The Dilemma by B.A. Paris

In The Dilemma by B.A. Paris, Livia is keeping a terrible secret from her husband Adam about their nineteen-year-old daughter Marnie. She wants to tell him, but the timing has never seemed right. Now it is the day of Livia's extravagant fortieth birthday party that has been in the works for the past two decades. Once it is over, then she really will tell him. Unfortunately, Adam has a secret of his own and keeping it to himself to prevent ruining Livia's big day just may kill him.

This book had plenty of suspense and it kept me turning the pages, but at some point near the end, it became too much for me. The author may have wanted to keep the reader hooked a little longer, but it nearly made me stop reading. Spit it out already! Once she did, it was emotional, but I've never liked the trope in which someone needs to tell someone else something important, but doesn't, causing all kinds of conflict and confusion. It annoys me. 

If you are better at sitting on the edge of your seat than I am, you'll probably really like this book. Families are messy and when children become adults, parents have to accept that their children may make decisions they wish they didn't. Those make for very interesting themes and for that I enjoyed reading this book.

 

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

'Tis the season for silly, light-hearted romance and Christina Lauren's In a Holidaze fits that bill just fine. Mae spends every Christmas with her mom, dad, brother, and her parents' college friends and their families in a cabin in Park City, Utah. It is her favorite place in the world, but this year something has gone terribly wrong. Mistakes are made and it could be the last Christmas they ever spend together when suddenly Mae is sent back to relive it over and over again. Stuck in a time loop that could allow her to figure out what she really wants in life, Mae tries to make everything perfect without losing her mind first.

This book was fun and quick to read. The writing isn't great, but once you've given yourself over to the story, it doesn't matter very much. I've seen a lot of five star reviews for this book and I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it is cute and great for this time of year. Add it to your stack of December reads and let yourself enjoy the magic of the season.

 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

In The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, Adeline has made a deal with an unknown shadow in the dark. In a small French town in 1714, Adeline is desperate to avoid a boring life tied to a man she doesn't love and never having a chance to see the rest of the world. To get out of it, she trades her soul for something different. Unfortunately, she doesn't choose her words carefully enough and ends up with a mixed blessing. She gets to leave, she has a long life with no obligations to anyone, but no one can ever remember her. The moment they look away she is forgotten and it turns out to be more of a curse than she ever could have thought.

This book was wonderful! It was fresh and lyrical and the best book I read all year. I loved Addie and her gutsy, high-spirited determination. I loved the characters she meets along her way, and I even loved that dark stranger who made the deal with her, though I hated him, too. We get glimpses of Addie's life through the centuries as well as how she approaches the modern world. It's historical fiction and science fiction and fantasy and romance and brilliant! Add this one to your list. I really think you'll like it!

 

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Kim Michele Richardson's The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is set deep in Kentucky coal country in 1936. Cussy Mary lives in a cabin in the woods with her father who is intent on fulfilling his wife's dying wish of finding Cussy a husband. Cussy isn't very fond of this idea because she really loves her job as a Pack Horse Librarian and married women aren't eligible for the job. Each day she loads up her saddlebags with books and rides, first a rented horse and then later a spirited mule, from home to home through the hills and "hollars" to deliver reading material to her patrons. The written word is so precious that they will take anything- months old newspapers and magazines, beat up books that have seen better days, and even handmade scrapbooks full of recipes, sewing patterns, and hunting tips. Aside from poverty and near starvation, Cussy's biggest problem is her skin color- she's blue. One of the Blue People of Kentucky, she is treated like an outcast. There are even a few people who make it their goal to kill off the Blues for being "unnatural" "a damnation" and "sinners".

I had a really hard time getting into this book. Part of it for me was the dialect in which it was written. I understand that the author was hoping to convey the voice of the people in this time and place, but I found it distracting. The story was good, but for some reason the storytelling wasn't compelling enough, even though there were a lot of good themes. I know a lot of other people have loved this book, but it just wasn't for me.

What I've Heard- The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

I just finished listening to the audio version of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. I read the book about a year ago and it was very confusing for the first few chapters. Then I was able to catch on to the concept and go with it. While I listened to the audio version, I was glad I knew a little of what was happening. It had also been long enough that I had forgotten much of the plot which kept me guessing what would happen next. This, but the way, is my preferred way to listen to audio books, when I have forgotten enough of the story that it is almost, but not quite, like new.

The Narrator is James Cameron Stewart who has a very lovely British accent, but the pace was very deliberate, bordering on slow. I would not recommend this for a long car ride or another activity where you need to remain alert. I listened while riding my bike and that was just fine. The mystery is engaging, but the narration was a bit draggy. It would be a great distraction during housework or other chores that keep you moving anyway. I really do recommend this book, but hold on and be patient with the initial confusion. It is well worth it.

The Farm by Joanne Ramos

The Farm by Joanne Ramos takes us to a luxury resort in upstate New York where the residents are treated to healthy gourmet meals, personal trainers, massages, yoga, and plenty of fresh air. The best part is not only is it free, it comes with a hefty paycheck at the end of the stay. All that is required is to agree to be a baby surrogate for a very wealthy client. Also, privacy is essentially surrendered along with any bodily agency. Jane is an immigrant and single mother and in desperate need of the generous payout promised to the women in the program. Reagan is a well-educated white woman, making her a "premium host". Lisa is on her third pregnancy with the same set of clients and has become disillusioned with a lot of the things on "The Farm", as the women come to call it. Mae is the head of the program and is hoping to make it as profitable as possible.

This book was fast moving and intriguing. Told from the very different points of view of Jane, Reagan, and Mae, we get to see each of their various motivations and understand their feelings on the use of women as breeding stock. I liked this book, but I didn't love it. There wasn't really anything wrong with it, but it just didn't capture me as much as I'd hoped. Described as "suspenseful and provocative", I think my expectations may have been too high. I kept waiting for something big to happen, or in lieu of that, a deeper commentary on class, wealth, and motherhood. On the other hand, it kept me turning the pages and interested. I am looking forward to discussing it with my book club. 

