Book List (Master Draft – WP.com)

This is my book journey with summaries and ratings. The dates in parenthesis indicate when I finished the book. Please leave comments and make book suggestions, especially of other books by the same author. Enjoy!

2. HILLBILLY ELEGY by J.D Vance (4/24/20) Auto Biography

After the 2016 Election I was discussing with my cousin Bob, why so many poor people in rural America voted for President Trump, which in my opinion was voting against their own wellbeing. The Democrats had so may more programs in their platform that could help their situation. Bob had lived in Cincinnati, in several suburban towns around D.C., and is now retired to Virginia. That makes him kind of “hillbilly”, I thought. He steered me to this book, which portrays, through the author’s own experience, the economic decline of white working-class Americans in a poor Rust Belt town and his family’s struggle to escape poverty, abuse, alcoholism, and it’s demons.

This did not completely answer all of my questions, but it brought to life the severe conditions that still exist in Appalachia and the South. I realized this is just the beginning of a journey to understand why we have systemic poverty in the richest country in the world. If you haven’t read this I do recommend it.

5 Stars

 

3. WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens (4/21/20) Fiction

This fictional story takes place in the impoverished swamplands of North Carolina, where we meet “Marsh Girl”, who at a young age is abandoned by her mother and siblings as they escape from a raging, abusive husband/father who eventually disappears himself. Marsh Girl is wild, uneducated, but resourceful as she strives to survive alone in her shack. Her fortitude to survive amidst the loneliness of her fragile life is heartbreaking, yet inspiring.

Even though this is fiction, the author must be extremely familiar with this swamy part of North Carolina since her description of that way of life is shockingly believable.

5 Stars

4. EDUCATED by Tara Westover (4/25/20) Auto Biography

Tara wrote a memoir of how she was raised in rural Idaho. Her survivalist father who salvaged scrap metal, and her mother who was an unlicensed midwife, isolated the family from the mainstream of society due to paranoid fears about government and education interfering with their fundamentalist Mormon beliefs. This is a journey of discovery for Tara as she began to doubt her father and his beliefs especially about education. She and one brother self-educated, she saved the money she earned salvaging metal for her father, applied and was admitted to Brigham Young University. Her struggles to accept knowledge foreign to her, find the capacity to understand the tools of learning, and accepting and question her father’s tenants of their faith are difficult for her.

The biggest challenge, I believe, was her questioning what she realized were abuses- physical, emotional, and sexual and overcoming the shame for having believed that it was normal. With the many financial and emotional issues we watch as she maneuvers through this incredible journey. I love challenging journey-type books, especially non-fiction, and as frustrating as it was to imagine, it gives hope.

5 Stars

 

5. THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett (4/28/20) Fiction

When I saw that Tom Hanks was the narrator/performer of this audiobook, I was even more excited to read it. The narrator can make a big difference in the book and really bring it to life. The story is a little Cinderella-ish in that it involves a mean step-mother. This goes farther in depth about the bond between the two siblings who are thrown from wealth to poverty when their step-mother exiles them from their beloved home.

Hanks and Patchett bring this story to life. This is a moving portrayal of resentment, survival when lives become changed in an instant.

5 Stars

 

 

6. PERFECT LOVE, IMPERFECT RELATIONSHIPS by John Welwood ((5/2/20) Non-Fiction

The author reads his own book, a self-help journey in what he feels is the root cause of all relationship problems. He gives advice on what to do about it and helps us to understand the dynamic of loving freely and how to sustain our intimate relationships as we move from self-hatred to self-love.

I have to admit I am not too fond of self-help books but I found this one interesting and easy to read. It had many insights into life and love and it is worth the effort.

4 Stars

 

7. LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng (5/3/20) Fiction

When a highly structured town like Shaker Heights, Ohio has to come to terms with a nomadic, artistic mother and daughter, the town which thrives on structure and rules, is threatened their lifestyle and behavior. This book set in 1998, is now a mini-series on Hulu starring Reese Witherspoon.

This book covers so many aspects of life, is tightly woven, and challenges our prejudices. It was a page turner.

5 Stars

 

8. ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doer (5/5/20) Historical Fiction

Set in German occupied France in 1944, All the Light We Cannot See is the story of Marie-Laure, a young girl blinded in childhood who with her father flees the bombing of Paris to stay with her uncle. The story involves rescuing a legendary artifact, the acts of resistance against the occupiers, and the unusual relationship Marie has with a Young German orphan who falsifies his age to enter the German army.

I found this story beautifully written, bringing the threat of the nazi invasion to life while humanizing both sides as all try to survive. We see the horror and humanity of this legendary time. This is a beautifully written Pulitzer Prize winning novel.

5 Stars

 

9. WHERE’D YOU GO BERNADETTE? by Maria Semple (5/11/20) Fiction

An intelligent and creative Middle School child persuades her parents to take her on a trip to the Antarctic to celebrate her perfect Middle School grades. Before the trip her mother, Bernadette, a brilliant architect on the verge of a breakdown, disappears. Her distraught daughter who cannot accept the concept that she would abandon her, decides to find her mother and goes on an exciting, unlikely adventure.

I loved this story filled with unusual, broken, but quirky characters and a plot unlike most others.

5 Stars

 

 

 

10. LEAVING TIME by Jodi Picoult ((5/16/20)-Fiction

For some strange reason I unknowingly chose another book about a mother’s disappearance and a young daughter in search of her. In this book Jenna’s mother, a reseacher of elephants mysteriously disappears after a tragic accident. Then we get into a “Nancy Drew” type mystery where Jenna elicits, through clues, the help of a psychic and a detective.

This is not one of Jodi’s best stories. It was pretty far-fetched, although her writing skills helped pull it off.

4 Stars

 

 

11. THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah (5/16/20) Fiction

Ernt, a returning, mentally wounded POW, when his job and life don’t work for him at home, impulsively moves his family to a remote island cabin in Alaska which he had inherited from a fallen soldier buddy. Ill prepared to live off the grid they learn hard lessons of survival with dwindling resources.

This is a tough book to read at times because of all the bad choices the father’s mental illness causes him to make jeopardizing his family in the process. The dark loneliness of the Alaskan winters didn’t help my mental state, but then, we are dealing with a lot right now!

4 Stars

12. THE TESTAMENTS by Margaret Atwood (5/21/20) Fiction

This sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale”, 15 years into the future, continues the dystopian tale of a depressing fictional time. Although this sequel might be a little less dire, although it has been years since I read “Handmaid’s”, I found few changes in the themes of the women of Gilead but gratelully the story takes a new direction and makes the book worth reading.

Because “Handmaid’s” was unique in it’s day, the tale was palliative. This tale dragged me down. I was glad when it was over….heavy.

3 Stars

 

13. PACHINKO by Min Jin Lee (5/23/20) Historical Fiction

Starting in the early 20th century Japan, we follow four generations of a poor Korean family fighting to survive while exiled in Japan who controlled and dominated their destiny.

I was happy to learn about Korean and Japanese history and how interwoven these countries were in those days. The story is well written and moves easily between the generations. I found it colorful and moving.

5 Stars

 

 

14. THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides (5/26/20) Fictional Thriller

Set in London, this psychological thriller opens with these words: “Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband.” As news of the killing spreads across London, the act of shooting her husband five times in the face catches the imagination of the public. Adding fuel to the fire is that Alice, a famous painter becomes mysterious as she refuses to talk. A criminal psychotherapist is called in to try to unravel the mystery and becomes obsessed in the process.

I found this mystery-thriller to be exciting and fast paced. A good read in another type of venue for me.

5 Stars

 

15. THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ by Heather Morris (5/27/20) Historical Fiction

This 2018 novel tells the story of Slovakian Jew Lale Sokolov who was imprisioned at Auschwitz in 1942. Lale speaks several languages and is put to work as a tattooist who permanently marks numbers on his fellow prisoners. In this privileged position Lale is able to see atrocities and bravery and seeks to help his fellow prisoners to have small gifts of food in order to stay alive. This is a vivid portrayal of the dynamics within the concentration camp including a love story which is a testament to the love, humanity and endurance they endured under the darkest conditions.

Heart wrenching and hopeful. This is one of my favorite books so far.

5 Stars

 

 

16. AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE by Tayari Jones (5/29/20) Fiction

Newlyweds Roy and Celestial are torn apart when Roy is convicted for a 12 Year prison for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Without hope for an early release Celestial questions if their love can stand the test of time. We watch a beautiful relationship crumble over time.

I found this story lacking in substance, and predictable. Others, though have loved and related to it.

2 Stars

17. SUCH A FUN AGE by Kiley Reid (5/30/20) Fiction

This story is about a young black woman who babysits for a white power couple. Late one evening the mom asks Emira to stay later with the baby but to take to take the baby out of the house and to the grocery store while she sees a client at home. The security guard suspects a kidnapping because of the irregularity of the situation as Emira wanders up and down the aisles to pass time.

The story deals with racism, white privilege, stereotyping and the lack of options for young people of color. Reid covered many pertinent issues but it is not a blockbuster.

3 Stars

 

18. NINE PERFECT STRANGERS by Liane Moriarty ((6/1/20)-Fiction

Set in Australia, we find nine strangers who for various reasons want to take a luxury retreat which was reviewed to be either fantastic or hated with no in between. They must relinquish their cell phones and adhere to strict rules and the loss of their freedom and rights to their past lives. As they are guided through the therapy the experience becomes radical and bizarre.

This is soon to become a Hulu movie starring Nicole Kidman. It was an unusual theme, quite exciting, and worth reading.

4 Stars

 

 

19. REDHEAD BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD by Anne Tyler-Fiction

This is a story about a man happily living a well-ordered life, who is controlling his life through routine and habit. When his girlfriend is evicted and a teenage boy shows up claiming to be his son his world is turned upside-down.

Human connections and second chances are themes of this novel. This seems different than most of Tyler’s books. This was just an “okay” read unless you are a big fan of Tyler.

3 Stars

 

 

20. THE GIVER OF STARS by Jojo Moyes-Historical Fiction

Alice, an unhappy Londoner, jumped at the chance of marrying an American, followed him to Appalachia during the Great Depression, hoping for a new beginning and a new adventure. When her husband insisted that they live with his overbearing and controlling father she realizes her mistake. Bored and disheartened she volunteers to join a team of women, part of Eleanor Roosevelts’s traveling library program which brings books, by horseback to the isolated areas of Appalachia.

It is a book about hardship, illiteracy, bravery and giving a sense of purpose and friendship to women who need it. I loved this story and never knew about this traveling library program. It makes me love Eleanor even more. Think you will like it too.

5 Stars

 

21. CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler (6/8/20)-Fiction

Willa Drake has lived what she thinks of as a normal life, although not without it’s challenges. Later in life she yearns to be a grandmother, but doesn’t believe it will happen. She receives a startling phone call. She follows her instincts by flying across the country to Baltimore to look after a young woman and her nine year-old daughter she has never met. Her choice to leave caution to the wind transforms her life and adds new dimension.

This is a quirky woman and a quirky story which I grew fond of as I got into it.

4 Stars

 

22. CAMINO WINDS by John Grisham (6/10/20) Fictional Mystery

I decided to change the pace a little by reading a Grisham I had not read. Camino Winds is set in a Florida Island waiting for a hurricane. The governor issued an evacuation order but, as usual, there were a few diehards who decided to ride it out. In the midst of the hurricane they discover a body that is actually they believe to be a murder. The the real action begins.

I have read a lot of Grisham over the years and didn’t find this as compelling as most of his other blockbusters. But it’s not bad.

3 Stars

 

23. MINERVA by M.C. Beaton (6/11/20) Classic Fiction

The English period piece of one of the Six Sisters series. Although I have not read the others I’ll bet they also are about their quests to find an appropriate husband for the sisters. Minerva needs a wealthy husband to insure the wealth and stature of her family, but, poor thing, she doesn’t know the first thing about flirting.

This is no Jane Austin. Not great.

2 Stars

 

24. BEFORE AND AFTER, by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate (6/13/20) Non-Fiction

This book has true stories of the adoption scandal portrayed in Lisa Wingate’s book “Before We Were Yours”. I read them, probably backwards, but these stories are sad and incredible in that people would have the tenacity to steal children from the poor and give them to the rich so they could have “better homes”.

Hearing true stories makes this tragedy more real and horrifying. It is a good compliment to Before We Were Yours.

3 Stars

 

25. THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING by Bill Clinton and James Patterson Fictional Thriller

I thought this might be fun (and authentic) because former president Bill Clinton co-authored this with James Patterson. The story is about a president who went missing (duh!) and was filled with thrills, chills, power plays and high pressure stakes.

Fast moving and fun.

4 Stars

26. BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate (6/16/20) Historical Fiction

This is the fictional story of twelve year-old Rill and her four siblings. The lived aboard a Mississippi shanty boat. When the parents left to go to the hospital to give birth to another child, they left Rill in charge of the children. The parents were delayed and strangers arrived in their absence to take them to what turned out to be the Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage. This story of the kidnapping and sale of poor children to rich ones is one of the biggest scandals in the days of orphanages.

This story follows, in depth, the true circumstances of just one family. It is heartrending and well written and shows the fear, the determination and the tenacity of young Rill in her struggle to keep her siblings together.

5 Stars

 

27. RODHAM by Curtis Sittenfeld (6/20/20) Historical Fiction

Yes, that is a picture of Hillary Rodham Clinton, and it says, “A Novel”. It is hard to say how to approach a fictional book of a living former first lady since much follows history and could be true. Sittenfeld gets away with this by-and I am guessing here-by following her life pretty closely until she decides NOT to marry Bill Clinton. From there on the author speculates what her life might have been like without Bill.

What an interesting idea to take well-known characters, follow them accurately for a time and then fictionalize juicy tidbits and add a new ending. I’m not sure Hillary would have liked it but the romance with Bill was hot and juicy. I enjoyed the author’s writing so much that you can read another of his books next.

5 Stars

 

28. AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld (6/22/20) Fiction

Alice is a gifted school librarian whose life had taken a tragic turn in her high school years which forced her to face a moral dilemma. She meets and marries a charismatic man from a big, loud, boisterous family who encouraged her husband to enter politics and eventually becomes President. She has to deal with the path her life has taken and how it tests her values.

I believe this novel is loosely based on the life of Laura Bush. Sittenfeld is a magnificent writer who has a knack of following the life of real characters but disguising them just enough to make you wonder who.

5 Stars

 

29. SANDITION by Jane Austin and Kate Riordan (6/25/20) Fictional Classic

Back to the classics. This unfinished story was written months before Austin’s death and Riordan tried to finish it in Austin’s famous style, with the familiar theme of a beautiful daughter trying to marry well for the sake of her less than wealthy family. Sandition is a seaside village being turned into resort by a lovable but impractical man. He invites the beautiful and interesting young woman to the resort in hopes of attracting wealthy visitors to his business venture.

As I read it I thought I it would be a perfect movie with the seaside location and YES! it was made as a series on PBS for Masterpiece. I may have to check that out, too!

3 Stars

 

30. AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins (6/28/20) Fiction

An inappropriate name for a novel about Mexican cartels and carnage in Acapulco and beyond. However, this beautifully written saga follows the tribulations of an upper middle class Mexican woman who flees her home with her eight year-old son after the cartel massacred her husband and fifteen family members at a family barbeque. We follow her journey to reach “American Dirt”.

The author is an excellent storyteller of a journey that is all too common in real life. I felt her desperation and anxiety to put both herself and her son in jeopardy in order to flee certain death while taking incredible risks of starvation, assault, and uncertain success. A sad, exciting, yet inspiring story.

5 Stars

 

31. CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert (6/30/20) Fiction

Set in the 1940’s, Vivian finds Vassar and higher education boring and unexciting, drops out and moves to New York City to find her independence. She gets an opportunity to work within the theatre with her skills in sewing and becomes accepted by this crowd of gypsies, jazz, and sexual freedom. The first part of the book envelops us into the excitement of life in the fast lane with all the superficiality and mistakes which go along with that. The second part takes her into soul searching when she experiences the consequences of her behavior. Vivian tells her story as an older woman with few regrets about her unconventional lifestyle.

I was introduced to Elizabeth Gilbert with “Eat, Pray, Love” where a mature and successful woman goes through self- discovery by dropping out of her former life on a round-the-world journey to “find herself” (which today sounds so cliche) which I found moving at the time. I would have to re-read to see if that still would be the case. This book didn’t work as well because the journey was not as intriguing, relied heavily on sexual exploitations, and the ending felt forced.

3 Stars

 

32. NORMAL PEOPLE by Sally Rooney (7/2/20) Fiction

Set in Dublin, Ireland, Marianne and Connell are two opposites who become attracted to each other in high school. Coming from different social extremes, her from wealth, and him, a popular football player from working class, they secretly meet, explore sex from necessity rather than from romance. At Oxford they continue together privately partly because of privacy but also of awkwardness. They question their feelings for each other as they realize other opportunities are enticing.

Normal People explores a dilemma, many may have had, in that as they try to stay apart realizing the self-distructive nature of their relationship, it also makes them see how far they are willing to go to save the other. This was at times intense, compelling and extreme.

4 Stars

 

33. UNTAIMED by Glennon Doyle (7/3/20) Auto-Biography

A memoir by the author of “Love Warrior”, Doyle, an activist, speaker, and author explores the peace and joy we can receive when we stop trying to meet others’ expectations and to start trusting “the voice within us”. She attempts to liberate women from their traditional roles we have accepted, such as, good daughters, mothers, partners, and friends, which she feels can lead us to making others flourish at our expense.

This is a strong look at women’s roles, how they bury our freedom to pursue our dreams, and how we can learn to trust our instincts to follow our inner selves. This is well written, has instances most women can relate to, and gives us permission to rid ourselves of the guilt in putting one’s self first.

4 Stars

 

 

34. THE INFATUATIONS by Javier Marias (7/5/20) Fiction

This Spanish author immerses us into the mind of a lone woman who becomes infatuated by a couple she notices at an outdoor cafe. At about the same time everyday she joins them, from afar, to watch, mesmerized by their good looks, intense interest in each other and their enjoyment in each others’ company. When they failed to continue this routine, the woman, confused and worried, tries to find out the reason for their disappearance. She comes across a newspaper article which seems to solve the mystery of a crime of incredible circumstances.

This book takes many paths, from befriending the wife, to finding a lover, to solving mysteries. The book is filled with passion, jealousies and obsessions. An interesting read.

