. But the story lines in this book did nothing for me.
sorry

I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I have read most of her other books and thoroughly enjoyed them But for some reason I couldn't get into LuLu's character and felt the telling of the story was a bit draggy. However I stuck with it and was rewarded with the ending that I didn't see coming. So it was ok for me and still a decent read.

have to go with a bit of magic to like this book. Decent read but not sure its a five star read

more like a 3.5
you kind of know what's going to happen, however a good premise and a good read. I thought Paxton wasn't the brightest lightbulb in the chandelier --- he should have figured out a few more things. And the ending was a bit abrupt...does he go or doesn't he? But still kept my interest, and unfortunately hits too close to home in many instances. Worth your time to read

actually 3.5-4
I have read a number of books by this author and enjoy her. this one is a little bit more out of her normal genre. Some of the criticisms I have read -- a bit too long, don't connect to the characters due to the time spent on the history part - I would tend to agree with . However it is based on real characters which I found fascinating. And while I'm getting a little tired of reading WW II, this one took it from a bit of a different perspective and I found that I liked it. A good read.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC of this book. Its my first book from them and I was excited to get started However I had just read the Resistance Women and was afraid I was going to get tired of WW II stories -- there are so many out there and many are very good.
New York, present day: On a whim, photographer Juno Lambert buys the 1931 Underwood typewriter that once belonged to celebrated journalist Cordelia Capel. Within its case she discovers an unpublished novel, igniting a transatlantic journey to fill the gaps in the story of Cordelia and her sister’s loving yet tempestuous relationship.
The first half of the book was a little slow, and since Cordelia was the celebrated journalist I was waiting to find out more about her. But you don't until the second half. It seemed to me, the major character was Irene, who I loved, and enjoyed watching her determine her place before and during WW II. It was interesting that as the older sister, Irene was always trying to determine what Cordelia would do, and that guided many of her decisions. By the end of the book I really wished we would have learned more about Cordelias life and how Irene supported herself as well. Those would be my only criticisms. I ended up enjoying this book immensely and thing you would find much to discuss in a book club setting.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the electronic ARC I was able to read and review
In Berlin, at the time when the world changed, Hanni Kohn knows she must send her twelve-year-old daughter away to save her from the Nazi regime. She finds her way to a renowned rabbi, but it’s his daughter, Ettie, who offers hope of salvation when she creates a mystical Jewish creature, a rare and unusual golem, who is sworn to protect Lea. Once Ava is brought to life, she and Lea and Ettie become eternally entwined, their paths fated to cross, their fortunes linked.
If you are a fan of Alice Hoffman, you will not be disappointed with this one! I had been reading quite a few WW II stories lately so was prepared for this one to be just ok. No so!! The author did a wonderful job of researching and including so much history into this, I felt like I was immersed in this time period. The love and the pain everyone went through felt so real.
there were a lot of characters so I did find myself reading a bit more slowly to make sure I was keeping track of everyone. But all the stories wove together and connect in the end.
Excellent read!

really a 3.5
i have liked this author's other books...for me each one gets a little better. So was waiting for this one. you can read the summary for yourself. Unlike others, i really didn't guess any of it!!I did think it was a bit slow moving but its not a long book, so that was ok for me then when you get towards the end and everything starts happening, i wanted to read faster to get it all!!! Good read.

not the best book i've ever read but not the worst. Unlike some others, I didn't fawn over the Handmaids Tale either. That was an interesting read and so was this...just not really what I expected. I kept reading you would find out what happened to Offred when she got in the van. Did I miss something? possibly. This takes place 15 years later and I did not get any clues what happened to her. But it was interesting to read what was going on to bring down the government of Gilead. for me they were both ok reads.
I recommend it for book clubs if they have read the Handmaids Tale and want further discussion of a dystopian society

all the positive reviews are correct. Its a difficult book to read. If I thought I had a sense of what some of these people went through that day, I quickly realized I was wrong. no one can possibly imagine any of what they tell you in this book. Definitely a must read for the history of this day.

pretty much the same type of story as Anne of Green Gables. Good for young adults. but don't think i'll read the next two. HOWEVER am impressed with the story since its written so very long ago.