And I'd love to hear your thoughts as well, SmartGirls!

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

I love Fredrik Backman. He is one of my favorite authors. I haven't read everything he's written yet, but I every book of his that I read makes me want to read another. In his latest release, Anxious People, Backman tells the story of a bank robbery turned hostage drama and all the people involved. Understandably, there is a fair amount of anxiety involved in the situation, but we learn that they all had their own share before the day even began. The robbery occurs on the day before New Year's Eve and the hostages include an older couple, a pregnant couple, a very old woman, a woman who certainly doesn't belong, a man whose whole purpose is to be disruptive, and a terrible real estate agent who are all at an apartment showing. When the bank robber comes in looking for somewhere to hide, no one is sure if this is really happening or not.

Backman's characters are always absolutely wonderful with their own distinct personalities and storylines that somehow all converge with one another. These Anxious People are no exception. It begins with this brilliant line:

This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots.

If you've read Backman before you know that he refers to idiots quite frequently, but you also know that it usually ends up being with some measure of affection. 

In these difficult times, when we have all likely been feeling a little more anxious that usual, a Fredrik Backman novel is one of the best medicines you can take. His writing is wonderful, his storylines neat and tidy, even if they appear the complete opposite at times, and his message is always something we need to hear. I highly recommend this one and I'll leave you with this last quote which I feel perfectly illustrates the beauty of a Backman novel:

Some people accept that they will never be free of their anxiety, they just learn to carry it. She tried to be one of them. She told herself that was why you should always be nice to other people, even idiots, because you never know how heavy their burden is.

 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

In The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, Stella and Desiree are twins who grow up in such a small town in Louisiana that it isn't even on the map. It is a town built by their great-great-grandfather with the intention of being a harbor for very light skinned black people. The sisters love one another so much, but they can't wait to escape their town. When they run away to New Orleans and try to build a new life for themselves, things end up very differently than they had planned. Desiree is heartbroken when one day her sister doesn't come home. Instead, she has crossed to the other side, passing as white. As their lives diverge, possibly never to be connected again, Desiree tries to go on with her life as best she can while feeling like half of her has vanished.

I really liked this book. It was beautifully written and deeply textured. The loss the sisters feel is so very sad. Their lives end up in very different places and I found it impossible to fault either of them. Life is hard and maybe choosing an easier path is the right thing to do. Maybe it isn't. And maybe different isn't necessarily easier.

This was a wonderful choice for book club and I highly recommend you read it with a group that can really dive in and discuss it.

 

The Rumor by Lesley Kara

Rumor has it there is a child killer in the neighborhood.

In The Rumor by Lesley Kara, Joanna has moved back to her hometown with her young son and is having a difficult time connecting with the other mothers at the school. When she hears a juicy piece of gossip, she passes it along, hoping it will somehow grant her access to the inner circle. Much to her eventual regret, it does and Joanna begins to feel responsible for all the speculation surrounding who the possible killer could be.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. At times, the "mystery" felt forced and any twists presented weren't quite believable. The author made an effort to include a large number of people who could have been the killer, but it fell flat because none were developed enough to be interesting. 

There were a couple of times that I was downright annoyed with the main character. At one point she describes meeting the father of her son: it was in college and she was very drunk and "he didn't even try anything". For goodness sakes, give the man a medal for not trying anything with an intoxicated young woman! Cue the eye rolls. Then there were a few times when Joanna describes herself as being completely inept when it comes to regular household or motherly chores: I can't even sew on a button properly. It was irritating. I don't mind a character that can't do everything and I assume the author was attempting to show that her character was flawed, and that's all well and good, but she shouldn't have so many flaws as to be unlikable.

I didn't care for this book, but it did lead to some interesting book club conversation, so I will give it that. 

 

When Elephants Fly by Nancy Richardson Fischer

When Elephants Fly by Nancy Richardson Fischer is an enchanting novel about eighteen-year-old Lily who has spent the last eleven years coming to terms with the abuse she suffered at the hand of her  schizophrenic mother. Lily knows she is at high risk for succumbing to schizophrenia herself, but she has a very strict twelve-year plan to avoid all possible triggers. That plan is put in danger when she, as an intern reporting for the local newspaper, witnesses an elephant at the zoo reject her own newborn calf, Swift Jones. The article she writes about the event leads to the possibility that the zoo will lose Swifty to a circus on the other side of the country. Determined to continue her job without upsetting her twelve-year plan, Lily tries to remain neutral and unbiased, but can anyone really do that around a sweet baby elephant?

Fischer writes carefully, but clearly, about schizophrenia, both as experienced by Lily's mother Violet and of the possible mental illness pursuing Lily herself. 

Crazy is genetic....I've officially entered the danger zone, ages eighteen to thirty, when females with my genetic history are most likely to manifest symptoms of schizophrenia.

Because she knows it could be coming for her, Lily has sworn off drugs, alcohol, boyfriends, stress, and even caffeine in hopes that if she can just make it to thirty she will be safe. She also describes several distressing moments in her early childhood when her mother's illness took hold of her, causing Violet to hurt her daughter.

There is some very awkward writing about the alternating attraction and revulsion she feels toward a young man she meets at the circus and there is some brief sexual content, but otherwise I felt this story was engaging and very well written. It doesn't treat mental illness as an "interesting plot device" or as a toy for the reader's entertainment. Instead it is presented with accurate statistics and with both hope and honest reality. As she says:

The only promise with schizophrenia is that there's both hope and despair...But there are all different kinds of happily-ever-after.

I really enjoyed this book and I think it would make a wonderful topic for discussion, for adults or for older teens. I will leave you with the last bit of the Author's Note:

 My wish for every single one of you: live in the moment when you can. Find something or someone to love. Fight for what's important. Change the world one elephant calf at a time.

I second that.