4 Stars

 

35. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON by David Grann (7/8/20) Non-Fiction

This book was named Best Book of the Year-2017-by multiple sources. The book covers Oklohoma’s most monstrous crimes in American history, the Osage Indian murders of the 1920’s. Oil and mineral rights had made the Osage Nation the richest people of the land. When the Osage were targeted and began to die of shootings, poisonings and other mysterious deaths the Bureau of Information, soon to be the FBI, enters to investigate. J. Edgar Hoover turned to a former Texas Ranger to help in the effort.

With this clean, concise, narrative of the early history of the Louisiana Purchase, and the Osage Nation’s push to a reservation, we are shown the high stakes adventure the discovery of oil takes, and the abuse the government’s treatment of the Indians. This is a powerful historical depiction of power, greed and abuse which we did not told about in our school history books.

5 Stars

 

36. THE WIFE by Alafair Burke (7/10/20) Fictional Thriller

Angela, a caterer, and Jason, an economics professor on the rise, had what they thought was a perfect marriage and lifestyle. Jason wrote a bestseller and began a media career. Through twists and turns this thriller exposes the dilemma of a wife who must make the choice between defending the husband she loves who is accused of a crime, and how far she will go to protect him which could jeopardize saving herself and her own secret past.

The Wife deals with questions of loyalty, infidelity, media exposure, and life choices. I found this book fast moving, unpredictable, and all the elements a good thriller needs to keep the excitement coming.

5 Stars

 

37. THE IDENTICALS by Elin Helderbrand (7/13/20) Fiction

The setting is Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard where we find that identical twins become separated each to live with their favorite parent who have different lifestyles . The twins become totally different because of the lives they lead but are reunited, after not having spoken to each other for a decade, at their father’s funeral. Family secrets, lies, and misunderstandings have splintered the family come forth as they try to overcome resentments.

This is a light summer read in a beautiful beach setting that I enjoyed. Family relationships can be difficult and many times, due to poor communications and other disagreements, can cause long term heartache.

4 Stars

 

38. INTO THE WATER by Paula Hawkins (7/16/20) Fictional Thriller

Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of “The Girl on the Train”, returns with a psychological suspense novel about a single mother found dead at the bottom of “the Drowning Pool”, a river running through the town. Earlier, a teenage girl met the same fate. The victim’s daughter, a lonely fifteen year-old girl, is left in the care of her mother’s estranged sister, Jules, who comes to live with her. The aunt had vowed never to return. The police want to call the death “another jumper”, which Jules is convinced is not what her sister would do.

There are so many town secrets, characters, and history that surrounds the plot’s twists and turns, but for me, make this intricate story difficult to follow. If you love hard to figure out stories loaded with motivations and false directions, this will be a terrific read.

3 Stars

 

39. MANHATTAN BEACH by Jennifer Egan (7/18/20) Fiction

Set in New York City in the middle of the Great Depression, twelve year-old Anna accompanies her father Eddie to Brooklyn’s Manhattan Beach to meet at a mansion owned by Dexter Styles, a former bootlegger and current nightclub owner, who wants Eddie to do a job for him. Unaware of the purpose of this meeting, this proves to be an event with consequences for all three.

Years later her father has disappeared, the country is at war and Anna choses to quit college and wants to work for the war effort at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. Eventually she becomes their first female diver, one of the most hazardous occupations, where she must dive to repair ships.

The story wanders back and forth from Anna, Eddie, and Dexter and how their lives mingle, and her quest to find out the reason for her father’s disappearance. Mystery, historical themes and exciting characters give this story great depth.

5 Stars

 

 

40. TALKING TO STRANGERS by Malcolm Gladwell (7/22/20) Non-Fiction

The theme of this book is “what we should know about people we don’t know”. How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for decades? Why did Nevelle Chamberlain think he could trust Hitler? Why did so many people become deceived by Bernie Madoff? Why did the Italians portray Amanda Knox as a devil in disguise? Gladwell shows these examples and more of how our assumptions can lead us to misunderstandings and false conclusions.

I thought that by using well-known stories his conclusions had strong validity. It was a extremely interesting premise and read like a novel.

5 Stars

 

41. OLIVE, AGAIN by Elizabeth Strout (7/23/20) Fiction

I would suggest you read the first book, “Olive Kitteridge”, first, which won a Pulitzer Prize, before delving into this sequel, in which the cranky, outspoken, judgmental women has become a widow. Unbelievably, (to me), she meets a widower, who happens to be kind-hearted and finds her personality traits endearing. He knows how to handle her quirky side, sees the goodness in her, and his love softens her.

4 Stars

 

42. OLIVE KITTERIDGE by Elizabeth Strout (7/24/20) Fiction

Olive, a high school math teacher in the small town of Crosby, Maine, knows everybody or at least knows their children. She has opinions about everything. She detests changes to the town. She draws conclusions too eagerly and let’s others know exactly how she feels and is ruthlessly honest. Frances Mc Dormund is playing the main character on TV and I look forward to seeing her portrayal of this complex woman.

This is a beautifully written novel with believable characters with situations of great sadness. Olive’s character is so complex that at times I didn’t know if I loved her or hated her. Maybe that is what the Pulitzer judges thought spoke to truth. We all are complex and sometimes our weaknesses bring out strengths. The portrayal of the difficulty of aging as they hold on to long held beliefs with rigidity and sadness is honest and raw. Olive is a busybody who lacks patience and definitely subjects herself into other’s lives. As she delves deeper into the lives of some she has misjudged, she becomes sensitized. If you love character studies with greatly flawed traits, this is for you.

4 Stars

 

 

43. TALKING AS FAST AS I CAN by Lauren Graham (7/26/20) Auto-Biography

Read by the author, the quick talking Lorilei Gilmore of the fabulous “Gilmore Girls” series, we hear the story of her journey into acting success. With her bubbling personality, sharp humor, and raw honesty we get to witness her insecurities as she breaks into “the luck” of being chosen for a major series and how she learned through the help of co-stars and others to find her niche in Gilmore Girls and later in her second series, Parenthood.

I read this book because I loved both of her series mainly because of her talent of bringing energy and quick witted humor to her roles. By listening to her read the audiobook I found her to be honest and genuine and wish she were in more roles in the future.

5 Stars

 

 

 

44. FAST GIRL by Suzy Favor Hamilton and Sarah Tomlinson (7/28/20) Auto-Biography

Suzy Hamilton was an Olympic runner, perfectionist extraordinaire, who after losing badly in her third Olympic run, due largely to emotional problems, turned her anxiety into an escape into a wild and risky life. Leaving her supportive husband and daughter behind, she lead a life she found glamorous and exciting.

This is an amazing story, of driving impulses, the agony of defeat, the spiraling out of control, and self realization. The details are explicit into a world rarely imagined.

4 Stars

 

45. TRUST EXERCISE by Susan Choi (7/29/20) Fiction

In an American suburb in the early 1980’s students at a highly competitive school for the performing arts are led by a charismatic acting teacher. Although highly regarded in general, he uses his own technique, “trust exercise”, which tumbles students into extremes of friendship and loyalty while breaching adolescent boundaries.

When does the unconventional become abusive? With an escalating sequence of humiliations and exploitation the creepiness of the experiment grows out of bounds. I found this book uncomfortable at times, believable, but intentionally meant as a challenge by the author.

4 Stars

 

 

46. RUTH BADER GINSBURG by Jane Sherron de Hart (7/31/20) Biography

We follow the life of Ginsburg from childhood, through education, including her inability to find a job after being on top of her class, mainly because of gender and motherhood. Her husband Marty, her biggest supporter and great love, paved a way to help her accomplish her goals.

Ginsburg’s biography goes deeply into how this remarkable woman became who she is today. Although the legalese at time challenged my understanding of law, we can hear in detail her most important cases and how she went about making them. Ruth’s strengths were how she attempted to break through barriers never yet challenged.

Health issues, mostly cancer, affected her mother, Marty, and herself (for 20 years) and it was remarkable to see how her love for the law helped her to concentrate on her work rather than her health.

This audiobook was 25 hours long and at times arduous trying to understand the complexity in the oral arguments and decisions, but it was worth it to see her brilliant mind and endless commitment to her work and family.

5 Stars

 

47. THE BRETHREN by John Grisham (8/1/20) Fictional Thriller

Many of you have read this book. It’s been around a while but somehow I missed it. In a posh Federal prison in Florida, three convicted judges form a court called “The Brethren”. They make decisions on minor problems that arise between inmates and with the help of of an outside lawyer the begin an extortion scheme on vulnerable people on the outside.

Grisham in his prime. Still fresh, fast moving, and easy to read.

4 Stars

 

48. THE MOMENT OF LIFT by Melinda Gates (8/3/20)-Non-Fiction

The wife of Bill Gates shows how her desire to become an activist for women around the world leads to a better understanding of the many dynamics of cultures that have treated women unequal in the world. The Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation has tried to right the wrongs of many different societies.

This is an urgent manifesto for an equal society where women are valued in all spheres of life and a call to action for women’s empowerment.

Amazing boo amazing couple, good read.

5 Stars

49. THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A.J.Finn (8/8/20) Fictional Thriller

Anna Fox has agoraphobia. The closest she comes to venturing is through the blinds of her window. New neighbors move in across a house across the way, mother, father and teenage son. They seem like the perfect family until one night she has witnessed a crime. She questions her sanity, having too much wine, imagining something that is not there.

In a Hitchcockingly way this thriller becomes powerful and suspenseful. The movie starring Amy Adams, Julianne Moore and Gary Oldman should be good.

4 Stars

 

50. MRS. LINCOLN’S SISTERS byJennifer Chiaverini (8/12/20) Historical Fiction

During the Civil War Mary Tood Lincoln and her sisters had grown apart from each other partially due to their husband’s differing alliances to the war. Sister Elizabeth insists that her sisters bury the hatchet and come to the aid of Mary, now a widow of the fallen president, after hearing of her attempted suicide. Mary’s son Todd’s arranged legal proceedings for the court to declare her legally insane in order to institutionalize her.

Fictional historical books can be fun for the author in order to fill in all the little blanks of history, but I am always left with questions of what is true and what not. We see the anguish of the war and Lincoln’s assassination from Mary’s perspective and get a good glimpse into the superstitions and paranoia that were documented about Mary. This is worth reading.

3 Stars

 

51. EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU by Celeste Ng (8/14/20) Fiction

This debut novel is about a Chinese American family living in a small town in Ohio. Although happily married Marilyn wants her daughter Lydia to fulfill the dreams she lost after marrying and becoming a homemaker rather than a doctor. A tragedy occurs in the family leaving the parents distraught and the siblings bound to find the truth.

Ng does a beautiful job portraying a mixed-race family, living in a mostly white Midwest town in the 70’s. I found this story moving and heartbreaking and the writing superb. Also catch “Little Fires Everywhere”, # 7 on my list, also by Ng.

5 Stars

 

52. THE SAME SKY by Amanda Eyre Ward (8/19/20) Fiction

When Carla’s family dies leaving her and her younger brother behind she takes the illegal journey to escape the violence and poverty of Mexico and heads to the Texas border. She joins thousands of children in peril making the journey to America.

This is actually about the lives of two families on opposite sides of the border and is profound about the courage and struggles these children have in their desperation to find a place to belong.

5 Stars

 

 

53. NIGHT BOAT TO TANGIERS by Kevin Barry (8/18/20) Fiction

Two old Irish criminals (50ish but seemed older) are spending the night in a run-down Spanish ferry terminal waiting in the hopes that one man’s estranged daughter may be on a boat. Her father describes her as a “dreadlocked Rastafarian” and they interrogate other young travelers about seeing her. Being experts in intimidation from their criminal past, they scared them but got no leads. As they kill time they enjoy exchanging stories of their past crimes and sex lives.

This was narrated by a man with a big, slummy, Irish brogue, peppered with lots of slang I couldn’t decipher. Sometimes I would have to read a summary to figure what was going on. It is nice when we are reading about bad guys and get to see some “good” in them in the narrative. This story didn’t have much of that except some humor. They made bad choices most of their lives and wrote it off as “bad luck”. BUT, the saving grace is that the writing was excellent.

3 Stars

 

 

54. THE MOUNTAINS SING by Nguyen Phan Que Mai (8/21/20) Historical Fiction

Set in Vietnam we find young Huong contending with the chaos of fleeing her family farm they have owned for decades. Her parents, and uncles head off down the Ho Chi Minh Trail to fight in the conflict that has torn apart the family and her country.

The Mountains Sing, descriptively shows the human suffering and costs from the point of view of the Vietnamese people and the power of true kindness and hope. Beautifully written by this Vietnamese poet.

5 Stars

 

55. BEL CANTO, by Ann Patchett (8/23/20) Fiction

This interesting plot begins at a fabulous government party in South America where the government is trying to impress a Japanese firm to build in their country. To entice the “right” people they invite a famous opera superstar who is highly admired by the Japanese representative. The lights go out and and some idealistic terrorists capture the group, but hope to kidnap the president, who is supposed to be in attendance. Not finding the president the terrorist group, not knowing what to do next, takes all the wealthy and important guests hostage. To break the boredom of a long siege they have the benefit of enjoying Roxane’s beautiful voice and they all settle into a routine.

The many characters become a community, enjoy fabulous cuisine, and are treated well. The end of the siege takes an unexpected turn but is not surprising. I found the characters in the book and the relationships they build over time to be the most interesting aspect of the book. Well worth reading as something different.

5 Stars

 

56. BLOWOUT by Rachael Maddow (8/24/20) Non-Fiction

The oil and gas industry has made many countries rich or poor or both. Rachael goes globe trotting to follow the corruption of Big Oil and follows the greed and why Russia hacked the 2016 election. After the corruption comes how the industry has weakened developing countries, fouled the environment, and propped up authoritarian figures like Putin.

Maddow goes into great detail of the history and the nature of the oil industry and shows how multiple sources are to blame. I found the book interesting, tip my hat to her for exploring and exposing the industry and their billionaires, but I found it long and boring. Just give me the Book Notes version. please.

3 Stars

 

57. SWIMMING TO CATALINA by Stuart Woods (8/25/20) Fictional Thriller

Swimming to Catalina is the fourth book in the Stone Barrington series. The lawyer/private detective is still licking his wounds after his break up with magazine writer, Arrington Carrington, who left him to marry Hollywood’s hottest male star, Vance Calder. In this fast-paced thriller we hobnob with the glitz, glamour, and mystery as we see Stone try to find the missing Arrington.

This book has been out there for awhile but still feels fresh and clever.

3 Stars

 

 

58. THE RED NOTEBOOK by Antoine Laurain (8/26/20) Fiction

A women is mugged on her way home from work and at first thinks she is okay. Her purse has been stolen but she wanders into a hotel where she asks them to let her stay for the night. The staff find her the next day in a pool of blood and in a coma and is taken to a hospital.

Meanwhile, Laurent, a bookstore owner, finds a purse in a garbage can. Knowing women’s habits he concludes the purse may be stolen. There is no wallet but lots of interesting things inside including a red notebook. Through the clues in the handbag he follows the mystery to find the owner who mesmerizes his imagination.

Set in Paris and written by a Parisian, with a strong sense of romantic obsession we have an delicious story to be enjoyed.

4 Stars

 

59. DIRT by Stuart Woods (8/27/20) Fictional Thriller

Amanda Dart, a gossip columnist, is used to dishing the dirt, but when the tables are turned she is desperate to protect her own reputation and calls New York lawyer/private investigator Stone Barrington for help. We have the twists and turns and crime elements in this mystery/thriller, but I did not find this one as exciting as some of his other books.

2 Stars

 

60. HIDEAWAY by Nora Roberts (8/31/20) Fiction

Set in Big Sur California, Caitlyn Sullivan, an offspring of Hollywood mogels and actors, grew up in the summers at the beautiful mansion hugging the shores of Big Sur. This retreat becomes the backdrop for an abduction, an escape, a romance, and a career change.

Thank heavens Nora loves to write about luscious places because without it the plot is pretty stereotypical. I’m not too in love with this one. Possibly a beach read.

2 Stars

 

61. THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley (9/5/20) Fictional Mystery

The “perfect” wedding is set at an island off the coast of Ireland. The guest list is in place and the wedding planner has the minute and extravagant details intact. As festivities commence and the bubbly flows the old resentments and jealousies emerge. And someone turns up dead.

The story is full of detail, characters, mystery in an Agatha Christy style. It was fun to read but not classic.

3 Stars

 

62. TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH, by Mary Trump (9/7/20) Biography

The subtitle tells it all: “How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man”. The author, a clinical psychologist, is Trump’s niece who in this tell all book singles out Trump’s parents as major factors in the dysfunction and mental psychoses within the family. It is a raw picture of pitting one sibling against another in order to succeed in the eyes of Fred, Sr. We venture through the family history of each sibling and learn how the family dynamics contributed to their defects.

We have seen a million stories about Trump and his shortcomings, his cruel and sometimes evil ways, including his penchant to lie and cheat, and it is easy to see how he developed into the person he is today.

5 Stars

 

 

63. WINTER STREET by Elin Hilderbrand (9/8/20) Fiction

Hilderbrand takes us to Nantucket at Christmas at the Winter Street Inn. Kelley, the owner of the Inn, calls his four grown children together to celebrate Christmas. All have unique personalities, and bring their problems and indiscretions to the Inn.

The book is a very light read which will please many of her followers, but had little depth for me.

2 Stars

 

64. PRETTY THINGS by Janelle Brown (9/12/20) Fictional Thriller

Two different women come together in a mansion in Lake Tahoe. Vanessa, a self-absorbed heiress is lonely in her solitude in the mansion and allows a young couple to rent her guesthouse. What she doesn’t know is that they are grifters with a plan to carry out a scam of a lifetime.

Janelle is a good writer. Her descriptive sentences roll off the page and allow two different narratives from each of the two women allowing the reader to get a look into their real psyches: Nina’s motivation for crime and Vanessa’s vulnerabilities and inadequacies. This is worthwhile.

5 Stars

 

65. DAUGHTER OF FORTUNE by Isabel Allende (9/16/20) Historical Fiction

Orphaned at birth and taken in by a wealthy spinster and her brothers, in Chile, Eliza, a free spirit, meets a clerk, Joaquin who works for her uncle. He then leaves her for the California Gold Rush. When Eliza finds herself pregnant she decides to follow him. The book follows her dangerous journey to San Francisco. With the help of a Chinese medicine doctor, Tao she masquerades as a deaf mute boy. Eliza searches for her lover and learns, through her transformation, what freedom there is in being a boy.

Allende, through rich history, interesting characters, and an incredible adventure, created a rich yet unconventional tale of personal freedom and her destiny in a raw, new country.

4 Stars

 

66. THE ROUND HOUSE by Louise Erdrich (9/19/20) Fiction

The Round House is the story of 13 year-old Joe Coutts, who when his mother suffers a brutal attack and is too traumatized to talk about it or lead a normal life, decides he will investigate with his three friends. They are all members of the Ojibwe tribe and his father, a tribal judge, is more concerned with caring for his wife, physically and emotionally, than trying to solve the crime. Joe comes to believe his mother’s crime was at “The Round House” a tribal ceremonial building.

The Round House is a unique look at life on the reservation and the complicated legal system that often lets violent criminals slip through loopholes. The portrayal of Joe and his friends feels authentic in a time and place when children were able to run and roam together with a freedom we rarely see today.

4 Stars

 

67. DRAGON SPRINGS ROAD by Janie Chang (9/22/20) Historical Fiction

Dragon Springs Road is set in 20th century Shanghai, where seven year-old Jialing, is mysteriously abandoned by her mother in the courtyard of a large estate. The crying, starving child is taken in as a bond servant by the Yang family, owners of the estate. Soon she begins to realize she is different looking than the family in that she is a Eurasian. This fact limits her chances in life who is never fully accepted by her peers and chosen family.

Jialing is befriended by a spirit called “Fox” who has been haunting the courtyard for centuries. It is through this friendship that Jialing is able to accept her fate, and find the strength to search for her lost mother who she refuses to accept abandoned her on purpose.

Chang weaves a magical story of class divisions, family honor, obligations, and traditions in this richly told historical fiction intertwined with fantasy. Great writing.

5 Stars

 

68. A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith (9/27/20) Fiction

Eleven year-old Francie Nolan and her brother are growing up in 1912 in the poorest part of Brooklyn in a series of tenement houses. Her parents, Katie and Johnny, originally hopeful and in love soon experience the depths of poverty and survival as children come into the picture. Johnny, a young, happy Irish man works as a singing waiter and soon becomes undependable as he becomes addicted to whisky. The burden falls to Katie to provide for the family by doing manual labor. The children at young ages collect junk for pennies to help to bring food home. Despite the hardship of poverty and hunger, Francie starts school but soon experiences bullying and cruelties by the teachers. One day Francie sees a beautiful school with grass and happy children. Her father finds a way to have Francie enroll in this school where rich children are not favored over the poor children. Here she is happy, makes friends and is encouraged to study and learn music.

The story continues as the family experiences more hardships and life get even worse for them. This story shows so many aspects of immigrant life in the early 20th century. Rarely did a child get through the eighth grade as they were needed to help provide for the family. But through this hardship we see a spirit of hope for their future in a time when it would have been easy to give up. This classic story is poignant rather than gloomy and rich with neighborhood friendships and family life.

5 Stars

69. THE IMMORTALISTS by Cloe Benjamin (9/28/20) Fiction

The 1969 four siblings hear of a gypsy who can predict the exact date a person will die. Although scared, the oldest convinces his siblings that they would be better knowing. We follow the lives of each sibling and how this knowledge effects the way they approach their lives by destiny or choice.

The book asks the question: if you knew exactly when you will die, how would you live your life? This is a well-crafted story-line and has interesting character studies.

4 Stars

 

70. THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS by Jodi Picoult (9/30/20) Fiction

Dawn, a graduate student in Egyptology, is called away from a promising dig of a tomb in Egypt when she hears her mother is dying. Her sense of duty calls her to give up on her dream, change her career to “death doula”, falls in love and has a child. When Dawn survives a plane crash she experiences two futures: home to her family or follow her dream in Egypt.

This is a study in choices we make in life and the outcomes of two scenarios. It is interesting in that we don’t always know which is reality in this book. I was interested in the Egyption archeology after having been there twice and found Picoult’s research and detail quite accurate. She covers death and afterlife in both of Dawn’s careers.

4 Stars

 

71. MAGGIE-NOW by Betty Smith (10/1/20) Fiction

After reading “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, I had to see more of Betty Smith’s writing. We are again in early 20th century Brooklyn, where Maggie-Now grows up in a deteriorating immigrant neighborhood. Life is slightly better for the family, as Maggie’s parents receive a house from her mother’s family. Maggie’s father is not happy being a street-sweeper, but he has job security as it is a government job. However, his formerly happy disposition changes as he sees no improvement in his future. Maggie must take on many responsibilities as a young girl and into her adulthood.

Betty Smith’s knows how to take a difficult story and write with color and distinction about the neighborhood, the attitudes and lifestyles of typical working-class people and gives the readers a reason to care about them as we see their lives go up and down.

5 Stars

72. THE POWER OF HABIT by Charles Duhigg (10/6/20) Non-Fiction

The author thinks that forming good habits is easy because the brain always tries to look for shortcuts to not have to think too hard. He says the three-step method is the best way to form a habit. You first need a “cue” to make your brain become automatic. Then you build a “routine” which can be physical, mental or emotional. Lastly there must be a reward. However, beware of cravings that can draw in bad habits.

This book is easy to read with it’s simple premises and lots of good examples of people and organizations who had to make changes in order to succeed, such as, Alcoa Aluminum, McDonald’s, Pepsodent Toothpaste, Starbucks Coffee, Kings Cross Underground Station, and Rhode Island Hospital. I liked this book mostly because of the great examples.

4 Stars

73. THE BOSTON GIRL by Anita Diamant (10/8/20) Historical Fiction

From the author of The Red Tent, comes this historical fiction novel told by an 85 year-old grandmother to her granddaughter. Addie Baum, born in 1900 to immigrant parents, tells her story of growing up in North End Boston. Her parents are finding it hard to assimilate to the new country but Addie with her curiosity and intelligence wants to take advantage of all the New World has to offer. Through her story she encourages her 22 year-old granddaughter to forge ahead and to follow her dreams as she had under more difficult circumstances.

By paying attention to historical details of life in the early twentieth-century we are treated to a look at the past and future for two women in a changing world . I really enjoyed her writing, as I did with The Red Tent and will find her book, Day After Night, soon.

5 Stars

74. THE BROKEN GIRLS by Simone St. James (10/10/20) Fiction

A young journalist cannot forget the murder of her sister twenty years ago and sets out to uncover more details even though a man was convicted of the crime. The setting is in Vermont at Idlewild Hall, an abandoned boarding school, who many think is haunted, and used to be a school for troubled and illegitimate girls in the 1950’s. It is also the place where her elder sister’s body was found.

As renovations to the school begin, Fiona uncovers secrets of the past and experiences supernatural events which pushes her to delve deeper to uncover their truths. Suspense, shocking discovery, and crimes keep this mystery moving to it’s climax.

4 Stars

 

75. FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES by Min Jin Lee (10/15/20) Fiction

After having enjoyed Pachinko (#13) I wanted to see if this talented author had written anything else and found that this book was her first entry into authorship. Quite unlike Pachinko, this book is not historical fiction, and is about a modern-day first-generation Korean American, Casey Han, making her way out of her parents’ immigrant challenges. She takes on American life with a flourish with a Princeton education, expensive tastes, a Caucasian boyfriend and serious student loans. Even with her own excellent grades she finds difficulty in getting a job and has to seek help from friends and family, owners of a dry cleaning business, and settle for a job in an exclusive retail store in Manhattan which only furthers her desire for the high end lifestyle and more debt.

Min Jin Lee knows how to tell an interesting story with nuanced characters and lots of storyline surprises. I hope she writes many more books.

5 Stars

 

76. INVISIBLE GIRL by Lisa Jewell (10/17/20) Fictional Thriller

Have you ever heard of the term, “incel”? Incel is short for involuntary celibate. That is what Owen Pick calls and thinks of himself. Owen, a 30ish college teacher, is a strange guy and knows it as he follows others like him over the internet with the problem of attracting women. He becomes fixated on it as it being all womens’ faults rather than his. Throughout the years his behavior becomes more inappropriate and people notice and start to call him out which makes him more angry and alone.

This is just the beginning of a book that covers this topic and others such as, self-harm, judging others who are different, sexual assualt, stalking, and other dark mysteries of the behavior and minds of people dealing with trauma and pain.

I know this sounds dark, and it is. Jewel is able to draw a good scenario of many lives coming together to find out what was done and who done it. I really enjoyed this psychological mystery whose ending is definitely unpredictable.

5 Stars

 

77. THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND by JoJo Moyes (10/18/20) Fictional Mystery

This story is about a painting called “The Girl You Left Behind” painted by a French artist, Edouard, who painted a portrait of his beloved wife Sophie before he left to fight in World War I. The story goes between the struggle of their German- occupied French Village and how Sophie survived the brutality and horrors of starvation during the war, and, to present-time where Liv, who is struggling to cope with the death of her husband, owns the painting, a wedding gift from her late husband. The story gets difficult when Sophie meets and dates a man she truly likes, then finds out he is with a company who’s purpose is to retrieve stolen art from the war and restore it to it’s rightful owner. This throws Liv’s life into crisis when they seek to take possession of the painting and ruins her new relationship.

The war story was heartbreaking and authentic. And the search to find clues to how the painting came into Liv’s possession gave the book added mystery and interest. The romance angle added added luster.

5 Stars

78. NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo Ishiguro (10/20/20) Fictional Mystery

This novel is at first about a quiet setting at an exclusive boarding school in England in the late 20th Century. The school promotes physical fitness and artistic expression. The children are well-cared for by, mostly caring adults but as they age, and age-out of this school, we see them figuring out the plan for them. They begin to understand that they are clones being raised as future organ donors.

The darkness that follows is that their care is a product of positive brain-washing of their personal sacrifice as an honorable fate. In this dystopian story we explore the morality of cloning even when their lives are happy and seemingly normal.

This chilling novel takes a topic which could be futuristic, and sets it in the past where we can relate to the experience more easily, which makes this story even more troubling. The writing is descriptive and believable, adding to the intensity.

5 Stars

79. THE LIBRARY OF LEGENDS by Janie Chang (10/22/20) Historical Fiction

The Library of Legends is a 500 year-old collection of Chinese myths and folklore. It is housed in a university in Nanking where during of bombing in 1937 by the Japanese the students and faculty were forced to leave, bringing the priceless Library of Legends to safety.

They become refugees in their own country as they struggle to what they hope will be safety by walking 1000 miles to China’s Western provinces. This explores through historical fiction, their trek through a war-torn country, a journey complete with tragedy, love, and determination.

4 Stars

 

80. WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES by Georgia Hunter (10/25/20) Historical Fiction

We Were the Lucky Ones , although technically historical fiction, was inspired by a Polish-Jewish family striving to survive in 1939 Nazi occupied Poland. The author, Georgia Hunter learned she came from a family of Holocaust survivors at age 15 and through extensive research she sought to uncover much of her ancestor’s history.

This is the story of the Kurc family of Rodom, Poland, mother, father, and four siblings and their exterme attempts to flee and/or become resistance fighters in the Nazi occupation. Extreme detail is given to each family member’s experience and the difficulty of reuniting at the war’s end.

It is always difficult to be allowed into the experiences of horrendous anxieties, hardships, cruelties, and losses of the Holocaust but one that is always so important to never forget. I found this important today when we are experiencing a global pandemic and many people are resisting a few precautions, such as, social distancing, the wearing of masks, staying at home, etc, in order to end a difficult plague. I do not think the resisters of today would have fared well lest survived the Nazis.

5 Stars

81. THE BOOK OF LONGINGS by Sue Monk Kidd (10/31/20) Historical Fiction

Sue Monk Kidd spends no time getting our attention on this newest of her four novels. “I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus.” There starts a narrative of Ana’s story of her life. Young Ana, born into wealth and privilege, yearns to live a worthy, spiritual life. She is considered rebellious when she challenges the role of women and seeks to pursue larger intellectual and spiritual dreams. She begs her father, a scribe, to teach her to read and scribe which she uses to write secret narratives about women of her day, who are silenced and neglected.

Ana meets the eighteen-year-old Jesus and they become drawn to each other philosophically and physically. They marry and Ana gives up her advantaged lifestyle to become part of Jesus’ family, as they move in with his mother, Mary and Jesus’ two brothers James and Simon. Ana leaves behind her family, including her adopted brother, Judas who later becomes the famous betrayer of Jesus.

Kidd does an excellent job of honoring the historical and religious history of this story which is filled with historically accurate detail and many complex plots of the mystery of what was happening to Jesus before his ministry began.

I think Kidd did a masterful job of researching and developing an alternate story line to one of the best known stories of all time.

5 Stars

82. THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by Lisa Wingate (11/3/20) Historical Fiction

The Book of Lost Friends is about ads accumulated by the South Western Christians Advocate, written by freed slaves in hope of finding their friends and relatives who had been sold and delivered to far off places as slaves. These ads were sent to churches and newspapers in hope of finding the missing and reuniting them.

In the book we find an emancipated slave, Hannie, and two friends she was helping, traveling through the South in search of their missing family. As they traveled they wrote of any other missing people and those trying to find them which became “The Book of Lost Friends”.

The modern part of the story is in Louisiana where a first-year teacher named Bennie subsidizes her student debts by teaching in a rural country school where the students take no more interest in education than the staff, jaded by the lack of resources and parental involvement. It is the late 1980’s and Bennie, who also came from poverty is determined to change the lives of her students by getting them interested in the local history of the slave owners and their slaves buried in the local graveyards. She comes across a treasure trove of information in an abandoned mansion, formerly owned by a family of slave holders.

The author ties the past with the present by going back and forth between the history of this town authentically and masterfully. I loved the performers of the audiobook who made the novel come alive. A great read.

5 Stars

83. A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA by Isabel Allende (11/11/20) Historical Fiction

When Franco’s fascists defeat the Republican army during the Spanish Civil War, thousands of Spaniards flee as refugees to France where the welcome is more than difficult. When Roser, a pregnant widow has to flee again, her dead husband’s brother Victor offers her a platonic marriage and a chance to come with hem on a rescue ship headed to Chile. There they start a new life where she finds her skills as a pianist help them succeed. Their’s is a story of friendship and wisdom, hope and resiliance.

This story did not interest me as much as some of her other books have. I always know that is true when I finish the book and don’t care what happens to the main characters.

3 Stars

 

84. THE SEA KEEPER’S DAUGHTERS by Lisa Wingate (11/12/20) Fiction

Whitney, a restauranteur in Michigan must travel to her hometown, Roanoke Island, where she finds her deceased mother’s elderly husband has gone downhill and is hospitalized. The decrepit, yet historical house, the Excelsior, brings back bad memories and her estranged step-father’s angst towards her puts her in a quandary. While looking for a few historical heirlooms to help pay her restaurant debts she comes across historical documents of value to their community. There is also a tenant with whom she becomes involved.

This book of Wingate’s does not have the depth nor poignancy of “The Book of Lost Friends”, # 82 on my list, but it was an enjoyable read.

4 Stars

 

85. FOUR SEASONS IN ROME by Anthony Doerr (11/13/20) Auto-Biography

My 8th book to read in this journey was Anthony Doerr’s “All the Light We Cannot See”, a mesmerizing novel which not only won the famed Pulitzer Prize, but many other awards including The Rome Prize, from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which included a year in Rome complete with an apartment, a writing studio, and a stipend. The Doerr family had just given birth to twin boys and at six months of age the family started their Roman adventure.

This memoir is best in it’s ability to find humor amid chaos, beauty amid destruction, and humanity amid clamor. His descriptions of how it felt to land in Rome after a long plane ride, jet-lagged, unable to communicate, while trying to placate two hungry disheveled infants hit a chord we may all have had experienced to some degree. At the apartment the place was as unlike Boise as could be imagined. The book is a lot about sleep depravation and parenting, but mostly about their adventures into a city of profoundly rich history and the enchanting majesty of it all. Through his eyes and descriptive genius we can taste the food, walk the streets, enjoy the locals and wonder in the magnificence of the art and architecture.

4 Stars

86. A VERY STABLE GENIUS By Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig (11/15/20) Biography

” A Very Stable Genius” are words President Trump used to describe himself when the press was reporting that among other things White House staffers were becoming more and more concerned about Trump’s frantic behavior and uncontrolled outbursts. Worries about his stability had become more and more common as the Special Counsel Robert Mueller was investigating Russian interference into the 2016 election amid allegations of obstruction of justice and as Trump’s re-election campaign was nearing.

The Washington Post’s White House Bureau Chief Phillip Rucker, and national investigative reporter Carol Leonnig, both Pulitzer Prize winners and Washington insiders with a plethora of sources, portray a narrative of the Trump Administration as they break all sense of traditions to accomplish a unique version of Trump’s America with shocking insights into how to accomplish their goals and it’s implications.

The rumors of a haphazard administration have been flowing from the beginning of Trump’s presidency but what makes this book stand out are the scores of interviews with the most senior members of the administration and the first-hand witnesses that expose how many are driven by self-preservation and self-aggrandizement to enable Trump’s survival. Many have started to divulge the truth for the benefit of history as Trump struggles to survive.

5 Stars

 

87. RAGE by Bob Woodward (11/18/20) Biography

Bob Woodward, famous for his reporting with Carl Bernstein during the break-in and burglary of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate complex, leading to the fall of the Nixon presidency and gaining a Pulitzer Prize, has written his second book about Donald Trump. This is the seventh President he has written about.

Woodward was granted, by Trump, personal interviews, eighteen in all, seventeen taped and one by notes, making his words accurate and uncompromising. It gave him the unique perspective of having first-hand access. What also makes this book unique is that Woodward was able to quote not only his questions but also Trump’s answers. The freewheeling nature of Trumps answers gives us all entry into Trump’s motives, rationale, and generalizations and warped conclusions. Also, as false conclusions or inaccurate statements were made by Trump, Woodward would set the record straight so the reader would see the error in his statements as they appeared.

The best parts of the book were Trump’s version of his relationship Kim Jong Un, the Korean leader, complete with Woodward’s access to twenty-five personal letters between Kim and Trump, and his admission that he was warned that Covid-19 would be a worldwide pandemic and the biggest national security threat to his presidency in January, 2020. I especially appreciated that Woodward never held back from asking difficult questions, sometimes while explaining to Trump how his actions or inactions could work against him, historically and politically. And with Trump telling the author, “Don’t worry about it. We’ll get to do another book. You’ll find out I was right.”

5 Stars

88. THE WATER DANCER by Ta-Nahisi Coates (11/20/20) Historical Fiction

The Water Dancer is about young Hiram Walker, born a slave on a Virginia plantation, son of Rose and the plantation master, Howell. When Rose tried to escape with baby Hiram and was caught, as punishment Rose was sold and Hiram left behind. Hiram had an incredible memory except for remembering his mother, repressed by the trauma. Hiram’s father brings his to the house as a man-servant for his half-brother, Maynard. Hiram is admonished to “protect” Maynard, less gifted than Hiram.