The Road Less Taken by Kathryn Bertine

As I've mentioned, I am a recreational cyclist. I want to really emphasize the recreational part of that sentence- I ride a few hours a week and at an average speed that might make Kathryn Bertine, author of The Road Less Taken, fall fast asleep. Kathryn is a retired professional cyclist who has twice taken aim at the Olympics. I was really excited to come across her book at the library.

Told in a series of essays, many of which were submitted as articles for ESPN and espnW, Kathryn shares her experiences as a representative of a very small nation (St. Kitts and Nevis) striving to keep up with the monoliths of European teams in the pursuit of Olympic qualifying points. Already in her thirties and slightly later to the sport than her competition, Bertine is determined to succeed. When told she "might" be able to make a break away from the peloton, she explains it this way:

"Might" is all I need to hear. I have built an emotional empire on might, this strange world that yields definitions of both strength and chance, as if it surreptitiously knows they're the same thing. I used to be paralyzed by Mights and Maybes...yet I knew in order to progress, I had to build an empire on might and crown myself the Empress of Maybe. Only then, I finally figured out, could I get where I wanted to go.

This kind of willpower is inspiring. I have never been athletic and I started my own cycling very late in the game, but I can build on might and maybe. I can keep pushing, even if I'll never race with the big girls.

Bertine gives a lot of insight into what the world of women's pro cycling Olympic qualifications are like. She describes lots of travel, home stays (bunking with a family in lieu of a hotel to save money), and she talks a lot of the disparity between women's and men's cycling. When asked what she thinks about Lance Armstrong's cheating, she responds with the names of five female pro cyclists that she says "deserve more attention and discussion than the question of whether Lance cheated." Bertine is a strong fighter for equity in women's cycling, advocating for women's events to be added to the major men's races, fairness in prize payouts and also in base pay, and in greater respect for the women's side of the sport.

When an article in Bicycling Magazine (who really should have known better) came out in 2011 ranking women's cycling's hottest racers, Bertine was aggravated. Not only was it kind of gross, but the article only showed how "hot" these women are while failing to list what awesome athletes they are. Bertine fixed it for them by listing those same women, along with three others she felt should be included: what what really made them outstanding cyclists. She calls it her list of "Watties" (a watt being the unit of measurement for the amount of energy expended in an athletic effort). It is a fantastic list and maybe the best part of the whole book. 

Bertine writes with humor and candor. She mentions that she never answers the question of if she has ever crashed out loud. She will nod her head, but is somewhat superstitious about saying anything in any way that the "gods of jinx" might hear. I can totally understand that! 

I really liked this book. I'll leave you with one last bit of inspiration I gained from it:

You don't have to get over your fear in order to do something. It's okay to bring the fear with you. just cut out its tongue first.

 

The Truth is a Theory by Karyn Bristol

I had the honor, and stressful responsibility, of choosing this month's book club book. I always feel so much pressure to pick a good one and I'm thrilled to announce I succeeded! The Truth is a Theory by Karyn Bristol features the ensemble cast of Allie, Megan, Tess, and Zoe, four young women who meet on their first day of college in 1986. Told in alternating timelines of the past beginning with college and the present in Allie's journal entries with a start date of June 2000, we see how the women grow together and then possibly apart. We see how their ideal futures turn into their more realistic adult lives. We watch love bloom, marriages struggle, friends fight, and friends hold one another together.

At first I was worried that maybe I had chosen something that leaned too closely to chick-lit for book club. Not that chick-lit doesn't have its place, but it usually isn't meaty enough for a good group discussion. The more I read, the more I realized how meaty and textured this story actually was. There is something we can all relate to as women, experiences we've all had or watched friend endure. I really liked this book and it was a winner for all the ladies in my book club. The themes and topics raised in the novel led to the sharing of similar experiences and lots of really good conversation. There were characters we loved, characters we hated, and we had a good time deciding which of us was more of an Allie, a Megan, a Tess, or a Zoe.

A favorite theme of the novel stems from the title. Is the truth a theory or is it absolute? Does the truth I experience have to match the truth you experience? Or do we all experience the same event differently? A quote that has stuck with me and that I've shared with other friends since finishing this read is when Zoe and Allie are catching up over dinner with the group and Zoe asks how Allie is doing. Allie responds the way most of us do when asked that question: "I'm fine." Zoe then does what a good friend should do- she challenges her:

"Are you?...I'm hearing fine, but I'm not so sure I'm seeing fine in your eyes....You know, you say fine and I say fine, and we just add to the giant myth that everything's great for everyone else and we're the only ones who can't quite cut it. Sometime the brave face isn't the most useful."

I love this quote because it is so full of truth about being a woman, being a wife, being a mother. We all pretend we're fine and we all think we are the only ones who are lying.

I really enjoyed this book and the discussion that followed it. I hope you'll read it and then talk about it with your girlfriends.

 

Conviction by Denise Mina

 

Conviction by Denise Mina, features Anna, an obsessive true crime podcast fan. Early one morning she is thrilled to begin her newest podcast, but as she listens to the early details she is shocked to learn that she knows one of the victims. Still reeling from her discovery, a knock on the front door leads to the destruction of most of the rest of her life as well. On the run, in a manner of speaking, with a family friend whose own life has just been pulled out from under him, Anna is determined to find out the truth of her friend's death. The two of them will travel near and far, chased by some not very nice people, and sometimes escape by only the skin of their teeth.

I could not stop reading this book! It was fast paced and exciting and such a page turner. From the very first page I was captivated. I highly recommend this excellent distraction from the real world. The only reason I am giving four rather than five stars is that it ends too quickly without enough story resolution. An epilogue would have been very welcome. 

One favorite line was about a woman involved in radical protests in Berlin:

The eternal companions of all clever women are mistrust and scorn.

The next paragraph then mentions that you might see someone in a t-shirt with Mistrust & Scorn on it and I just have to have one of those shirts!

Do yourself a favor and add this one to the top of your TBR list.

We Begin Our Ascent by Joe Mungo Reed

 

I was really interested in reading We Begin Our Ascent by Joe Mungo Reed, a book about professional cyclists skirting the edge of safety and legality in an effort to surpass the competition. I am a recreational cyclist and so far from the level of the characters in this book that we aren't even in the same galaxy, but I am very curious about the world of the pros. In this fictional account of a domestique, a cycling team member whose job it is to help the team leader win, we read about Sol (short for Solomon) and how he tries to hang on to his position on a pro team racing in the Tour de France. When legal supplements turn to something dirtier and darker, Sol feels he has no choice but to join his team members, even if he doesn't feel right doing it.

I liked this book, but the writing wasn't my favorite. The language felt stunted and choppy, with sharp corners and no ease. And yet the story was compelling. I am fascinated with the psychology of the peloton, the large group of leaders that work together while also competing against one another. This book takes the reader inside that machine and lets us see how the little moving parts all work together. I also felt disappointed that the ending felt so abrupt and without any resolution. Overall, this novel was intriguing and I really enjoyed the peek behind the curtain of the world of pro cycling.

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

 

In Janelle Brown's Pretty Things, Nina never meant to become a con artist, it was definitely not in her life plan, but somehow she fell into it anyway. She and her partner (in crime and occasionally in bed) Lachlan search for the extraordinarily rich that can't stop themselves from posting all their glory on social media. Then they take what will never be missed- never getting greedy. When things go south, the two make a run for Tahoe where they can hide out for a bit and maybe pull one last con. The mark: a young heiress, Vanessa, that Nina knew from a one-time meeting in high school. There is a little greed involved, but a lot more revenge.

Told in alternating chapters from Nina's and Vanessa's points of view, we get to see the sometimes crazy motivations for each of their actions and then watch as it all goes spectacularly wrong. The big lure for the reader, though, is that we know from the very beginning that a body will be sent to the bottom of Lake Tahoe and we will just have to wait to find out whose it will be.

The suspense of this story is gripping and so fun. This was a book I didn't want to put down. As clear as it is at different times who the "bad guy" is in the book, it was easy to feel sympathy and compassion for at least most of the characters. You will finish this book angry with at least one player. I'd love to say more, but I don't want to ruin the suspense for you. Pick it up and read it for yourself. You won't be sorry.

What I've Heard- How to Walk Away

When I read Katherine Center's How to Walk Away, I gushed about how much I loved it and how great it was. I have just finished listening to the audio version and it may be that either the book was exactly what I needed back in the fall of 2019 or it was not the book I needed to listen to now. The story is still cute and there are still fun characters, but there were also characters that annoyed me far more than I remember from when I read it. I almost couldn't get through the first scene that leads to the main character, Margaret's accident because her boyfriend was making me so angry. Of course, I knew what was coming this time so that may have also contributed to my frustration. 

This book is still cute, but I'm afraid that's all it is. If you're looking for a sweet romance, an easy read, and an inspiration story about a woman fighting for her own recovery I think you'll like this one. Fluff has its own value, I try never to knock it, but fluff is what this is.

Narrator is kind of annoying.

What I've Heard- Talking to Strangers

What happens when people don't know how to talk to strangers? 

I can't remember where I heard that I needed to read Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell. It's obviously been a while because as I sifted through my collection looking for a new audiobook, I had completely forgotten what it was about. I thought it was a manual for understanding other people better, being able to talk with people we don't know, kind of an inter-personal how-to book. I was mostly wrong. The one thing I did remember correctly was that it was highly recommended to listen to the audio version. The book was supposedly very good, but the audio version was substantially better because it was almost like listening to a long form podcast. Read by the author, this audio book also included recorded clips from interviews with the subjects he is discussing, a score to deepen the experience, and trial testimony- either the actual audio or the transcript performed by actors.

Talking to Strangers is a book about how many factors go into understanding people we don't know. Told in what appears to be a bit of a stream of consciousness narrative, Gladwell bounces from one example to the next in order to build his way toward his point. This book is decidedly complex and there were times I wasn't sure what Gladwell was trying to say, but then he would pull it all back together, drawing out the critical details in order to explain everything.

The various stories include CIA agents being duped for years by double agents, Ponzi schemes, the interrogation of terrorists, the suicide of Sylvia Plath, the trial of Amanda Knox, and the arrest and death of Sandra Bland. If these topics seem unconnected and incoherent, you will really feel that way as you are listening to the audio book. But hold on, keep listening, pay attention and it will start to make sense. This book is a bit heavy at times and you may find yourself listening to a topic with which you disagree, but I encourage you to be patient and trust that it will begin to make sense. I will admit there were times I needed to take breaks, but I am so glad that I persisted.

I found this book absolutely fascinating and I hope you will, too.

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

As popular a writer as Emily Giffin is, somehow I had never read one of her books. I have had All We Ever Wanted on my TBR list for a very long time and I've just now finished it. Nina is the mother of eighteen-year-old Finch, a senior at a prestigious private school who has recently been accepted to Princeton. She is also the wife of very wealthy and connected Kirk. Their lives seem perfect, from the outside and from the inside, too, until a cell phone photo begins making its rounds in their upscale community. The rumor mill is hard at work assigning blame and defending "good families". Meanwhile, scholarship student Lyla just wants it all to go away, and most of all for her father not to find out about it.

This was a very fast read for me, full of intrigue and questions about who was telling the truth and who was a heartless liar. Teenagers make mistakes, but at what point does that mistake cross a line into cruelty? The descriptions of Nina's lavish lifestyle are a pure escapist fun, but it is clear that it comes at a cost she didn't realize she was paying. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely keep Giffin on my list of authors to follow.

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

In Christina Lauren's Love and Other Words, book lovers Elliot and Macy meet when they are barely teenagers. Elliot lives next door to Macy's weekend cabin she shares with her widowed father. Elliot and Macy bond over books and their love of words. Eventually their relationship grows far beyond friendship, but something comes along to disrupt their plans. Eleven years later, they stumble upon one another at a coffee shop and try to work out what happened.