The story is filled with imagery and themes. Water and water movement represent a path to freedom and a symbolism of the movement they were constantly seeking. Water dancing was a dance the women did while balancing a jug of water on their head while giving praise to those who danced on the waves of freedom and a reminder that she owns her own body. We see how slavery corrupts and destroys families through rape of women, family separations, stolen labor, knowledge and death.

Despite witnessing a bleak part of American history, Coates brings to life the beauty, power, and knowledge of the enslaved and their determination to share in the promise of freedom. This is an incredible book and the audio version brings to life the characters with song and lyric voices.

5 Stars

 

89. HOW TO STOP TIME by Matt Haig (11/23/20) Fiction

Tom Hazard is a young man starting a new job as a high school teacher. Due to an extremely rare condition where he ages so slowly that when people start to notice he changes his life and identity to avoid exposure to a condition he feels no one would accept or understand. He is part of a small community of people, the Albatross Society, with this condition with a leader who scares them into not revealing themselves to others, and supporting them when they establish new lives. Tom, afraid of the consequences obeys the rules of not forming close attachments, but, he feels lost and alone.

This journey through time features flashbacks of his earlier lives including relationships with Captain Cook, Shakespeare, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. But in Tom’s new teaching job he becomes attached to a female co-worker and longs for an ordinary life.

The premise of the book, though interesting with some compelling time travel aspects, made me, not a fan of science fiction, less than excited.

3 Stars

 

90. HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD by Robert Kolker (11/26/20) Non-Fiction

This true story of a family, the Galvins, finds the couple trying to live the American dream shortly after World War II, which brought them to Colorado and a home on Hidden Valley Road. Mimi gave birth to her first son in 1945 and continued to expand the family until they had ten sons and two daughters in 1965. Mimi brought up the children practically alone while her husband Don pursued a job in the Air Force.

The household was chaotic with wild and rambunctious brothers fighting for superiority and space while Mimi tended to overlook and deny the mass confusion and mounting abuse and violence. As incidents worsened six of the boys were diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychological breakdown as the mental health community was debating the cause as “nature” or “nurture”. Many felt that “poor parenting” was the cause, for which Mimi totally disagreed.

As science progressed DNA was discovered and genetic markers a possibility. After many years of blame, hardship and confusion the National Institute of Mental Health realized that this family could be excellent subjects of study since half of the children had the diagnosis and half did not. This compassionate depiction of the horrific nature of the illness and the murky scientific exploration of mental health disease over the years makes this a compelling story and gives hope for a path of treatment and a cure.

5 Stars

91. AND THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell (11/27/20) Fiction

At age fifteen Ellie Mack went missing. Her mother Laurel could not believe she was a runaway who would want to leave her boyfriend and family right before a summer vacation she had been looking forward to. Ten years later, with Ellie’s disappearance still a mystery, her marriage ended, and a life that had previously haunted her, Laurel begins to put her life together when she starts flirting with a complete stranger, Floyd. After meeting Floyd’s daughter’s she can’t get over how his youngest, Poppy, is so like her daughter Ellie.

From here the story tracts back to Ellie’s disappearance and how Floyd and Poppy become connected in Laurel’s life. Similar to “Gone Girl” the narrative takes the twists and turns of a good suspense novel and is definitely a solid story with an unusual ending.

4 Stars

92. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE by Jonathan Safran Foer (12/3/20) Fiction

Oskar Schell’s father was lost in the terrorist attack of the World Trade Buildings on 9/11. Oskar is nine years old, smart as a whip, curious to a fault, inquisitive in a disarming way. But he is lost and has embarked on a mission to solve a mystery of what lock his father’s key will open. He has few clues but tries to overcome his superstitions by going on the hunt to all five boroughs of New York. This quest is hilarious, provocative, tender and enduring. There is a parallel story about his grandparents who were firebombed in Dresden, Germany in World War II and their son lost in 9/11.

The author has a magical of bringing the perfect essence of this incredible boy to life on the page. I was in love with him and didn’t want to leave him. This is a great and heartwarming story. A MUST READ>

5 Stars

 

 

93. A PROMISED LAND by Barack Obama (12/8/20) Auto-Biography

I am glad I did the audiobook of this biography because it was in the former president’s voice. I understand the hardback is as heavy as a big Bible. And this is just the first volume of his memoirs! Obama, who is known for his analytical nature does not disappoint in this book where we begin in his youth, unusual with his bi-racial parents, who both travel to their own drummers, leaving Barack to find his own way in searching for his own identity. He goes into detail of finding his way into education and then to following a political path.

Obama is more than honest about his flaws and weaknesses and how he mastered them to get the job done while helping others. Without bragging, he knows that without mentors and others who took an interest in him, his life could have gone another way. Becoming a community organizer in Chicago tapped his desire to make things better for more and got him interested in a political path much to Michelle’s initial disdain.

With great detail we follow him on the political journey, complete with campaign strategy, mistakes, blunders in Illinois and on to Washington. We learn many details, sometimes more than I needed, but great for political junkies, on how messy, tiring, and demoralizing a campaign can be. Mostly we learn how difficult it is on family life and physical stamina, but also how rewarding it can be to meet and hear stories from thousands of people all over America.

What I appreciated was his thought process and analysis that brought him to the conclusions he made. He was adept in how, with the help of experts, analysts, and his cabinet, he would come to a conclusion that could have gone either way, such as the decision to go after Bin Laden, and how to make it happen. He has a brilliant mind, but continues to question his decisions and tries to answer the unanswerable: Could I have done this better? A lot of things take guts and courage but he seems always aware of the consequences and tries to do the best, most ethical thing. I did learn many new things about a president I had admired but now, admire more.

5 Stars

94. THE PARIS HOURS by Alex George (12/10/20) Fiction

Set in Paris, 1927, with all the flavor of post-war Paris teeming with famous artists, writers, and musicians amidst creative and provocative endeavors, sets the scene as we follow four unrelated people. Camille, maid to Marcel Proust, a famous novelist who directs Camille to destroy his journals, a deed she cannot imagine. There is Souren, an Armenian refugee and street puppeteer, with shows reflecting his dark past. A lovesick artist Guillaume, running from a debt he cannot repay who finds hope when Gertrude Stein wanders into his gallery. John-Paul, a French journalist tells the stories of others and whose own story is too painful to repeat.

Alex George paints the portrait of Parisian life during it’s strong emergence of creativity and beauty. We can hear the jazz, smell the flowers, taste the food and wine and experience a period of excitement when the lives of the four connect to find out what they are looking for. Beautiful, fascinating storytelling.

5 Stars

 

95. MELANIA AND ME by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff (12/17/2020) Biography

I personally know little of the First Lady other than what I hear on the news and lots of speculation about what she is really like, does she really love the President, or is she just in it for the money. Along comes a tell-all book from a former close friend and I decided to take a look-see, fully knowing many will try to cash-in with these exposes and we may have to take some of it or most of it with a grain of salt.

Wolkoff was a former director of special events at Vogue and produced nine Met Galas so she definitely met the criteria of traveling in the “right” social circles of New York as do the Trumps. Wolkoff met Melania in 2003 where she had a front row seat to see the transformation of Melania from girlfriend of Donald Trump to wife, mother and First Lady. She tells of their friendship filled with lunches, personal texts, black-tie dinners which culminated as she was recruited to help produce the 58th Presidential Inauguration and became Melanie’s most trusted advisor. She goes into great detail, for me too much detail, of the numerous details that were necessary to pull off the event. She also related how clueless most of the Trump team was about these details and how great their expectations were making her job a nightmare. Because the funding for the event was not well managed (or mismanaged) she was assured she should run many of the expenses through her company in order to get things done in a timely way and was assurred there would be no problems with reimbursements. When the inauguration finance irregularities became known she became a scapegoat for the high extravagent amounts and was blindsided when Melania, rather than defending the expenses allotted to her friend and confident, stood by Trump and company. The betrayal destroyed their relationship and Wolkoff’s good name. The intimate friendship, loyalty, and protection she had given Melania became a heartbreaker for Wolcoff.

The book is not a vicious contempt for Melania, but more of a tragic disappointment and an awakening of what true friendship means in a volatile political setting. It shows lots of back room reactions Melania had to events such as her relationship with Ivanka and other family members, whether she really wanted to be First Lady, and Melania’s reactions to Stormy Daniels, the immigration separations, and how she really felt about her husband’s decisions. If you are in to politics, behind the scene, you will enjoy this book.

3 Stars

96. ON GOLD MOUNTAIN by Lisa Sing (12/22/20) Historical Fiction

Lisa See was asked by her family to chronicle the stories of her relatives before they were lost. From years of research she produced “The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family.

In 1867, See’s great-great-grandfather, Fong See, immigrated to “the Gold Mountain”-the US-to seek opportunity and fortune. He encountered Chinese immigrant laborers in Sacramento who were treated like slaves. With his knowledge of herbal remedies he became one of the few healers and went on to become a mercantile seller of undergarments when he met a Caucasian woman escaping poverty from Oregon and in need of a job. They formed a partnership, expanded their business and married in spite of laws prohibiting interracial marriages.

They moved their business to Los Angeles where they eventually, as LA grew and prospered, expanded the business to an Asian antique empire. Their family grew and throughout the years learned to deal with poverty, family dynamics, loyalty to traditions, and entrepreneurial genius. This chronicle of the See family through the generations as they attempt to continue their culture within the blossoming of a new world.

Historically correct, we are invited into the world of the Chinese-American population as they strive to assimilate and integrate into California and beyond.

4 Stars

 

97. THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig (12/25/20) Fiction

Nora Seed feels like her life is worthless and she is filled with regret for things she had not pursued in her life. Feeling like her drab life is not worth living she finds herself in the “Midnight Library” with her school librarian, Mrs. Elm, one of the few people she felt had been kind to her. She tells her every life contains millions of decisions. This is like no other library. It contains an infinite number of books where she can see what her life would have been like had she followed that path.

Nora experiences alternate realities of other paths she could have taken such as glacierologist, Olympic swimmer, philosopher, singer, and, married with children. If Nora’s vision of a path is not what she hoped for she may go back to try another.

Haig takes “what could have been” travel to a reality of the meaning of “what can happen” as the stories she passes through shows choices and possibilities of life and what really matters. This thought provoking story has been rated Best Fiction 2020 by many reviewers and book clubs.

5 Stars

 

98. THE HENNA ARTIST by Alka Joshi (12/22/20) Historical Fiction

Seventeen-year-old Lakshmi flees an abusive arranged marriage in 1950 to the city of Jaipur where she uses her skills as an herbalist healer and henna artist to help upper class women. She must keep her secret of leaving her marriage or be spurned by society. Independent minded she slowly builds a life for herself and later helps her younger sister to do the same.

With vivid portraits of life in India struggling with the complexity of post-colonial India and the traditions of caste, we see the obstacles for women and their destinies. This the first novel by the author is filled to the senses with visions, sounds, smells, and tastes of India. Beautifully written and an interesting story.

5 Stars

 

99. REASONS TO STAY ALIVE by Matt Haig (12/29/20) Non-Fiction

Most of us have heard that one in five will or have experienced depression in one’s lifetime. I have not. From my experience, I have had the tendency to try to make things better for someone I know who is battling the disease, only to find that it is not that easy. In this book, the author is giving a look into his mind and heart as he fights his demons. It is uncomfortable, and scary, and difficult to watch, as it is in real life. At times, I felt depressed myself by consuming his words, so real and raw.

This book is not fun to read. It is a chance, however, to enter the dark thoughts and moods of one possessed with emotional turmoil. We are taken on his journey of panic attacks, anxiety and social isolation which through hard work eventually led to coping mechanisms and strategies which helped him to find happiness with himself, his marriage and children. It was not an easy read but his experience may help others. One of his methods involved reading books which took him away from himself and into other places-the very thing that is helping me to cope during Covid-19.

3 Stars

 

100. THE HUNTRESS by Kate Quinn (1/1/21) Historical Fiction

I wanted my 100th book to be special. Little did I know it would also be finished on the first day of the new year, 2021. I saw that this book, The Huntress, was written by the author of The Alice Network, a book I loved, so this seemed perfect to celebrate my 100th book and the new year, an event so many were looking forward to after the turmoil of 2020.

Quinn continues to follow a World War II theme. Who knew that the Germans called Russian female bomber pilots, “Night Witches”? Who knew that they even had female bomber pilots from Russia? This is what I love about historical fiction, that within the fictional story we can learn more about history.

We are introduced to “the Huntress”, a woman who has killed six innocent Polish children during the war. Next we meet a teenage girl with a penchant for photography and her father who live in Boston shortly after the end of the war. Then we meet a young Russian peasant woman who wants to learn to fly and become part of the war effort. Then, post-war we meet Ian, a war correspondent and his partner Tony who have become Nazi hunters looking for the infamous “Huntress”. From these characters an intricate story is woven filled with historical detail and pace. Through flashbacks and fast-forwards the story begins to take shape and build in suspense.

With three themes, at times this book was hard to follow, but soon realized this was it’s way of building the suspense. I felt the book could have been easily called, “Night Witches”, in that the most developed and interesting character was Nina with all her flaws and wounded spirit. However, I can see why she may not have chosen to dig deeper into the horrific character, “The Huntress”. I enjoyed this book and hope to read other of Quinn’s earlier books.

5 Stars

101. THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES by Kristin Harmel (1/5/21) Historical Fiction

Eva, a librarian, sees a picture and article in a magazine of a book she wrote and hasn’t seen for 65 years, since the time she was part of the underground helping to smuggle Jewish families to safety during World War II. This is one of the books saved from destruction the Nazi’s carried out on libraries all across Europe. This book looks like an 18th century religious text but is really in code, a code only Eva can break.

The Book of Lost Names contains the real names of the Jewish children she smuggled out of Germany in 1942. Eva, a young Jewish woman, had learned to forge documents for the families being smuggled and wanted to have a record of the children’s real names so they could someday be reunited with their family or know their true origins. This book is based on true events and is filled with details of the risks people take to help others in extraordinary times. Filled with the horror and memories of the Nazi occupation, an aging Eva must retrieve the book from Berlin’s Central Library and open it’s secrets.

5 Stars

 

102. THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LA RUE by V.E. Schwab (1/9/21) Fiction

When an 18th Century Frenchwoman faces a forced marriage to a widower with three children, Addie La Rue runs to a meadow and prays for another life and finds she had made a pact with a green-eyed stranger/devil named Luc. In the new life she will have eternal life but at the cost that everyone who meets her forgets her the next time meet. Lasting relationships are impossible and Luc says if she tires of her life she must surrender her soul to him. He checks back with her yearly and she goes through the centuries surviving poor and difficult and sometimes exciting existences but refuses to yield to Luc.

Things change for her in the 21st Century, when she meets a young bookseller, Henry, who becomes the first person to remember her when she stole a book from his shop. This was possible because he also made a pact with Luc. Enough said.

This historical fiction, filled with fantasy and time travel, takes you to a place of darkness, romance and a journey of adventures that span history and art of three centuries. You either are a big fan of this kind of romantic fantasy or think it is contrived. I am perplexed because I appreciate the author’s imagination and writing skills but asked myself, “when will this adventure end?” It is a best-seller though and I am probably in the minority.

3 Stars

 

103. A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles (1/24/21) Fiction

I have to confess that I have previously read this book along with Towles’ other, Rules of Civility. I decided to do the audio version to bring me up to snuff as the first choice of a book club my alma mater just started. Getting back to the life of Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov was like revisiting an old friend. Towles has deliciously developed a character with the Count that is so complete, so filled with nuances and idiosyncrasies, that I now remember how hard it was to say goodbye to this aristocratic man. An example is, “The Count reviewed the menu in reverse order as was his habit, having learned from experience that giving consideration to appetizers before entrees can only lead to regret.”

The story begins as the Count, part of the Royal aristocracy of the Russian Empire, is sentenced to life under house arrest for writing something politically incorrect to the minds of the Bolsheviks of the newly formed Soviet Union. Rather than being sent to prison the Count must serve his time in Moscow’s most elegant hotel, the Metropole Hotel. The elegance and clientele suits the Count but as the years pass the Count can only be a armchair observer to the events of thirty years in the outside world, which does not keep him from having unique adventures and relationships.

The book is pure poetry for those entralled with the “gentry” class. A must read.

5 Stars

 

104. REMEMBRANCE by Rita Woods (1/15/21) Historical Fiction

Remembrance is a historical novel about the slave trade spanning from Haiti, to New Orleans, and north to Ohio. Remembrance is a place north of New Orleans, part of the Underground Railroad, a safe haven for slaves on the road to freedom. Remembrance was founded by an elderly slave from Haiti, Mother Abigail, who is a spiritual priestess and healer. She uses her “powers” to protect the compound’s “Edge” from white slavers intent on capturing the free and runaways to sell to the highest bidders. Heaped in Voodoo traditions and rituals we get an authentic image of the lives, suffering, and spiritual beliefs of the Haitian Caribbean slave culture.

Culturally this is an outstanding book, sometimes hard to follow but interesting and beautifully written.

4 Stars

 

105. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE by Audrey Niffenegger (1/21/21) Fiction

I sometime think that the clue to writing a hit novel is to use “wife”, “daughter”, etc in in the title to capture the attention of the readers. They all seem to become “best sellers” as did this one. Time travel also hooks audiences. This book started well with the dilemma that Henry, through genetics or some phenomenon, started time traveling, never knowing how, when or where he would go or what age he would become. But wherever he went he landed naked with his clothes left behind and he had to use his ingenuity to get food, clothing and shelter. Along the way he falls in love with a young girl named Clare who accepts the concept of his time travel and eventually they marry and try to build a life together, confusing as it sounds.

That is the best part of the book, the initial love story. Then we witness countless trips of time travel and I got the feeling of boredom and repetition. The story is not so much about his wife as it is about Henry himself-a trick title, I think. I think that the concept, which was exciting at first, kind of petered out and didn’t have much more excitement to explore.

3 Stars

 

106. THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett (1/24/2020) Fiction

This is the story of black identical twin sisters from Mallard, Louisiana, who at sixteen run away from home to New Orleans for an adventure and to begin their lives. Their skin color is so light that they can pass as white. Stella gets a job in an office working for a white man who is unaware of her race. Her sister, Desiree, falls for a black man, gets pregnant and returns to Mallard with a black child. Stella, passing as white, accepts her boss’s marriage proposal and she moves away with him. The sisters take different paths in life, lose touch and we see the contrast in their lives and in the lives of their daughters whose lives as adults intersect.