Told in alternating chapters of the present and the past, we slowly get to know their relationship as well as where they are now in their lives. This book was engaging and fun to read. It was a little racy in some parts, so keep that in mind if that kind of thing bothers you. I was totally invested in the characters, but something about the last little bit of the book really bugged me. I don't know if it was the direction the plot took or if it was that the characters suddenly seemed less likable, but it was a bit of a let down. Up until that point it was very good and the ending doesn't completely kill it. If you're in the mood for something a little fluffy and romantic, this would be a good one to try.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware can always be counted upon to provide truly escapist literature. Her books are engaging and keep the reader turning the pages late into the night. The Turn of the Key is no different. Tired of the nursery at which she's been working, Rowan is a young woman in search of a new nanny position. When she stumbles upon an ad for a placement in northern Scotland, she thinks it must be too good to be true. The pay is outrageously high and it is in a beautiful home, allowing her almost no expenses. The only concern is that the last several nannies left after only a very short time. It is rumored that the house is haunted, but since Rowan doesn't believe in ghosts, she isn't worried. When a child dies, Rowan insists on her innocence, but there she has a lot of story to tell first.

Told in the format of a letter after the fact in hopes of securing an advocate in court, Rowan describes her situation at great length. It is an interesting device, but I kept thinking it didn't make sense that she would go into such detail in correspondence. There are lots of twists and turns, allowing the reader to think she has it figured out only to pull the rug out again around the next corner. This book was a fun read, especially if you don't over-analyze it. In these times when we all want a little distraction, this book could be just what you need.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

I just couldn't get in to Rebecca Serle's The Dinner List, so I was a bit skeptical when I heard about her new book In Five Years. The premise, however, was intriguing enough to pique my interest. Dannie is a super Type-A corporate lawyer with a very firm five year plan: get a job at her dream firm in New York City, marry her boyfriend, buy the perfect apartment. Just as everything looks as if it is going according to plan, Dannie has a vision, a premonition of her life five years in the future and it doesn't look at all like what she expected. Thrown off by what she knows wasn't a dream, she has a hard time committing to her future and then hopes to find a way to make it not come true at all. Dannie's best friend Bella is her pure opposite- carefree and full of spontaneity. They are there for one another through everything.

I loved this book so much that I read most of it in a single afternoon. I will warn you it is a bit of a tear jerker, but if you've been here for a while you know that is a fairly low bar for me. I'm a giant crybaby. This is exactly my favorite kind of love story. I really want to tell you more, but I don't want to ruin it. Read it yourself and I think you'll understand. I hope you love it, too.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

My Name is Venus Black by Heather Lloyd

Heather Lloyd's My Name is Venus Black follows the titular character Venus through a most difficult and traumatic experience. Accused of a cold-blooded crime at the extraordinarily tender age of thirteen, Venus is separated from her autistic younger brother Leo and sent to a juvenile detention center far away. When Leo goes missing a few days later, Venus is frantic to get out and look for him. Abandoned by her mother who has put all the blame for everything on her daughter's shoulders, Venus has to put her head down and serve her time. When she is finally released, all she can think of doing is starting over with a new name to escape the media attention, and searching for Leo.

This book deals with some heavy topics, but it a very gentle way. The crime is described only enough to make the point, the circumstances leading up to the crime are also awful, but handled in such a way as to communicate the fact without dwelling on it. Even Leo's "mental disability" (this book is set in the early 1980s before common use of the term autism) is observed with love and understanding, even when the characters don't fully understand. I'm not sure I would give this book to a very young teen, but an older one should have no problem with the topics. The characters are wonderfully written and those who are meant to be likable are very likable. I found myself invested in them. Venus is strong and stubborn and a little hardened from her life, but we also see her soften when the time is right.

I really liked this book and I think you will, too.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

I was in need of a silly, distracting thriller and I thought The Wives by Tarryn Fisher might fit the bill. Thursday is a woman in a most unusual relationship. She is married to a man who is married to two other women. She doesn't know them. This isn't a religious thing. They don't all live together in a compound out in the middle of nowhere. Thursday is just in love with her husband and the fact that he is also married to two other women isn't enough to change that. What does start to change some things is when she lets her curiosity get the better of her. And we all know what that did to the cat...

This was a super fast read that keeps the pages turning. It is such an unusual situation that you just can't look away. And then it gets crazier and crazier. I can't say this book was great, but it was pretty good. I was bothered that Thursday had several moments where she was just plain crass and it didn't seem to fit very well. It was almost as if the author had thrown it in because she thought that was what women in thrillers were supposed to say, ala Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train. I'd say if you need something to distract you from the real world (who doesn't right now) or to read on the beach, this would be a good fit.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

For years I've meant to read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, but it wasn't until my own daughter read it and insisted that I do the same that I was finally able to get to it. As an aside, if your kid tells you to read a book, do it. It's so much fun to tell them what part you're reading and have them get excited for what is coming up.

The Graveyard Book begins with the murder of an entire family except for one little toddler boy who wanders out the front door and through the gates of a graveyard. The ghosts that reside there take him in and name him Nobody Owens, Bod for short, and give him the freedom of the graveyard. He learns and grows, he is cared for and loved, but the man who killed his family is still looking to finish the job. Bod's safety is only within the walls of the cemetary, but life is only outside them.

This book is beautifully written, magical and just dark enough to add interest, but not too scary for younger readers. I really, really liked it and I'm so glad I finally read it. The only book to ever win both the Newberry Medal and the Carnegie Medal, this book, as the back cover says, is a modern classic. I think it is one of those books that even kids who think they don't like to read will love. It may just convince them the world of literature has something to offer them, too.

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

I have not always been a Jodi Picoult fan. I read My Sister's Keeper years ago and then another one or two of her books before I decided that they all kind of felt like a cheap pull on emotion without enough substance to make the tears worth it. I have since just avoided her books. When I was given an opportunity to read A Spark of Light, I was hesitant but the synopsis was intriguing enough for me to give Picoult another chance.

Hugh is hostage negotiator called out to an active shooting at the last remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi. When he discovers his own fifteen-year-old daughter and her aunt are inside, he should hand his post over to someone without a conflict of interest. Instead he continues in his duties, determined to get her out alive. Inside, the shooter is George, a father heartbroken by the abortion his daughter sought at the Center, who seeks revenge for what he calls a murder factory.

Perhaps you have strong feelings one way or the other about the legality and moral correctness of abortion and perhaps you fear this book is meant to persuade you to a particular viewpoint, but not so. At least from my perspective, this book is fairly balanced and doesn't shy away from details or condemn any of the decisions made by the characters, excepting only those of the violent shooter. This is a book that will make you think about where you stand. One of my favorite things about reading fiction is the opportunity to experience someone else's life from their unique point of view. We may think we know what someone should do, the decisions they should make, but there is a whole story behind them we don't know. When we get to read that story, we learn to have more empathy for the people around us.

Laws are black and white. The lives of women are a thousand shades of gray.

The only thing I didn't love about this book was the way the story was told. It was backwards. The book begins at the end and then moves back in time in one hour increments. This is a great way to get to understand each person's backstory and motivations, but I kept wanting to know what would happen to them all at the end. We learn a little, but for me it was not enough. I appreciate what Picoult was trying to do, but for me it didn't work. Otherwise, this was a book I really enjoyed and found compelling. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

What You Wish For by Katherine Center

I have read two Katherine Center novels so far and really enjoyed them. I was so excited when I heard about What You Wish For about a young, quirky school librarian that butts heads with the new school principal. I'm a book nerd that secretly (or not so secretly) harbors fantasies of being a librarian, school or otherwise, so I thought it would be really fun. Samantha (Sam) loves her job at a small private school on Galveston Island in the gulf coast of Texas. Her coworkers are her family and the school is practically her home. When a new principal comes in with plans to change everything Sam loves about it, she is furious and vows to find a way to fight back. When that principal also turns out to be someone on whom she once had a huge crush, it becomes even more complicated.

I was really sad that I didn't like this book as much as I liked the previous two Center novels I had read. There were glaring flaws in the plot that anyone who has dealt with an elementary or middle school would have seen, namely the lack of parental push back to all the changes the new principal wants to make. Given that this is a private school, and not one restrained by state laws or district oversight, it made even less sense that so many of the qualities that presumably attracted people to this school in the first place would be changed without it turning into a full scale war. (No, that's not hyperbole. When was the last PTO meeting you attended?)

Additionally, can I say that I am way over the trope of two extremely different people who don't get along at all suddenly falling in love? I think it goes back to Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy and I really wasn't all that big a fan of them as a couple either. GASP! Did I just commit the cardinal sin of not loving Pride and Prejudice? I'm really sorry and I hope it won't make you disown me, but that dynamic between Lizzy and Darcy is the same thing I don't like in other books meant to be romantic. It annoys me and I just don't get into it.

All that said, I did like this book, I just didn't love it. There were lots of lovely characters and I adored Sam's quirks. And I loved the lesson about finding joy in whatever circumstances you may find yourself. You may not be able to make yourself feel joy, but as one sweet character says: "You can decide to do something joyful."

"Joy cures everything....Joy is an antidote to fear. To anger. To boredom. To sorrow."

"I'm not happy because it comes easily to me. I bite and scratch and claw my way toward happiness every day....I know all about darkness. That's why I am so hellbent, every damn day, on looking for the light."

So, sure, there were problems with this book, but I still liked it. Maybe you will, too.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

In Karen Cleveland's Need to Know, Vivian is a wife, a mom to four small children, and she works a plain old office job. Okay, well, maybe it's a little more than plain. Vivian is a CIA counterintelligence analyst. She spends all day combing through records and picking through data in hopes of finding and shutting down Russian spies. She's not out James Bond-ing it so she should be safe, but when a new program she creates starts getting too close for Russian comfort, Vivian's whole life hangs in the balance. What will she risk to keep her family safe? What really comes first, family or country?

I have actually never read a spy novel before and this one was really fun. I needed something a little different and a little lighter. Life is crazy enough right now and I can't be bogged down by my recreational reading. Sure, there were plenty of plot points that seemed more than a little far fetched, but that is the contract we accept when we pick up books like this. Suspend disbelief for a bit and just have a little fun. Would I have made the same choices Vivian makes? Maybe, maybe not. With stakes this high, who knows? If you're in the mood for a little fluff and a little good old fashioned spy fun, add this one to your vacation bag, even if maybe you'll be taking a stay-cation this summer.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

Brazen by Penelope Bagieu

Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Penelope Bagieu is a collection of graphic biographies about women who fought against what was expected of them and accomplished great things. Bagieu highlights women from around the world and throughout history in hopes of inspiring women of today, both young and old, to raise their voices and change the world. Some of the fascinating subjects include:

Margaret  Hamilton- the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz

Giorgina Reid- a woman who helped save a historic lighthouse

Leymah Gbowee- a social worker in Liberia

Mae Jemison- the first black woman in space

And so many more!

This wonderful book taught me about so many new (to me) feminist icons and in a concise, easily readable fashion. I actually borrowed this from the library for my daughter to read because I thought its "graphic novel" style might grab her attention. It certainly did- she loved it and insisted I read it, too. I also became a fan and it made me want to learn even more about these amazing women. I have a whole list of further research to do now! I highly recommend you pick up this book yourself and see what you can learn from some of the strongest, most resilient, most interesting women in history.

What I've Heard- Big Magic

After hearing so many rave reviews from friends about Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic, I was excited to listen to it myself. Gilbert reads for the audio version and I always feel like that is a plus. Hearing the author read their own words ensures that everything receives exactly the intended emphasis and importance. In this book of advice and inspiration for creativity, Gilbert encourages us all to reach for whatever kind of art or craft we pursue whether that be visual art, music, or writing. Once we have reached out for that creativity, she challenges us to own and develop it.