Bennett is a good solid writer who adds depth to her story by exploring many facets of life from how skin color variants affect acceptance, to the reality that life’s expectations aren’t always what we hope for.

4 Stars

107. THE CHOICE by Dr. Edith Eva Eger (1/26/21) Non-Fiction

Dr. Edith Eva Eger, a Clinical Psychologist, a Holocaust survivor, wrote this memoir at the age of ninety, dividing it into three parts. Edith was the youngest daughter of a Hungarian Jewish family. In 1944 the family is transported to Auschwitz by cattle car. Her parents are immediately murdered, Edith and her sister Magda live to suffer the tortures of the prison camp. Her personalization of how she survived the atrocities by holding on to her dignity and her belief that she would survive at all costs, though riveting , does not focus as much on the events as her survival techniques. At the brink of death by starvation at the end of the war she and her sister are saved by and American G.I. The sisters slowly recover although Edith has a severely injured back.

The second part of the book is Edith’s life post-war, a life of marriage, children and her struggle to escape the emotional struggles of nightmares, survivor guilt, and forgiveness, and healing. As she deals with her own situation she pursues education and a desire to become a psychologist.

The last section involves the work she does with traumatized veterans and civilians, her influence from Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, and realizing that the healing process is a lifelong journey which culminates by her trip back to Germany and Auschwitz where she finally is able to celebrate her life and freely and fully empower positive psychology and forgiveness work that reflects on the meaning of our existence. This is a powerful book, at times difficult to read, but absolutely necessary for reflection and the celebration of our ability to heal and embrace life. She is an inspiration.

5 Stars

108. MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor Frankl (1/26/21) Non-Fiction

After having read The Choice, #107 on my list, the author described the influence Viktor Frankl had on her. He was also a Holocaust survivor and was instrumental in mentoring Dr. Eger. This book, Man’s Search for Meaning, was voted of the ten most influential books in the United States by the “Book of the Month Club” and the “Library of Congress”.

Frankl wrote this book in 1946 and chronicled his experiences in the Nazi concentration camps. He analyzes his experiences which involve finding a purpose in life and to immerse himself into that outcome. He also identifies three psychological reactions experienced by all inmates of the prison camps: initial shock; apathy; and, depersonalization after liberation. He goes into detail of how former prisoners respond to freedom and how difficult it is to overcome.

The second part of the book involves the meaning of his theory and intoduces it as “logotherapy” and proceeds to the self-promotion of his ideology.

My thoughts about the book: Even though the book had sold over 10 million copies at the time of Frankl’s death in 1997, there has been some criticism of Frankl’s conclusions about survivors, such as, that those who died had “given up” thus implying that the victims were partially responsible, and that a “positive attitude” was essential to survival, and that it was a choice. Interesting that that is the name of Eger”s book, The Choice.

3 Stars

109. THE WIVES by Tarryn Fisher (1/28/21) Suspense Fiction

It has been quite a while since I have read a suspense novel and heard this was a good one. The protagonast grabs you right away while explaining her relationship with her husband. She is only one of three wives. At first I wondered what she saw in that, and actually I never did “get” it. She only saw him one day a week and that didn’t seem to bother her because she loved him so much. She also didn’t know the other two wives, which was his secret to keep until a clue in his pants pocket revealed the name of another wife. After that she couldn’t resist looking for the two other women. She decided to anonymously look for the woman in the note, Hannah, who like herself was lonely and longed for friendship. As their friendship grew she suspected Hannah was being abused by her/their husband and caused her to try to find out who the third wife was and if she also was being abused.

The story lineage is of emotional and physical abuse and eventually, mental illness. The three women make excuses for his behavior or refuse to see his fault in it. I wasn’t fond of the premise that a wife who is so in love with her husband could be content with the arrangement in the first place. Some circumstances were thrown in for the sake of suspense, but I found it contrived and disingenuous. I know this is hyped as a best seller and it may have some value to those who are thrilled with thrillers, but it never met it’s mark with me.

3 Stars

110. THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho (1/28/21) Fiction

A young Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago, enjoys the freedom of his quiet, simple nomadian life-style with his sheep, the night-time stars, and his travels. He seems content until he is challenged with finding his own “Personal Legend”, (dreams) and leaves his old life in Spain behind to seek his “treasure” at the Pyramids of Egypt. We follow his travels and experiences in this pursuit understanding that “the Universe” will help him achieve his quest.

The book reads like a mythical Old Testament-part symbolism, part poetry with references to “Soul of the World” and “Language of the World”. It is filled with “men’s” need to find themselves without references to women needs who are left behind to take care of business ie.children, gathering, and practical tasks of the day. To many critics this is a mysogynist tale far better left behind to historical times.

If you enjoy metaphysical wisdoms, such as, “When you want something, all the universe conspires you to achieve it”, and, “All things are one”, you will love this book. If you are of a more solid, practical nature, it may seem this “spiritual” journey is a fantasy of the imagination. I personally gather a little dust on both sides of that fence as I get older and explore that old cliche, “the meaning of life”.

4 Stars

 

111. GREENLIGHTS by Matthew McConaughey (1/30) Autobiography

The unique part of reading audiobooks narrated by the author when the author is a well-known actor, celebrity, or politician is that it will capture the true nature of the person and his/her authenticity. Most of us are aware of the rolls McConaughey has played in the movies complete with his rogue humor and Southern charm. If the book is true to his nature, and I think it is, you will see him in all his glory and then some.

McConaughey follows his greenlights, sometimes makes mistakes with yellow or red lights, but finds these greenlights have guided his pathway to his success. The biography, sometimes crude, sometimes playful, sometimes insightful, give us a reason to believe he is intelligent and thoughtful about his life and is in charge of his own journey.

I was quite honestly impressed with McConaughey. He is deeper than I realized while never losing his playful sense of humor as he engagingly shows us his easy-breezy style of luck, timing, and his work ethic.

4 Stars

112. PREP by Curtis Sittenfeld (2/3/21) Fiction

My last book blog was admitting I have a favorite author, Curtis Sittenfeld, and I looked for ward to reading more of her books. This book, Prep, is her debut novel. It is about a Lee, a 14-year-old Indiana girl who longs to leave her dull life and go to an exclusive prep school in the East. She is a smart girl who has bigger plans for herself and Ault Prep School almost assures an entry into an Ivy League College.

This book depicts challenges facing kids in most high school settings where fitting in is difficult, but how it becomes even more problematic when you are a “scholarship” student rather than part of the privileged class in a private college prep high school.

This book reads realistically and honestly and I do like that about her writing. What I had trouble with in this book was the protagonist, Lee, herself. She is a flawed character, which often is the case, but, she also is shallow, shy to the point of being unlikable, uncaring about her family and friends, and so quick to judgment that I wanted to scream when others tried to be friendly or helpful of which she either refused to be a part of, or lacked the cognitive reasoning to improve. I do not always have to like the main character, but I have to either see some part worthy of redemption or some kind of transformation towards betterment. That never happened for me. But I have to say one thing for the author, Sittenfeld, Lee was believable.

3 Stars

 

113. Eligible by Curtis Suttenfeld (2/8/21) Fiction

Publisher HarperCollins invited contemporary novelists to join the Austin Project, a challenge to recreate a Jane Austin book into their own story. This is Sittenfeld offering based on Pride and Predjudice. Set in modern time, in Cincinnati, we meet Liz Bennet, a magazine writer living in New York and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a handsome 40ish neurosurgeon. Liz is called home to Cincy to help care for her ill father even though her hapless sisters live there but do little to help the cause. Her mother is a worrisome matchmaker, longing to have her daughters married off. Sound familiar?

Although Sittenfeld is good at storytelling the project seems flawed from the beginning premise: How can we take societal customs such as, marrying off eligible daughters in order to save the family from financial ruin, adaptable and acceptable in today’s world? Austin is romantic literature from the Eighteenth Century, alive with the poetic dialogue and authentic situations of the day which capture that period time. It is almost unfair to follow the norms of an earlier time, drop them into a similar situation, although modernized, and expect it to flourish in the same way. The attempt was well-done but doomed to fail.

3 Stars

 

114. THE MEMORY KEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Kim Edwards (2/11/21) Fiction

Norah and her husband are expecting their first child in 1964. In the middle of a bad snowstorm Norah goes into labor. David, a doctor gets as far as his office in the storm where he can deliver the baby with the help of his nurse, Caroline. A healthy baby boy is successfully delivered under full anesthetic, and soon after, an unexpected surprise-twins. Happiness soon turns to panic when David realizes his baby daughter, Phoebe, has Downs Syndrome. Wanting to protect his wife from this tragedy, she is unaware,still under the anesthetic, David makes a rash decision to send the newborn to a home and asks Caroline to take her there for him.

As Norah awakes she is told she had twins, the boy lived, the girl died. Here begins the tragedy of loss, the division a secret brings, and how do you handle difficult circumstances. The book shows the worst-case scenario in the breakdown of Norah and David and how one impulsive decision can actually bring the opposite result. This is a well-written though sad book. It shows that Downs Syndrome children can have happy lives and loss can terminate relationships.

The beginning of the book was spellbinding. As we moved through David and Norah’s life, we find them languishing in loss and pity barely enjoying their son Peter, and it dragged me down. Phoebe’s story should have been more detailed to make the book more interesting.

3 Stars

 

115. PUSHING UP BLUEBONNETS by Leann Sweeney (2/14/21) Adolescent Fiction

This is a part of a series called Yellow Rose Mysteries, intended for an adolescent audience which I found charming in a nostalgic kind of way. I admit, I was a Nancy Drew kind of kid and thought I might like to see the difference. Abby Rose, an adult, is the privileged daughter of an rich software executive and is into solving mysteries after having solved one for herself when she was illegally adopted.

She is now a private detective and joins in solving a case of a woman, a car crash victim, in a coma, the only clue being Abby’s business card found at the scene of the accident.

I found this story intertaining and most likely appealing to young girls.

3 Stars

 

(116) Eleanor by David Michaelis (2/18/21) Biography

There have been many biographies of Eleanor Roosevelt and this is one the author spent a decade researching. In this book, which covers her from birth to death gives us a complete picture, without prejudice, of her flaws and triumphs and intimacies gathered from letter writing and journals, which flourished as communication in those days.

The book is not unkind to her or generous. We are allowed to see it all without conclusions. We see her shy, insecure childhood that no amount of money and privilege could cure, and how the lack of family intimacies that serve to nurture young children were mostly absent from her life. Eleanor was sent to many relatives for close keeping as her parents went off to pursue their interests. Her mother, highly critical her appearance, and her father, who loved her as she did him, was still unreliable due to his alcoholism.

It is astounding from that background that she came to marry FDR, a handsome bachelor distant cousin, became First Lady, and when infidelity entered their marriage she was still able to influence his politics, especially the many humanitarian causes. During the Depression she traveled across the country bring the stories of poverty and hardship back to her husband.

During WWII she energetically worked visiting the troops and speaking to each wounded soldier. This political partnership was extremely helpful to Franklin, a paraplegic due to polio. She was well-loved by the public and became admired around the world in a world mostly run by men.

5 Stars

 

117. A LIFE WITHOUT WATER by Marci Bolden (2/20/21) Fiction

Carol and John cannot overcome the tragedy of losing their daughter and Carol moves on to a new husband and a new life. On the anniversary of what would be their daughter’s 30th birthday John shows up out of the blued to a now widowed, Carol. Her anger towards him has not diminished and she wants to part of him even though he is dying and wishes to take Carol and their daughter’s ashes on a journey they should have had, had she lived.

This story of love, mistakes, regret, and end of life issues reign through out the story in a poignant portrayal of lives lost and forgiveness found.

4 Stars

 

118. THE FOUR WINDS by Kristin Hannah (2/26/21) Historical Fiction

Kristin Hannah is the author of 21 novels (how does she do it?) and if you like books of great hardship, with flawed turned heroic and strong women, she is your go-to author. I think my first Hannah book was The Nightingale, set in occupied France during World War II where two sisters discover their own pathway toward survival, heroism and freedom. I loved this book the most, maybe because of the WWII theme, one of my favorite historical times in books. The Great Alone, #11 in this list, strays a little away from the norm in that the protagonist is a male, a mentally wounded POW who wants to start a new life in Alaska. This hardship is about fighting the elements and being ill-prepared to handle the challenges. His wife becomes the savior of the family.

In this book, The Four Winds, we are in the midst of the Great Depression at a farm in Texas, struggling but happy, when the Dust Bowl gets hit with winds that take out all the crops. Struggling to survive our woman figure,Elsa, flees Texas for the sake of her son’s lung condition and struggles to reach California, the land of “milk and honey”, where migrant farming is far worse than imagined. This book of unbelievable hardship, poverty, starvation, and lack of clothing and shelter was so strongly and well-portrayed that I felt fatigued, slightly depressed and stressed over the injustices for all the poor souls who had been in this situation. This again, is a well-written, well-designed story of some of the hardest times in our nation’s history. Did I like it? Let’s just say I appreciated it. It is hard to give a low rating just because of the tough time I had reading it. But it has great value, historically, it is a best-seller, so I have to remember to try and be just in my rating.

4 Stars

 

119. THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS by Lisa Jewell (2/28/21) Psychological Fiction

This is my third book by Lisa Jewell. I started with The Invisable Girl # 76, a dark story about a strange man, who can’t attract a woman because of his behavior, with lots of dark mystery and an unpredictable ending. 5 stars. My second Jewell was # 91, And Then She Was Gone, about a fifteen-year-old girl who went missing and her mother’s search for conclusions for the ten year mystery. 4 Stars. Now we are at Jewell’s jewel. The Family Upstairs is a good, if not, great mystery. This book is about siblings who have been separated for more than 20 years. Theirs parents are dead. The two oldest were presumed dead and the youngest, Libby, struggles for identity and the mystery surrounding the death of her parents. At the age of 25, she finds out she and her siblings, inherit a mansion in Chelsea. As she strives to find out her mysterious background, she finds out about suicides, a cult her parents got involved in, the whereabouts of her siblings, and the mystery of the family upstairs. This is fast-paced, exciting, and has all the elements of a good thriller.

5 Stars

 

120. THE NIGHT PORTRAIT by Laura Morelli (3/4/21) Historical Fiction

The author, Laura Morelli, an art historian, tells the story of how Leonardo da Vinci came to paint the Portrait of a Lady With Ermine, a portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, a 15th Century mistress to the Duke of Milan. We weave forward 500 years to World War II and Edith Becker, an art conservator from Munich who after cataloging the great art of Europe finds that she has made it possible for the Nazis to steel artwork from homes and museums. The story continues as an American GI, Dominic, whose mission is to protect the Monuments Men, British and American art curators and directors commissioned to retrieve the stolen art.

Morelli’s background in art allowed her to bring vivid details of both periods of time to light and the details of the rescue and protection of the great European Art Collections. She did a great job of bringing all the stories together in an interesting and exciting way.

5 Stars

 

121. NO ONE IS TOO SMALL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE by Greta Thunberg (3/5/21) Non-Fiction

At age 15 Swedish schoolgirl, Greta Thunberg, was worried about climate change and no one seems to be concerned. She decided to protest by not going to school and her actions sparked a global movement inspiring students all over the world to go on strike every Friday forcing governments to listen to the concerns of this young, articulate girl. Her fame got her a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize and she gave speeches to the US Congress, the United Nations and others. This book is a collection of these speeches. The audio version is spoken by the author and a rallying cry for those in power to due something before it is too late. She was taken seriously and continues today to speak truth to power.

5 Stars

122. MY ABSOLUTE DARLING by Gabriel Tallent (3/8/21) Psychological Fiction

Turtle, a fourteen-year-old girl, is being brought up by her single father with her grandfather nearby on the property in a trailer with a dog. The live remotely on a large property overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong. Turtle’s father isolates purposefully enabling himself to act-out his deranged ideas and deeds. Guns and target practice holding coins are his favorite pastime, and he believes this is a part of Turtle’s education. As the story goes on he become more and more abusive and radical in his ideas. Turtle loves and admires her father but as she learns from a boy who becomes her friend, there are other ways to live. She realizes she would prefer some normalcy. As she tries to make changes her father becomes suspicious and tries to control her through abuse of all kinds.

This type of story, although well-written and perfect for a movie is absorbing though sad and troubling. As Turtle becomes more conflicted, the more violent her father becomes. This psychological drama is agonizing, mesmerizing, and unsettling-just what the author intended. It was well done but made me need a drink! Often! But I couldn’t put it down!

5 Stars

 

123. THE ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn (3/13/21) Historical Fiction

The setting is England, WWII, 1940, where we find three young women, debutante, Osla Kendall, London East Ender, Mab Churt, and, Beth Finch, a shy, reclusive local girl. The three are recruits at a highly secretive code-breaking compound called Bletchley Park. Beth is especially good at code-breaking analytics and she suspects there is a traitor within the compound. As she tries to alert the higher-ups they come to suspect the strange Beth. She is impounded away to a sanitarium under the guise of having had a mental breakdown. Her friends question her loyalties but end up helping their friend.

This is a story about friendship, betrayal, secrecy, and love affairs amidst the bombing of London and the threat of Nazi victories. A good read.

4 Stars

124. THE PUSH by Ashley Audrain (3/15/21) Psychological Fiction

This breakthrough novel is written in second-person narrative as Blythe Connor speaks her thoughts to her husband Fox, where she is able to say all the things she cannot say aloud. Abandoned by her mother at 11, and with a history of a psychologically deranged grandmother, Blythe did not feel she could succeed at or trust herself at parenting when her husband asked her to start a family. After pressuring her she consented but never believed it was the right thing to do. This page-turner goes into intimate detail of how a woman can feel when she knows she is not meant to carry a child and the trauma of postpartum anxiety when every thing she does seems to be the wrong. Never having the ability to connect emotionally with Violet, she starts seeing negative behaviors that cause her to question her daughter’s mental fitness. And this is just the beginning of this dark journey.

This was so well-written and believable that I found myself experiencing a great deal of nervous anxiety and distress while reading this unpleasant situation that many a parent experiences, hopefully, to a far lesser degree. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed enough to question why I was putting myself in such distress. But this is exactly what “thrillers” do. This book brought all my emotions to a head and for that reason I think the author is truly gifted.

5 Stars

 

125. THE PARIS LIBRARY by Janet Skeslien Charles (3/22/21) Historical Fiction

Based on true stories of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris who defied the Nazis while protecting and sharing their books in a time when book burning and censorship was commonplace. The book shares two timelines: 1939 Paris and 1983 Montana where the protagonist, Odile flees to at the end of the war.