I particularly enjoyed the story she told of having a book idea, planning it out, preparing to write it, and then life got in the way so she put it on hold. As she tells it, the idea couldn't wait and went on to another writer. She makes no claim that the idea was stolen, but fully acknowledges that ideas need to be nurtured or they will go somewhere else. And that's okay. I really liked the direction she gives about being open to ideas and all the Big Magic out in the world. 

I would have liked if the book had been a little more instructional than just inspirational, but it serves well as a little boost of motivation. One important tip that she does give is "Don't quit your day job." She spends a fair amount of time talking about how some people think if they are going to really commit to their art they should quit everything else and put it all on the line for creativity. Gilbert says there is no reason at all you can't create, in whatever form that takes for you, in your spare time, of which we all have plenty if we can arrange our priorities. Sure, you may have to go to an office 8-9 hours a day to pay the bills, but the rest of the 15-16 hours of each day are available to be used however you choose. Choose wisely.

Overall, I liked this book, but didn't love it. It has a few good rah-rah moments and is probably good for a little motivation. The audio version is a great way to go because it doesn't require a lot of time investment. I listened to it on morning walks and it only took a few days. Borrow this one from the library and just pop it in when you have time. 

From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein

Beck Dorey-Stein is a former White House stenographer who tells all about her time working next to greatness in her memoir From the Corner of the Oval. Beck falls into this job after a temporary position at a school in Washington D.C. finishes. She is working several part time jobs when she comes across a Craigslist add for a stenographer. It isn't until she interviews for the job that she discovers it is working at the White House. From 2012 to 2017, she is part of the team that records every speech, every interview, and every press briefing that President Obama conducts. She travels with the White House staff all over the world for meetings with international leaders and to small towns in the United States for meetings with everyday Americans. She details what it is like to fly on Airforce One and travel in protected motorcades and stay in hotels guarded by Secret Service agents. She also shares a great deal about her personal life and how she spent those years meeting new friends and how the job affected her relationships.

Unfortunately, Dorey-Stein isn't particularly likeable. In fact, there were several times she was downright unlikeable. It is obvious she tries, but like the one-dimensional female character in a 2-star YA novel, she fails. She describes herself as unsophisticated out of place in a way that sounds like whining like insincere insecurity. Granted, some of the staff sound pretty awful with one even criticizing her orange blazer: "Bright colors are for senior staffers." It makes me wonder, do they also say "On Wednesdays we wear pink."? Even still, rather than coming off as an underdog, she just sounds pathetic.

Dorey-Stein also recounts how this time is filled with her participation in a despicable affair. For part of it she has a boyfriend, but for all of it the man in question has a girlfriend or is engaged. It is annoying to read about how flat-out stupid she is with this guy, a senior staffer. I know we all do dumb things when we are in love, but nothing about this guy is redeeming or romantic, no matter how hard she tries to write it that way. He constantly leaves her miserable and she just keeps going back for more. It made me want to scream at her "Get. It. Together, girl!" Through it all she is surrounded but so many inspiring people; smart, strong women and men who are busy making a difference and all she can see is a pathetic high school romance with a jerk who is probably a sociopath. That is pretty hard to like.

She bemoans her lot in life after one particularly rough night of overdrinking and fighting with this man and finds herself envying my friends with their full nights of sleep, their unfractured hearts, their focus on what actually matters. Then grow up, figure it out, and be better! On numerous occasions she describes how one drink after work leads to several more which always lead to more bad decisions. It is embarrassing. She tells these stories like she thinks she is Carrie from  Sex in the City, but she really isn't. And she really shouldn't.

An aspiring writer during this time, she shares her writing with several people who all tell her how great a writer she is, but of course she doesn't believe it- no matter how many times over and over  she reports people telling her she's great. It almost sounds like a humblebrag the way she goes on and on about it. A couple of different times she mentions that people ask her when she's going to quit her job and be a writer. She even quotes one friend calling it a "shit job" and suggesting she quit and start writing. First of all, it sounds like a pretty amazing job to me. I'm sure every day isn't a day at Disneyland, but traveling the world? Interacting on a regular basis with President Obama? Meeting inspiring people at every turn? That sounds like a dream job.  And secondly, why does she have to quit to be a writer? There are plenty of writers with day jobs and it sounds like she has plenty of downtime to devote to her writing, if only she could stop going out to bars late into the night, getting wasted like a college sophomore every time she has a free moment, and squandering her time and energy on a useless man who doesn't even care about her.

In the end, this book was a self-indulgent exercise in sensationalism with the sole purpose of becoming a published author. We want to learn about life working in the White House, not about her ridiculous social life. The content of her occupation is fascinating, but Beck? Not so much.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

Our House by Louise Candlish

Imagine coming home one day to find someone else moving in to your house. That is exactly what happens to Fi (short for Fiona) in Our House by Louise Candlish. Fi and her husband Bram are separated, but in the interest of their two young sons, they've set up an unusual arrangement known as Birds Nest custody. Basically, rather than the boys shuttling between the individual homes of their parents, the children stay in the family home and the parents take turns living with them in it- Fi during the week, Bram on the weekends. This works well until Fi arrives home to find all of her belongings missing and someone else's being moved in.

This book is told in three perspectives- as Fi discovers the strangers in her home, Fi telling the story from the beginning on a podcast called The Victim, and Bram telling his version of events in a word document to be sent after the fact. This storytelling was interesting, but also confusing at times because the reader has to keep straight what we know from Bram but that Fi doesn't yet know. A mystery and a thriller, the reader is compelled to keep reading to find out what the heck is going on, but there were many times I was frustrated with one character. I wanted to say, "Come on! You can get out of this by just coming clean and taking a small punishment." This book took me a little longer to read because I had to keep taking breaks from it. Maybe current events have me a little less tolerant of being on the edge of my seat- right now that's the only sitting I seem to do as it is- but I didn't feel as motivated to read as I usually do.