This is a glimpse at the value of books during wartime as an invaluable escape from the atrocities and destruction of the the war and what lengths bibliophiles will take to save the written word from extinction. The book is about relationships, suspicions, and consequences as all try to survive World War II. The Montana aspect felt a bit thrown in in order to provide an escape for Odile from mistakes she made in Paris but fails to show depth in the continuation of her life in a new place and time. However, the Paris sequences were filled with interesting characters and events that save the storyline and make us care.

3 Stars

 

126. THE LILAC GIRLS by Martha Hall Kelly (3/25/21) Historical Fiction

This book takes place in 1939, a World War II fiction about three very different women whose lives become emerged. Caroline Ferriday, an New York socialite working for the French Consulate, loves the French and becomes involved in raising money for French orphans when Germany has occupied their country and later for the “Rabbits”, young Polish women used as medical experiments by the Nazis. Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, has become a courier for the underground resistance movement and later a prisoner at Ravensbruck Camp. Herta Oberheuser, a German doctor, becomes a physician at Ravensbruck, a Nazi concentration camp, known for it’s medical experimentation. We follow each woman’s path during the war years and beyond. We see Caroline and Kasia strive for justice amidst the atrocities that Herta has been involved under Hitler’s regime.

I have read many gripping stories about women’s rolls during the war in Europe and this one with it’s three parallel narratives, from America, Germany and Poland, give us heart-wrenching details we may rather not know but realize we must know. Caroline Ferriday and Herta Oberheuser are NOT fictional characters. Kasia Kuzmerick is fictional, however a composite of several real resisters. As Martha Hall Kelley’s debut novel, and after ten years of research, she has chosen to take her place with the throng of historical novels about World War II. She hits the mark with accurate details of the the Camp, the heroic courage of the resisters, and through Farriday archives she has unfurled the poignant post-war details of what became of the “Rabbits”. This book is amazing.

5 Stars

 

 

127. THE LAST RUNAWAY by Tracy Chevalier (3/27/21) Historical Fiction

Tracy Chevalier, the bestselling author of “Girl With a Pearl Earring”, one of my fondest books, wrote this book about Quakers, The Slave Fugitive Act and the Underground Railway, with nothing in common with the former book set in circa 1665, Holland. We are now in Ohio, 1865, pre Civil War. Our protagonist is a young Quaker woman from England, Honor Bright, on her way from Dorset to a place called Ohio, with her soon to be married sister. Tragedy envelopes them and her sister dies of yellow fever. Honor, naive, frightened, continues the journey alone to the home of her sister’s fiance. The carriage driver delivers her to a millinery shop run by Belle Mills who befriends and nurses the ailing and mourning Honor until she gets picked up to be taken to her destination. While with Belle, she helps her with some stitching orders and Belle realizes her superior skills. Honor has also met Belle’s brother, a wise-cracking, brash rogue who makes his living as a slave hunter, legalized under the Fugitive Slave Act. At her sister’s fiance’s house she fails to fit in with the shocked man and his widowed sister-in-law and escapes by marrying Jack Haymaker.

From here the book’s theme becomes one about slavery, a custom opposed by Quakers, and the jeopardy put on all who try to help the fleeing slaves by the “Underground Railroad”. The most interesting characters are Belle, an outspoken, hard-drinking but kind soul, and her brother Donovan who fancies Honor, but who’s violence, drinking and womanizing are opposite of Honor’s strict Quaker values.

Chavalier gave an interesting depiction of pre-Civil War America and the issue of slavery in the North but there were too many ways in which I felt the story was contrived and many characters barely developed. Also, Honor came across as judgmental of America and Americans, particularly objected to their food, boisterous behavior and even their quilting patterns and needle skills. A bit haughty for a Quaker, I imagine. I think I was spoiled with the rich texture of “Girl With a Pearl Earring” and was hoping for more depth. I will give Chevalier at least one more chance as I will soon be reading another of her books soon, “A Single Thread”.

3 Stars

 

128. RADIUM GIRLS by Kate Moore (4/2/21) Non-Fiction

In 1898 Madame Curie discovered an atomic element called Radium. In the 1920’s in Orange, New Jersey and in Ottowa, Illinois The United States Radium Corporation hired young women to paint clock and watch dials with a luminescence paint that contained radium so that they could be seen at night. The girls were known as the “shining girls” because of their glow. Radium was being touted as a miracle with some ingesting it as a cure-all. The girls got dusted with the element as they painted and at the end of the day would go to a dark room where the particles would be visible to dust off their bodies and clothing, not because it was dangerous but because it was expensive and they wanted to recapture the particles. The girls loved it because they thought this glow made them more attractive, especially at night. They also were instructed to dip, tap, paint-touching the brush to their tongues and holding the brush their mouths in order to paint with more control. The sales of watches and clocks skyrocketed and the girls were thrilled to be working for a firm that paid outstanding wages.

Soon many but not all of the girls were developing various symptoms, usually starting in their mouths-sore and swollen gums-and creeping into other parts of the body. Joint pain, headaches and fatigue ensued but soon amputations, breathing and tumors were evident. No one related this to the paint and little was known about radioactive elements at that time. But as time continued teeth and jawbone pieces would fall out and sores and tissue would not heal. But it was too big a coincidence to have a cluster of illnesses from the same factory. The girls would go to doctors, most of whom were stumped. The company never admitted to contributing to the maladies and would fire them for ill health. The book goes on and on in great, agonizing detail about the poisoning of these girls little by little, some dying. As the cases and suffering increased it was becoming more and more apparent that the problem was from the radium. Also company records showed they knew more than they admitted to and the scandal was uncovered. Finally the girls took the case to the court and this became a benchmark case of gross negligence by the company and a groundbreaking case for worker’s rights in the early 20th Century, a time when few protections existed for workers. Shockingly, as a footnote, a rival company continued manufacturing in this manner as late as 1975!! I couldn’t believe it.

5 Stars

 

 

129. A SINGLE THREAD by Tracy Chavalier (4/4/21) Historical Fiction

After 38-year old Violet Speedwell lost her fiance and father in World War II she knew her prospects of finding love again were unlikely and she knew she would have to make a life for herself without the prospect of having a family. So many men were lost during the war forcing many widows and spinsters, known as surplus women, to go it alone in an era when working women had few options. Life’s options were bleak for the women left behind.

Violet did have a job but it payed poorly and barely covered her expenses when she moved from her domineering mother’s home to a boarding house in Winchester to try to forge a life of here own. Shy and hesitant to friendships but forced herself to join a group of Winchester Broderers, volunteer embroiders who made kneeling cushions for the famous Winchester Cathedral. Soon the exacting project of having the skills to be a part of the organization gave Violet a sense of belonging and an escape from her job as a typist and eventually she was able to forge out a life with purpose.

Chevalier’s skill to take an ordinary life and make it interesting and detailed made me care about Violet and her life. Luckily she does meet a man and enjoys a mutual attraction but it is complicated. I liked this book very much and her writing.

5 Stars

 

130. THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 by Ruth Ware (4/8/21) Thriller

Following a break-in to her apartment, Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist, seized the opportunity to take a maiden voyage on a small super-luxurious cruise ship. Not only would it provide the get-away she needed but could also provid an opportunity to smooze with other travel executives and bigwigs who could be important in her career. At the sail away party she drank too much when she ran into an old flame and stumbled back to her room. As she was falling asleep she thought she heard a scream in the next cabin and thought someone had fallen overboard. When she called for help no one took her seriously in her condition and she couldn’t help but try to find out what had happened. So much for a relaxing cruise. When she continued her quest she became a victim herself.

This is an exciting, fast-moving thriller with all the drama and intensity you have in a good “who done it”. It was slated to be made into a movie but there is no info on the delays or the cast list. A mystery in itself!

4 Srars

 

131. IN FIVE YEARS by Rebecca Serle (4/8/21) Fiction

Dannie Kohan a young and upcoming lawyer has a premonition that this day will be one of the best in her life. She is having a job interview at a top law firm and will finish the day with her boyfriend at a romantic restaurant where she feels he will propose. It happens as planned and it all seems perfect when she goes to bed. But when she awakes she finds herself in a different apartment with a different ring on her finger and with a different man. It is 2025, five years in the future and she realizes that she is living with another man. By the way Dannie had perfect sex with the strange and handsome man of the future. In one hour she awoke in her own home and bed and back in the year 2020. She was back in her real life but realized that she had found love and had feelings she had never experienced before and she couldn’t get him out of her mind. Skip forward 4 1/2 years and she sees him again. The problem is that he is the man her best friend is dating and has fallen in love with.

This is a look into your future, a future that was not in the five-year-plan. It is a story about friendship and questions the destiny you thought you wanted and needed. It is thoughtful, heartbreaking and unexpected. A good read.

5 Stars

 

132. THE DINNER LIST by Rebecca Serle (4/12/21) Fiction

Has anyone ever asked you what five persons you might like to invite to dinner-living or dead? On Sabrina”s 30th birthday she did just that. She invited her deceased idol, Audrey Hepburn, Conrad, her former philosophy professor, her estranged father, Robert, her best friend Jessica, and Tobias, her great love. Sabrina brings all of them together along with pasts she had with them, secrets, and interactions they have with one another. If you are a pragmatic type you might have trouble getting your mind around this fantasy, but it is interesting and tells a story. It also becomes a way for Sabrina to approach past hurts and future realities.

This is so unlike the previous book, In Five Years, with both books good in their own way that I will have to try and read some other of her books.

4 Stars

 

133. TRIUMPH by Carolyn Jessop (4/15/21) Non-Fiction

In her first book, Escape, Carolyn Jessop tells of her escape along with her eight children from the FLDS, a fundamentalist polygamist sect of the Mormon Church, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In this book she chronicles her struggles following her freedom and finding a way to provide for her children’s basic needs while trying to find a way to earn a living. With help from the community and the state she used her experiences of being brought up in the extremist sect, and being brain washed into believing her life was the property of her husband and church which gove her the courage to write her book ESCAPE. When Carolyn went to community college her eyes were opened to a different way of life and thinking. Slowly she realized that the abuse committed toward the women and children, the attitudes against public education and the marriages of underage girls to men twice or three-times their age was wrong and an act of enslavement. When the Yearning for Zion 1700-acre compound near Eldorado Texas was raided in 2008 after a call for help from a young girl, Carolyn was called to assist the authorities in helping to process the children taken from the compound. She had become well known after her first book had become a best-seller and from her TV interviews. But the story only starts here as the FLDS used all it’s power to accuse the government of denying their religious freedom. Court cases ensued and it was quite a journey for the victims, the state and with public opinion.

Although I did not read ESCAPE, Jessop refers back to her story in a way that the reader can fill in the blanks and go on to see the courage and fortitude she possesses in uncovering the truth about her former religion. Her achievements are many and she is inspiring in her achievements.

5 Stars

 

134. HOW TO AVOID A CLIMATE CRISIS by Bill Gates ($/22/21) Non-Fiction

In my blog dated May 1, 2021, I said: “A Book Everyone Should Read. I don’t say this lightly, EVERYONE should read Bill Gates’ new book: HOW TO AVOID A CLIMATE CRISIS: The solutions we have and the BREAKTHROUGHS WE NEED. I think in our heart of hearts all of us want to preserve the earth from any catastrophe. Even if you say you don’t believe in global warming and are reluctant to blame fossil fuel and methane gas for driving the climate temperature higher, I still think we all intrinsically care about our planet. In this book Gates sets out the science, all fact driven, and describes the effects this phenomenon has had to may factors which threaten our future lifestyles. And in a practical way he tells what needs to be done to reverse these changes. Although a geek, he explains layman style what we have been doing, what we have not yet solved, and what innovations can bring solutions for our growing energy needs. He believes in our ability ti master these problems-if we have the will to do it-and don’t take too long to take on some of these mind-boggling issues. The alternative is scary but Gates believes that the cost-benefit ratio has to be beneficial and that if we do it right we may actually have greater benefits than ever imagined and will build a stronger economy. What Gates lays out here is a way to succeed in solving the biggest challenge on earth. I hope you all will care enough to read this and help make the right choices for our future. Knowledge is power.”

5 Stars

 

135. EARLY MORNING RISING by Katherine Heiny (4/22/21) Fiction

I would not describe this book as deep, earthshaking, or profound, but like watching Seinfeld, it is a book about nothing but about everything. It was wonderful to find a book with comedy, where we could just enjoy the characters, watch them make blunders, and yet feel the poignant moments and feel their truth. We are in a small town in Michigan and Jane, a young teacher, locks herself out of her house. She calls a local handyman to help her enter and lucky for her he is a hunk and a flirt. This love at first sight feeling she has becomes a wake-up call when she finds out he has slept with most of the women in town. As he pursues her she wonders if she is just another feather in his cap or is he really in love this time.

Through humor we see that this rather lightweight theme is funny and worth the effort to follow her over the twists and turns in her life over the next seventeen years. I found this a sweet, comfy book that is saved by the relationships, funny missteps, and dilemmas which are relatable and fun.

4 Stars

 

136. THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE MOON by Sarah Addison Allen (4/25/21) Fiction

Emily’s mother dies suddenly leaving the 17 year-old Emily to move from Boston to a small town in North Carolina to live with her grandfather, whom she has never met and knows nothing about. Heartbroken and sad she finds that her grandfather is over 8-feet tall, quite shy, and difficult to get to know. He is surprised that she seems to know nothing about this town her mother grew up in or her mother’s life growing up. Small towns have memories and she learns that her mother was totally different than the person her mother had been to her, a community activist known for her selfless outreach. As she learns about her mother’s past and that she disappeared from the town suddenly, she learns that many in town resent her for her mother’s past. Mix this with a strange and magical phenomenon and we have a mystery to unravel.

I found the story a little too implausible-I’m not at all into fantasy-as in, the bedroom wallpaper magically changes overnight-but although I don’t go with that flow, some seem to find this enchanting! It is definitely not horrible, just not to my taste.

3 Stars

 

 

137. BEFORE I MET YOU by Lisa Jewell (4/27/21) Fiction

After her grandmother Areltte’s death Betty no longer had the responsibility of Arlette’s personal care and would be free to start her own life. She debated staying on the Island of Guernsey but after hearing her grandmother’s will included a beneficiary named Clara Pickle, with an address in Soho, she decided to go to London in search of her. Betty moves into a tiny flat and started to job hunt. It was not as easy as she hoped and had to settle as a Wendy’s employee with little money to spare after the rent. She wanted to make this an adventure to learn of her grandmother’s past and also for herself. This was the 90’s when Soho is dilapidated but trendy and as she searched for Clara or her heirs she discovered that in the time her grandmother was here Soho, post WWI 20’s, this was a jazz and bohemian place filled with clubs and illegal drugs and booze, not the sort of place she would have thought her grandmother would have chosen.

The author, by moving the story back and forward, takes this mini detective story, the story of Soho, seventy years apart, fills it with lots of colorful people, their haunts and wild lifestyles as Betty comes of age in a style she had never imagined. This is an easy read and will keep you interested.

4 Stars

 

138. CODE GIRLS by Liza Mundy (5/1/21) Non-Fiction

Code Girls is the untold story of the American women code breakers of World War II. Yes, the UNTOLD story. In the early 1030’s few women were free to pursue many occupations other than teachers, nurses, secretaries and waitresses. Few were encouraged to pursue an education with the assumption that they will become housewives and mothers soon anyway.

When World War II broke out a decade later, most able-bodied men went to war to fight for their country. Women were not admitted into the armed services except for civilian nurses. The WACS and the WAVES and women pilots hadn’t begun yet and women were frustrated in not being able to help the war effort. Code breaking had started in WWI but became rekindled for WWII. There was a call for help, starting with women students from the Seven Sisters Eastern schools to come to Washington for a top secret endeavor. As they became trained and proved up to the task the search extended to all college educated women who could prove themselves to have the memory and diligence to work long, hard hours, grueling work, night and day. The women loved it and it’s challenges and the program took off.

The book gives countless examples, through letters and archives of how the ability to help decipher messaged codes and create deception codes for Germany and Japan helped the Allies win major battles and eventually the war. Since their work was top secret, under penalty of imprisonment, even after the war, little recognition had been given to the thousands of women who did so much for their country. I am happy to have learned about this and glad they finally got recognition, but most sadly, posthumously.

4 Stars

 

139. WINDFALLEN by Jojo Moyes (5/4/21) Fiction

On a tiny seaside village in England in the 1950’s, stands a beautiful abandoned 1930’s art deco house high above the shoreline called Arcadia. Lottie and Celia, eighteen-year-olds, become enthralled in the house when a group of bohemians with unconventional relationships move into the house. Lottie is especially accepted into the fold and is enticed by their exotic ways and it’s temptations.

Fifty years later a interior designer, Daisy is hired to restore Arcadia as a seaside tourist hotel and seeks to turn her life around after being abandoned by the father of her 4 month-old daughter. As she tackles the management of the project she becomes interested in the history of the old place and uncovers the secrets of Arcadia.

Moyes is a captivating storyteller, complete with emotional tragedy, realistic challenges and heartbreak, and nuanced romance, and appealing settings you might be inclined to visit.

4 Stars

 

 

140. DARK PLACES by Gillian Flynn (5/9/21) Fiction/Thriller-Mystery

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were savagely murdered. The headlines called it “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas. Libby witnessed the crime and escaped by fleeing the farmhouse in the freezing January snow. Frostbitten and traumatized, she survived and went on to testify that her fifteen-year old brother Ben was the killer.

Twenty-five years later, Ben, the convicted, imprisoned killer, has not heard from his sister, but a macabre secret society called “The Kill Club”, obsessed with the worst of the mass murderers, contact Libby in order to get details about the crime. Libby, troubled and impoverished after most of a trust of donations by well-wishers is gone, agrees to talk to the group for a fee. This begins a search to discover if her testimony had been correct about her brother.

This book, is written in great detail about the crime, the strange and deranged Kill Club members, and the psychological problems with Ben, his shiftless father and Libby’s mental issues from her horrific experiences, and her tragic, lonely life. There is no pretty picture here and the book is well-named “Dark Places.” If you can handle this type of story, you will love it.