This was a very interesting book with a lot of compelling concepts that would be worthy of good discussion with your book club. The ending was especially thought-provoking. If you're up for a little thriller distraction, I think you'll really like this one.

Just be sure you know where your house keys are at all times!


*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

In Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano Eddie is twelve-years-old; he has an older brother he idolizes and parents that are pretty okay, too. The four of them are moving from New York to California, but mid-way through the transcontinental flight, the worst happens. The plane goes down in Colorado leaving Eddie as the only survivor. Taken in by his aunt and uncle, Eddie returns to the east coast and chooses to leave behind the nickname used by his family. Now Edward, he must find a way to recover physically and emotionally. What he doesn't know is what he means to the rest of the world. Strangers latch on to his story of survival looking for hope or meaning or whatever it is they need. Edward does his best to ignore the stares in public or the sensation he has become on the internet, but when he discovers the letters that have been written to him something changes.

The chapters alternate between Edward's present and an almost play by play of the events on the plane. In one moment we watch as Edward navigates middle and high school in a new place and as the new person he has somehow become. In the next we are back on the plane, watching the last hours of 191 people tick by without them even knowing. We get to know some of the other passengers: an injured soldier returning home to heal, a large bohemian woman who claims to remember her past lives, a wealthy old man looking back at his life, a wealthy young man determined to take every opportunity he can grab, and a glamorous flight attendant who catches everyone's attention. We also meet Shay, the girl who lives next door to Edward's aunt and uncle who becomes exactly the friend he needs.

This book was beautifully written. It was heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. Losing everything the way Edward does is more than I can imagine, but Napolitano handles it with gentleness and truth. She doesn't shy away from the physical and emotional trauma. We watch as Edward grows through the years and gradually finds a way to live again, helped along by his aunt and uncle, his new friend, and his own determination. I really liked this book and I think you will, too.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo was not at all what I was expecting when a friend chose it for book club. Alex is a high school drop out with a drug-dealing past that is offered a chance to start over at Yale, of all places. During the day she will attend classes and earn a degree, but at night, she will be responsible for watching over some of the very oldest secret societies in the country. These are not drinking clubs where the elite of the world make connections and prepare to rule corporations and nations one day. These are young men and women dabbling in dark magic that must be kept within bounds to avoid detection and possibly death. Alex has a natural ability that makes her the perfect person for the job, but she has a lot of learning to do when it comes to fitting in on campus.

And there is someone who wants to be sure she doesn't get that chance.

I thought this was going to be an easy breezy YA paranormal novel that would be a quick, fun read. It wasn't. Instead it was complex and gritty and dark and fascinating. The writing is smart, if a bit heavy at times. The pacing is a little uneven with quotes at the end of some chapters that seemed to almost set up road blocks to turning the page rather than propelling the reader on. There were a few bits that were quite brutal in their depiction of trauma and at the beginning I wasn't sure I'd be able to continue reading, but once I was past that, once I'd settled in to the story, I couldn't stop. Ninth House is the first in a series and we will have to wait until sometime next year to see where Alex will go next. I may not have been fully on board for the first several chapters, but I'm tied to the mast now and anxiously awaiting the next installment.

What I've Heard- Let's Pretend This Never Happened

Well! After that last audiobook, I really needed something funny that would lighten the mood a little. Or a lot. 

Jenny Lawson was the obvious and perfect choice. Let's Pretend This Never Happened is one of those books that I always recommend to people and for a darn good reason- it. is. hilarious!

I wax rhapsodic plenty in my print review (see the link above) so I won't go on and on about it again here, but I do want to say how wonderfully Jenny reads this book. Is there anything better than a memoir read by the author? Except that Jenny doesn't just read this book. She sings it, she laughs along with you, she adds so much more value than even the print book can provide.

I love Jenny Lawson. I wish we were best friends. Read or listen to this now. You don't even know how much you need this in your life. So, so much.

What I've Heard- Station Eleven

I read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel nearly four years ago and I loved it! A flu pandemic has swept the planet leaving more that 99% of people dead. People panic, the economy and infrastructure collapse, there is almost nothing of civilization left. And I had the thought- what better time to revisit this great read than during the Covid-19 Pandemic?

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Actually, this book is very good and, as I said in my review of the print book, one of my favorite aspects is that it mostly focuses on the time long after the flu has remade the humanity. This book is so much more character driven that one might expect and I really enjoyed getting to know each of them.

If you are really worried right not, maybe wait a little while. Or if you are one of those both-feet-in, theatre-of-the-macabre kind of people, this is the perfect book for you! 

Odette by Jessica Duchen

I try not to read too much of a synopsis about a book before I crack the cover because I don't want to have the plot spoiled. I prefer to allow the story to unfold as the writer intended. Sometimes that means I'm confused for a bit, but I find having a little faith and turning the pages will get me there before long. That was how I approached Odette by Jessica Duchen. I knew it was some sort of modern fairy tale, but that was it. I won't share too much and ruin it for you, but I want to pique your interest.

Mitzi is a struggling freelance reporter, living in a tiny apartment in London, when a swan comes crashing through her front window during a bizarre and unprecedented storm. Mitzi cares for the swan as best she can and is shocked when at sunset the swan turns into a beautiful young woman named Odette. Mitzi does what she can to help Odette, letting her stay with her and becoming her friend, but the one thing Odette can't escape is the curse that turns her into a bird every morning at dawn.

Maybe this already sounds familiar to you, but whether it does or doesn't, this book is worth reading. It was beautifully written with charming characters and plenty of magic, both the fairy tale kind and the friendship kind. I was a little saddened that the ending flew up so quickly, leaving me wanting more, but maybe that's a good thing. I think fairy tales are a wonderful distraction from the real world so I hope you'll give this one a try.

*This Advanced Reader Copy was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.*