4 Stars

141. IF I HAD YOUR FACE by Frances Cha (5/12/21) Fiction

Frances Cha’s debut novel, If I Had Your Face, is a social commentary on male- dominant gender roles, class divisions, and obsessive plastic surgery. In the first chapter we see Kyuri in the waiting room of a plastic surgeon as she spots a K-Pop star whose image she has been trying to duplicate with many surgeries. Kyuri notices her crying and thinks she could do a much better job of being her, “If I had her face.” The story tells us about the lives of four female friends and an older neighbor all from modest means trying to make ends meet. Kyuri, with her beautiful face is able to work as a South Korean hostess in a “Room Salon”, a cover to prostitution, where wealthy businessmen come to sing Karioke, drink heavily and party hard. Roommate Sujin is saving for plastic surgery to also join Kyuri in this salon life.

Another character is Miho, an artist who is dating a man from one of Seoul’s wealthiest families, but whose parents would never agree to the marriage since she was brought up in an orphanage and unable to trace her lineage. Ara, a mute, is a hair stylist in a fancy salon, who is not worried about her chances of marriage, but whose parents worry she will be alone as their age. Wonna is married and battling infertility after having suffered three miscarriages. Having a child is utmost in society but both she and her husband worry about being able to afford a child, even with both of them working, because of the high cost of childcare and no parents to help.

Cha brings out real issues in modern-day South Korean society, some of them shockingly sad, such as deep seeded misyogeny and sexism.

4 Stars

 

 

142. THE NIGHT SWIM by Megan Golden (5/13/21) Suspense Fiction

Rachel Krall became a sensation with her true-crime podcast when it set an innocent man free. The case she next chose brought her to a rape trial of a Olympic bound swimmer accused of raping the granddaughter of the police chief. This small town was devastated and divided in their loyalties. While trying to dig into the crime she became alarmed When she found letters attached to her car asking her to find the murderer of this person’s sister twenty-five years ago. Although well-known from her podcast, few recognized her and the fact they even knew her car unsettled her. The notes kept coming and she started realizing the connection between the two crimes.

This is an intense and dark novel which goes into the grimy details of the crimes and can be uncomfortable to those who do not need or want all that depth. Crime is all around us in real life and you should be aware of your limitations if you chose to read this book. However, the writing is well done and the suspense feels real.

4 Stars

 

143. WHAT’S MINE AND YOURS by Naima Coster (5/16/21) Fiction

What’s Mine and Yours tells about the long-lasting consequences of crime, the effects of what school busing to achieve integration, has on two families, and the dreams of parents for the success and happiness of their children. In the 1990’s Piedmont, North Carolina, is up in arms over the plan to bus students from the East neighborhoods, to the West, and vice versa. The controversy make parents dig in deep over fairness for their children while others fear the consequences of being forced out of their neighborhoods. The story follows two families over twenty-five years. Fighting inequality can bring out the best and worse in people, even when there are good intentions.

Rich with character portrayals, this story, which forges into the complexities of cultural racism doesn’t fail to show all sides of a problem of education inequalities and the fact that “where” you live controls your future, a factor which is alive and well today.

4 Stars

 

 

144. THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN by Lisa See (5/19/21) Historical Fiction

On a small Korean island, Jeju, experienced woman train younger girls to join in the traditional of haenyeo, women divers who learn breath control in order to swim underwater many minutes to free-dive deeply to reach the best of the ocean catch. Though strenuous and dangerous they take pride in this time-honored occupation. Respect for these hard-working women from the villagers as their husbands stay home to raise the children and cook, a clear role reversal.

The story follows the lives of Mi-ja and Young-sook, best friends from different backgrounds, over eighty years, capturing many difficulties, including the Japanese occupation during World War II, and to present day. We watch their friendship and trust grow as they become divers and become part of the collective, and how their lives change over the years as they follow their own paths and dramatic history shapes their lives.

5 Stars

 

145. SORROW AND BLISS by Meg Mason (5/20/21) Fiction

Martha Friel is forty and has been a mess mentally since seventeen. She had some successes, including a marriage and a job at Vogue, but most were short-lived due to her mental struggles and a pattern of harmful decision making. After countless therapies and drugs Martha cannot figure out why she alienates others with heartless and cruel remarks at almost everyone who comes in to her life. At a desperate point in her life she succumbs to the realization that she must go home to live with her alcoholic artist mother and her unpublished poet father.

Mason takes on multitudes of mental health aspects which haunt the troubled mind, including the dark side, while she attempts at humor, which didn’t work for me. The issues of heredity, misdiagnosis, and suppressed reality follow onto successive generations, a hard but all too common reality. The “Bliss” was mostly missing in this book.

3 Stars

 

147. THE CODE BREAKER by Walter Isaacson (5/25/21) Non-Fiction

This is not about computer code. This is about genetic code and the women, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, who did research in gene editing and were ready to dive into the challenge of finding a vaccine to outwit the Covid-19 pandemic plague. Their earlier research had them in a prime position to take this challenge and subsequently received the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Their research in genetic editing that they patented, CRISPER-Cas9, makes it possible in the future to engineer human beings with better disease resistance programmed into their cells.

Isaacson writes mainly a biography about Doudna and her journey into a scientific venue usually reserved for men. This book also promises a wider reach in the subtitle, “Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing and The Future of the Human Race.” He devoted a great amount of time to the ethics of gene editing and how this can be misused if some geneticists use the technique to “enhance” certain characteristics such as height, eye color and I.Q. in future.

This book is almost a journal on what happened in the quest to find a vaccine for Covid-19 and how the scientists jump-started their research into the most important race of the century. At times the detail into the science was way beyond my pay grade, but I got the gist. It also took us around the world to other scientists in this mad race. He was able to make the race exciting, interesting and historical and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys science and their community of geniuses.

5 Stars

148. FIFTY WORDS FOR RAIN by Asha Lemmie (5/30/21) Historical Fiction

This is Lemmie’s debut novel and begins during World War II. Eight-year-old Nori was born into royalty, illegitimately by an aristocratic mother and an African American GI father. Nori’s mother has abandoned her to her grandmother’s home where she is confined to the attic and suffers scalding chemical baths to lighten her skin. She was taught silence, to not question, fight or resist. Completely obedient she accepts her solitary life although has a natural curiosity about the outside world. By chance she becomes aware of her brother and the two acquire a great bond for one another. He is to inherit his grandmother’s estate and becomes the first person to allow Nori to question her life and gets a glimpse at what the world has to offer.

I found her story to be rich in culture and traditions although frustrating in the aspects of racism. Spanning over several decades this first novel shows a broad picture of heredity and change.

4 Stars

149. UNCOMMON TYPE by Tom Hanks (5/31/21) Fiction

Tom Hanks put together a collection of 17 short stories proving he is a talented writer as well as an Oscar-winning actor. I won’t try to summarize these stories, each as different from another, but I must say they all were interesting, showed the human spirit, and left one feeling better about the human race. The are heartwarming, intelligent and gentle. Just the anecdote for troubling times.

5 Stars

150. KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro (6/2/21) Fiction

The time is in the future, but not necessarily the far distant future. In this slightly dystopian world there ae two types of children-“lifted” and “unlifted”. The The upper-class children often have AFs-artificial friends-robots and Josie gets to chose her “companion” robot and picks Klara, an advanced model. Although a robot, Klara is intuitive making it hard to imagine she is not a child herself. She listens and computes in such an advanced way but is limited to what she has been exposed. For instance when she sees a homeless man sleeping next to his dog she assumes he is dead until he stirs, which focuses on the nuances of Klara’s perspective. The sun is what gives Klara her energy and she assumes that the man was healed by the Sun.

If you like Sci-Fi fiction with a little bit of weird thrown in, you will like this book. Futuristic books tend to imagine a reality which could occur and with the artificial intelligence of today we could totally image at least parts of this as a future reality. Ishiguro make us think in places we would not imagine. He is a literary writer but different from the norm. You may not like his version of the future but the concept is interesting.

4 Stars

151. THE ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS by Jan-Phlipp Sendker(6/5/21) Fiction

Spanning the decades between 1950 and the present this love story begins when a successful New York lawyer disappears without a trace leaving his wife and daughter, Julia, behind without any idea of what happened. Julia finds a love letter her father wrote many years ago to a Burmese woman and she feels she must solve the mystery by traveling to Burma in search of the woman. As she uncovers details of their past and the unimaginable hardships they faced she finds a new understanding of the father of the past and why her father had to leave. This is a beautifully written love story poignant with passion and the power of love.

5 Stars

152. FATES AND FURIES by Lauren Groff (6/8/21) Fiction

This book has all kinds of accolades going for it, including A finalist for the National Book Award, and Best Book of the year by almost all of the big guys, such as Time, NPR, The Washington Post, and what everyone hopes for: a New York Times Bestseller (but aren’t they all?). It has been called a “literary masterpiece” and she a writer of many gifts. I was excited to delve into this book and had high expectations. Groff presents a story about a marriage over the course of 24 years. We see the beginning with all the expectations of a golden couple, seemingly, truly in love and made for each other. What happens to this couple destined for greatness?

We all know how relationships change over the years and how expectations evaporate. But this book layers the prose with revelations known only to them. I don’t want you to think this is like all marriage gone sour books, it really isn’t typical. It is vibrant, satisfying and emotionally riveting.

5 Stars

153. PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry (6/8/21) Fiction

Poppy and Alex are best friends, have nothing in common and are direct opposites, but they look forward each year to a platonic vacation together. This book, a light comedy and eventually a romance, shows friendship can be as intense as romantic love. If you want a cute summer read you will enjoy this relationship book.

3 Stars

154. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (6/12/21) Fiction Thriller

Owen Michaels left his wife of one year a note before he disappeared. “Protect her.” Hannah knew immediately what the note was about-Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Hailey lost her mother as a child but still was not happy getting a new step-mother, making it hard to protect someone who doesn’t want to be around her. Soon Hannah realizes that something is very wrong when the FBI arrests Owen’s boss and US Marshalls arrive at her house looking for her husband. Hannah breaks through to Bailey as they come together to try to figure who Owen really was, and why would they need protection. This mystery is full of plot twists, drama, and a breakneck fast pace, filled with excitement.

4 Stars

155. COLD MOURNING by Brenda Chapman (6/14/21) Fiction Mystery

In the woods of Northern Ontario two young aboriginal girls are trying to escape a sexual predator. We jump two decades later where a an Ottawa businessman, Tom Underwood, whose life is in shambles, contemplates killing his wife, but instead goes missing. Jump on to newly assigned native policewoman Kala Stonechild arriving from Ottawa, assigned to look into Underwood’s disappearance with her new partner, Jacques Rouleau and we have a detective story. The author delves into all the characters former lives and layers this into a complex story.

I have to admit this story was not terribly exciting or even interesting. The characters had interesting back stories but their characters and personalities were not well-developed enough for me to care about or remember much about them. This story just did not work out as something new or fresh.

3 Stars

156. CRYING IN H MART by Michelle Zauner (6/16/21) Autobiography

The Author, a Korean-American singer/songwriter has written a powerful memoir about growing up Korean-American, the loss of her mother and the grief she experienced, and how she fought to find her own identity. H Mart is a Korean store in New York which triggers how her native food brings back rich, painful, and enduring memories of her childhood, along with all the challenges of living in a mostly white community in Eugene, Oregon.

Zauner’s complex relationship with her mother is the focal point of this book sharing her hurt when she was criticized, and the high expectations that Michelle felt she could never be satisfied. To forge her own identify, Michelle went to college in the East Coast, started singing with a band and began her music career. Over the years things improved between them, especially at her grandmother’s where she and her mother would connect over delicious Korean food. When her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer Michelle realizes what a force her mother had been to her and her success and how her mother was her strongest connection to her Korean identity.

Zauner honestly and openly shares the raw grief she experiences with the death of her mother and what a powerful force the mother-daughter bond can be.

5 Stars

157. THE KITCHEN HOUSE by Kathleen Grissom (6/19/21) Historical Fiction

In this, Grissom’s debut novel, a young white Irish girl, Lavinia, becomes an indentured servant at the captain’s tobacco plantation when her parents die during the voyage in debt to the captain. At the plantation she is under the care of the illegitimate slave, Belle, to work alongside her in the kitchen house. Lavinia is accepted into this world of slavery through the wise guidance and kindness of Belle and her family. In time Lavinia, mostly because of her skin color, is accepted into the big house, caring for the master’s addicted wife, but she misses the daily contact of her family-the slaves at the kitchen house.

This antebellum saga, pre-Civil War, shows the depth of sorrow the slaves endure when they have no control over their destinies, even when they are illegitimate children of the master. It also shows the advantage Lavinia has due to her race even though poor and indentured. This is a beautifully written story that needs to be told.

5 Stars

158. WHILE JUSTICE SLEEPS by Stacey Abrams (6/20/21) Fiction

In her spare time, political activist Stacey Abrams decided to white a thriller about the Supreme Court. When the Supreme Court Justice falls into a coma, his law clerk, Avery Keene discovers that the justice has selected her as his legal guardian and power of attorney. As she strives to figure why the justice has given her the power to control his life she realizes that her life may also be in jeopardy. Avery enters the world of biotech and questionable ethics and a conspiracy she feels she must manage. The story is loaded with insider D.C. adventure and a puzzle the justice has chosen weave to confuse her, all while she is trying to protect his life and to stay a step ahead of those that want her out of the way.

There seemed to be a lot of superfluous characters that didn’t fit in and at times these would sidetrack the story slowing it down like a fill-in. It wasn’t as intriguing and tightly knit as I would have liked.

3 Stars

159. IT WAS ALL A LIE by Stuart Stevens (6/21/21) Non-Fiction

The book’s byline is: “How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump.” Stuart Stevens, a GOP strategist, and self-proclaimed king-maker, admits that he was one of the leading figures to raise Donald Trump to the stature he is within the Republican Party. He admits he made a monster. His desire to apologize while confessing his part in this tragedy doesn’t erase his culpability in the situation. He is certainly not endearing himself to the GOP or the DEMS who knew or suspected that this was a fraud of highest proportions all along. So he has pretty well made everyone disrespect him for knowing this was a slap against the Country, the government institutions flailing after the Trump years, the respect the United States as a leader of the free world, and the division within the electorate that is not only existing but growing in our frail Republic. Just writing this mea culpa is not enough. It’s good to see this book validate the lies that are the biggest cause of mistrust toward our government. But I can’t forgive him for being complicit in the elevation of Donald Trump to the highest office in our government.

160. PASSING by Nella Larsen (6/22/21) Fiction

First published in 1929, the novel is about two negro (their term) women who pass for white and the dangers they face in the process. Clare and Irene, childhood friends, reunite in a chance encounter in a “white” restaurant many years later. When they recognize each other they open up about their lives. Both are fair skinned and passing for white and Clare admits that she is married to a white man who doesn’t know her secret. Irene is married to a black man. As their relationship progresses the constantly shifting of racial and sexual boundaries erupt in this deeply segregated time. I felt the pressure and advantages with appearing to be white and the dilemmas faced because of skin color, a problem which is not as apparent in present times, even with racism on the upswing today….or was this just hiding in plain sight?

4 Stars

161. THE WARSAW ORPHAN by Kellly Rimmer (6/25/21) Historical Fiction

It is 1942, Warsaw, Poland, and though young Elzbieta Rabinek is unaware of of the chaos going on behind the walls of the Jewish Ghetto near her comfortable home, she makes a discovery that changes her life and stirs her onto heroic acts which threaten her and those around her. The story covers the occupation by the Nazis and beyond to the starvation, deprivation, and terror brought on by the lesser known “second occupiers,” the out of control Easter Bloc soldiers who run a rampage of victimization rather than liberation.

This poignant, authentic story, based on a real-life heroine who smuggled thousands of Jewish children to safety during WWII, is compelling and hopeful despite the details of atrocities which were difficult to imagine, yet true.

5 Stars

162. THE HUNTRESS by Alice Arlen and Michael J. Arlen (6/27/21) Biography

Not to be confused with an historical novel with the same title by Kate Quinn, (#100 on my Book List), this book is a biography of a fascinating and adventurous women named Alicia Patterson. Although the daughter of Joseph Patterson, founder and editor of the New York Daily News, her father gave little thought of helping his daughter in her quest in journalism and twice insisted she marry men of his choosing. Their complicated relationship was domineering at times and advantageous at others, as when he encouraged her to do the difficult training required for an aviation transport license and she became the tenth woman in that field. His social stature got her invitations to meet English royalty, Mussolini, and Stalin and George Guggenheim, who became her third husband. At the age of thirty-four she became one of the youngest and most successful newspaper publishers in America when she published Newsday, surprizing her father.

This book not only chronicles Alicia’s interesting life, but shows the advantages privilege had in the world of the wealthy and powerful.

4 Star

163. WHEN THE STARS GO DARK by Paula McLain (7/5/21) Fiction Thriller

When a personal tragedy strikes San Francisco detective Anna Hart, she flees to the comfort of a Northern California village, Mendocino, where she was once raised by beloved foster parents. On her first day she hears of a daughter of a former actor who reported as missing which reminds her of the disappearance and murder of a girl at Anna’s high school. Anna’s empathy and instincts take over and she gets involved. This debut novel is fresh, fast-paced and sure to please all who like this venue, as I do. McLain, best known for The Paris Wife, packs a thrilling punch in this women’s version of a detective thriller.

4 Stars

164. FALLEN by Linda Castillo (7/7/21) Fiction Thriller

I wondered why it took so long to get this audiobook from my library. I didn’t know until after reading it that this is #13 in a series of Kate Burkholder books, about A former Amish woman turned police chief of Painter’s Mill, Ohio. This, like the previous book, When the Stars Go Dark, is about crimes against women, brutal in the details but fast-paced and exciting, and both written by women. This author, does an excellent job of including the interesting lives the Amish community’s lead and is filled with their simplistic lifestyle and beliefs. I can see why it took so long to get this book. She must have a lot of followers who can’t wait to see what the interesting, tough, and scarred Kate Burkholder will do next. Next book for me is #1- Sworn to Silence, and I can’t wait!

5 Stars

165. SWORN TO SILENCE by Linda Castillo (7/9/21) Fiction Thriller

I am really glad I decided to go back to the #1 in the series of Kate Burkholder books because the introduction into Kate’s past is so important to the other police relationships she had formed in #13 which now makes more sense, although I think all of the books will “stand alone”.

Kate was a young rebel in her Amish community and left to find her own way in the world when a tragedy struck. Once she left she was rejected by her family, a common occurrence for those who leave. Through her ups and downs she survives by taking classes at a police academy and joining law enforcement and becomes a gun totter, stands up to men, and eventually became chief, all things the Amish do not do. I can see why she is so popular as she is flawed, has a big secret she is not proud of and suspects everyone until she can trust their loyalty. I intend to read a bunch in this series.

5 Stars

166. THE ORPHAN’S TALE by Pam Jenoff (7/12/21) Historical Fiction

I just finished reading this magnificent book and my eyes are still laden with tears. I felt compelled to immediately review this book while my emotions are still engorged in the ending. This is another of the many historical fiction books out there that are set in WWII, Nazi Germany, however this one seemed special to me. It begins when sixteen-year-old, pregnant, Noa is cast out in disgrace by her parents after succumbing to the attentions of a young Nazi soldier. With no resources she seeks help at a home for unwed mothers but is forced to give up her baby. She takes refuge in a rail station and cleans in order to earn her keep. When she hears a noise in a boxcar she discovers dozens of Jewish babies piled in unattended, some deceased. Still longing for her own lost baby she rescues one baby and flees away from the station.

She happens upon a German circus and becomes a part of the flying trapeze act with an experienced performer named Astrid who teaches her to fly. Their relationship throughout the book is rocky, yet sometimes close as both women have lived lives of tragedy. With the background of the traveling circus and the horrors of war, we follow the powerful bond between Astrid and Noa in a compelling story of secrets, survival and hope.

5 Stars

167. HELLO SUNSHINE by Laura Dave (7/15/21) Fiction

Reese Witherspoon grabbed up this book to make into a movie. The protagonist is a charmer named Sunshine Mackenzie- TV culinary star, author of bestselling cookbooks, millions of fans and a devoted husband. All is going well until she gets hacked and exposed for her lies. She has been lying about her whole life and with this betrayal loses everything, including her husband who cannot forgive her for the deceit. With few options she returns to her family home occupied by her estranged sister. Can she navigate back to an honest life? We see how fragile “celebrity” can be and how fickle. Can she rise from the ashes? You’ll just have to read this delicious book.

4 Stars

168. PRAY FOR SILENCE by Linda Castillo ((7/13/21) Fiction Thriller

Second in her Kate Burkholder series, Castillo does not fail to keep the crime mystery going. As Chief of Police in a small rural Amish town an entire Amish family is brutally slaughtered and the small police department is overwhelmed. After a good working relationship on a prior crime with State Agent John Tomasseti, she again requests his help. Their personal relationship grows slowly and hesitantly as they once more try to solve an unusual crime. This fast paced, chilling story, with psychological elements will be compelling, if you enjoy character-driven detective/crime stories, you will enjoy this.

4 Stars

169. THE LOST GIRLS OF PARIS by Pam Jenoff ((7/16/21) Historical Fiction

After reading the bestselling, The Orphan’s Tale (#166), Jenoff tells a compelling story based on a network of female secret agents sent to occupied Europe as couriers and radio operators to aid in the resistance, but never returned home.

The story begins several years after the war when Grace Healey discovers an abandoned suitcase in Grand Central Station. Her curioscity overcame her as she discovers a dozen photographs of different women. On impulse she takes the photos but learns the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, leader of the female secret service. Grace decides to try to solve the mystery of the disappearance of the women in the pictures. This was well written and another interesting piece about people willing risk their lives in the battle against fascism.

4 Stars

170. THE INVITATION by Lucy Foley (7/20/21) Fiction

Lucy Foley, author of The Guest List (#61), takes us on a journey to the Italian Riviera where an Italian Contessa invites a number of actors and artists on a voyage on her yacht along the Italian coast to the Cannes Film Festival. Along with the guests she includes a journalist, Hal, to accompany and report on the voyage for publicity. Hal, somewhat down on his luck, feels like he hit the jackpot as he mingles among the guests and spots a young woman he had met a year ago who he was entranced with and then vanished. His obsession with Stella grows and he realizes she is hiding her past. As the liquor flows he learns others also are not as they appear, and he is determined to bring Stella back to the girl she once was. The setting was dynamic and the peek into the privileged life was a guilty pleasure.

4 Stars

171. THE SOUL OF A WOMAN by Isabel Allende (7/22/21) Autobiography

Born in Peru, raised in Chili, Isabel Allende thinks she became a feminist when she was in kindergarten. She watched her mother struggle to raise three children, after being abandoned by her husband. The determined and defiant Isabel was determined to fight for a life that eluded her mother. In the 1960’s she banded with other female journalists to join in the feminist movement to continue to awaken women to their own possibilities- “..to be safe, to be valued, to live in peace, to have their own resources, to be connected, to have control over their bodies and lives, and above all, to be loved.” With three marriages of her own and relationships, and having witnessed the movement over time she admits there is still much work to be done. Allende speaks with the same passion that comes through in her many books.

4 Stars

172. THE PLOT by Jean Hanff Korelitz (7/22/21) Thriller Fiction

The protagonist is Jacob Finch Bonner whose first book was well received, but he couldn’t find an idea for a follow up book. In frustration and need, he was teaching at a third-rate MFA program, still struggling to overcome the writer’s cramp and produce another book, when he meets a narcissistic student, Evan Parker arrogantly brag about a plot he envisions as a sure thing. Jake dismisses Evan’s over-the-top braggadocio to immaturity until he hears the plot. It was extraordinary which increases Jake’s frustration with his own lack of a storyline. He loses touch with Evan but waits to hear of the publication of his book, and it never comes. This is the beginning of a great story any writer will relate to. The story takes a big swing, which I can’t reveal, so I hope you can find the time to read this yourselves.

5 Stars

173. EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL SOMEDAY BE DEAD by Emily Austin (7/23/21) Fiction

The heroine in this funny, upbeat story, is about Gilda a young woman who is a lesbian, an atheist, and is obsessed with “death”. She stumbles into a job as a receptionist at a Catholic church when in seeking relief from her panic attacks goes for the free therapy at the church. Instead she is met by Father Jeff who assumes she is coming for a job interview. He immediately takes a liking to her and hires her. She is not sure she wants the job but agrees to the nice pastor who tells her she would be replacing the recently deceased receptionist, Grace. Also she passes herself off as a Catholic, and hides the fact that she has a new girlfriend. She becomes curious about Grace when an email comes through and she begins to impersonate the dead Grace to get information. She gets in deep when the police become involved in unusual circumstances of Grace’s death.

This is a fun book about a quirky person who cannot be herself and seems to make all the wrong decisions, but has a good heart.

5 Stars

174. THE PAPER PALACE by Mirands Cowley Heller (7/25/21) Fiction

Fifty-year-old Elle, married to a man she loves, parents of three, has been coming to her family’s beach getaway on Cape Cod her whole life. Each year they reunite with her best friend from childhood, Jonas, and his family. Something passionate happens between them this summer and she has sex with him for the first time. By morning Elle realizes she has crossed the line with her friend that could change their relationship, ruin her very good marriage and change all of their lives. This is a passionate story of unfulfilled dreams, and a mid-life crisis where choices have to be made and hearts can be broken.

This debut novel is emotional, realistic, and and draws you in from the start in a take no enemies fashion.

4 Stars

175. LAND OF BIG NUMBERS by TePing Chen (7/30/21) Non Fiction

In this debut collection of short stories, the author writes about the lives and relationships of people living in modern-day China as well as Chinese people living in the United States which provides insights into the most populous nation on earth. With love, realism, and social criticism she tackles narratives through unusual story lines about peoples dreams, their relationships, and the paths they take to achieve their goals, even if short-sighted. Te-Ping Chen is a remarkable social critic with a lyrical voice of prose. She paints outstanding pictures of the lives of Chinese people in today’s complicated world.

4 Stars

176. THE WAR WIDOW by Tara Moss (8/1/21) Historical Fiction

It is postwar Sidney, Australia, 1946. Billie Walker is home but saddened by the loss of her father and the disappearance of her husband, Jack. As a war reporter she is home to make a name for herself but finds job priorities are to returning soldiers. Billie decides to reopen her late father’s private investigation agency. At first she get typical tailing of suspected cheaters by unhappy wives. When she takes on the job of finding a missing young man, son of European immigrants she finds herself in dangerous territory as people she interviews start to turn up dead. This mystery makes her realize that though the war is over there is more at stake than she planned on.

The is the first in a series of mysteries about Billie. She made a good first attempt with lots of war history, the underground and fast-paced mystery.

3 Stars

177. THE LAST BOOKSHOP IN LONDON by Madeline Martin ((8/11/21) Historical Fiction

It is London, August 1939 and London is preparing for the Nazi invasion and what will become known as “the Blitz”. And under these circumstances Grace Bennett follows her dream of a life in London where she hopes to find employment. Without the important letter of recommendation she needs to work in a large department store she finds a temporary job in a bookstore. Never having had the time to read she finds herself a fish out of water. The Primrose Hill bookshop is owned by an old gentleman who would rather read than organize or clean the shop and with his permission Grace takes on the task wholeheartedly. After receiving a book as a gift from a customer she builds a passion for the stories within the books and the world of literature.

During the Blitz and the terror of the raids, which bombarded the buildings in London, while in the shelters Grace is asked to read from her book aloud so others in the shelter have something to take their minds off of the devastation above. More and more join the reading group as she mesmerizes them with the tales.

This is about the power of books in the worst of times and the escape the stories provide to the community.

4 Stars

178. THE LEAVERS by Lisa Ko (8/15/21) Fiction

The day before she disappears, Polly Guo tells her son Deming that they will be moving to Florida. Deming, unhappy with the thought of leaving the family they live with, Vivian, her brother Leon, and son Michael, and argues his resistance. Polly says harshly that he has no say in the issue. That evening Polly and Leon (they are lovers) get into a fight, overheard by Deming, but the next morning Polly is off to work and Deming, off to school. That evening Polly fails to return and as the days go by without her Deming starts blaming himself, thinking she went to Florida, leaving him behind.

Ten years pass and Daniel Wilkinson and friend Roland, are about to perform with their band at a Manhattan nightclub. Daniel has already had too much to drink and runs off the stage when he realizes he has forgotten the lyrics of his song. He wanders away to Chinatown remembering his early childhood with his mother, and his former name, Deming Guo. We now get filled in on Deming in the last ten years and how his mother’s disappearance is yet haunting him. You will have to read it to find out.

I liked this book although it is filled with many emotional ups and downs. Sometimes the worst tragedies provide the better stories.

4 Stars

179. BREAKING SILENCE by Linda Costello (8/16/21) Mystery Fiction

This is third in the series of Kate Burkholder, Painter’s Creek, chief of police mysteries. Although I am trying to get over how a small town, mainly inhabited by Amish farmers, can have so many gruesome murders, I find another strange tragedy to pour over. Castillo continues to put Kate in the middle of a gruesome incident, this one three victims of the Slabough family who apparently drowned in a hog pit, leaving four children as orphans. Was this accidental or a murder? Agent John Tomasetti is again called in to help bring a professional and personal angle to the story.

Castillo writes unusual stories, sprinkled with aspects of the private Amish society always leaning to share as little of their lives as possible to the outside world, and leaving little cooperation to those solving the crime. But she is good at it and I like the flawed characters of Kate and John as they struggle to keep their relationship professional while wanting and needing each other.

4 Stars

180. VERBAL JUDO by George J. Thompson (8/28/21) Non-Fiction

This is a new edition of the classic guide to what the author calls “The Gentle Art of Persuasion.” He thinks of this method as a martial art of the mind and mouth and how this can help to defuse confrontations and generate cooperation in many circumstances whether it is with your spouse, your boss, or a teenager. He shows how to listen, speak more effectively, by using what he thinks is the most powerful word in the English language-EMPATHY. He has five universal truths of human interaction:

1.People need to feel respected

2.People would rather be taught than told

3.People have a desire to know why

4.People want to have options rather than threats

5.People want to have a second chance

Dr. Thompson discovered these tools while being in law enforcement. He went on to training in these techniques and continued his education gaining a PhD. I found this book to be helpful and effective.

4 Stars

181. IF IT BLEEDS by Stephen King (8/21/21) Suspence

This book consists of three novellas, briefer than his standard stories but just as clever and inthralling as his full sized books. I have to admit it has been years since I have read a Stephen King and I had a renewed admiration for the depth of his characters and story lines. I won’t go into the various story lines but I can assure you if you would like thrilling suspense you will appreciate these four stories.

5 Stars

182. THE RETURN by Nicholas Sparks (8/24/21) Fiction

After Trevor Benson, Navy doctor, get hit by a mortor blast in Afghaniston, he returns stateside to deal with his injuries. After a long stint of recovery and rehab he decides to return to New Bern, North Carolina to reside in the cabin he inherited from his grandfather. While in the Navy he served in the orthopedic unit and was interested in a second stint in medical school in order to practice in this profession, but first had to sort out his life. While regrouping he finds romance and a mystery as he lovingly tends to his grandfather’s beehives and relives the memories of his beloved grandfather.

Sparks’ excellent story telling is in full view as he engages you with his characters and their secrets and how to go forward in life. This is enjoyable and comforting.

4 Stars

183. MR. MERCEDES by Stephen King (8/28/21) Fiction Thriller

This is the first of three in the trilogy of ex-cop Bill Hodges suspense stories. We find the retired Hodges in a major slump, probably of depression. Before he retired an unsolved crime had Hodges stumped. A man in a Mercedes, they named “Mr. Mercedes”, out of the blue plowed through a crowd of men and women in line for a job fair. The lone driver then backed up and charged through the line killing eight and wounding more, then sped off, not to be found. Retired or not Hodges drinks too much, eats too much, and obsesses on the case he can’t leave behind. When he gets a letter from the killer who want the rush again, only this time bigger, possibly intending to kill thousands, Hodges finds tow unlikely allies who try to stop the madman. This time Hodges goes around the law to find his clues and excitement builds to a nail-biting finish. This was so good, so exciting that if you enjoy this venue it will not disappoint.

5 Stars

184. OUR TIME IS NOW by Stacey Abrams (8/28/21) Non-Fiction

Author Stacey Abrams, national leader, activist in voter suppression, and recognized leader in fair voting, chronicles the historic laws and practices in the South and beyond meant to suppress voting in the districts mainly dominated by African Americans. Most of us have heard and seen some of these actions which jeopardize the vote for many disenfranchised citizens, however, historically it is much worse than I had imagined. Through research and anecdotes from her life, other scholars, and from those who have fought for their voices to be heard we see the how the stakes cannot be higher in this time of division in this country.

5 Stars

185. OUR WOMAN IN MOSCOW by Beatriz Williams (9/2/21) Historical Fiction

In 1948 Iris Digby disappears from her London home along with her husband, an American diplomat, and their two children. During this time Cold War speculation is widespread. Did they get captured or eliminated by the Russians? Did they defect? In 1952 Iris’s twin sister Ruth hasn’t heard from her sister in four years when she receives a postcard from Iris. She hasn’t seen Iris since 1940 in Rome when Iris had fallen madly in love with Sasha Digby. Desperate to find them, Ruth decides to go to Moscow and poses as the wife of Summer Fox, a counterintelligence agent, who will help and protect her.

There is a complex story about Iris”s marriage, a cliche character in Ruth, and an ending almost too unbelievable to handle.

3 Stars

186. THE LOST WIFE by Alyson Richmond (9/4/21) Historical Fiction

In pre-war Prague two young lovers, Lenka and Josef, decide to marry despite the oncoming war. When Josef gets the opportunity to go to America Lenka says it is impossible to leave her family and refuses to go with Josef. Much of the story deals with Lenka’s life in a concentration camp. Josef moves on with his life when all the letters he has written to Lenka are returned. Both Lenka and Josef are under the impression the other had died. He eventually marries but always thinks of Lenka, and holds his love for her in his heart. Heartache, deprivation, and the power of first love. This is not the best holocaust book I have read nor the worst.

3 Stars

187. PIECES OF HER by Karin Slaughter (9/7/21) Suspense

Andrea (Andy) Cooper feels lackluster and dull in her life do to her lack of talent. Compared to her successful divorced parents she felt she would never find a direction for success. Lacking confidence for her future she immediately decided to move back home to Belle Isle, Georgia when her mother, Laura, a speech pathologist, told her of her breast cancer diagnosis. Three years later, with Laura doing well, Andy and her mother were at a mall when a gun brandishing man shot two people dead and then shot Laura. Her mother, bleeding but alive, yelled at Andy to run away. Laura knew there was only one bullet left and she challenged the hooded man when in his frustration he brandished a knife. Laura blocked his attempt to stab her with her hand and and then stabbed the knife into his neck while the blade was all the way through her hand. Andy saw something in her mother that was totally out of character. Her normally professional and measured style of voice and actions now took on a strength and professional meant to outwit the murderer. As the attacker fell to the ground Andy realized he had died quickly by her mother’s hand and knew that her mother was far more than she had known. Soon there is another attack against her mother while at home and this time it was Andy who took the man’s life. Laura pushes Andy away and sternly admonishes Andy to immediately leave town and not contact her or anyone until she gives her a message.

On her own, we follow Andy in her quest to become incognito while she tries to find out who her mother really is and how she can save her.

This is a fast-moving and exciting story with some flaws (like why do the police suspect Laura of wrongdoing even though she was defending herself from assault in both crimes). Still, this is a pretty good read.

4 Stars

188. THE SUM OF US by Heather McGee ((9/8/21) Non-Fiction

If you are watching and paying attention to the news you most likely are aware of racism and how blatantly it has come out of the closet in recent years. Ms. McGee went a step further than most books about racism and examines inequality and the costs it brings for everyone, not just for people of color. Through statistics, historical data, personal anecdotal stories, and economics she shows how the cost of racial inequity, both social and economic divides us and it”s great cost to our nation. I personally learned a lot from this book and found her research and analysis to show that inequity is both morally wrong for all races, but also is damaging to the economic health of our nation.

4 Stars

189. THE SECRET LIFE OF VIOLET GRANT BY Beatriz Williams (9/13/21) Historical Novel

In 1964 Vivian Schuyler, a new graduate of Bryn Mawr College, breaks with her wealthy family’s tradition of being idle and privileged and gets a job at a magazine. When she receives an overseas parcel in the mail she uncovers a lost aunt named Violet Grant who had disappeared during The First World War in 1914. Vivian decides to dig deeper into this mystery woman and discovers the troubled life her aunt had endured as she strove to be an American female physicist in pre-war Germany.

This is the backstory of the two women of different generations with much in common and each trying to overcome societal norms in order to reach their goals.

3 Stars

190. BEST FRIENDS FOREVER by Margot Hunt (9/16/21) Fiction Mystery

Kat Grant and Alice Campbell are best friends relying on each other and sharing confidences despite the different paths they have taken. Kat is the artsy socialite married to Howard, a financier, and Alice the struggling suburbanite. When Kat’s husband plunges to his death on his balcony police have questions if this was suicide or a crime. As the mystery unfolds we learn a manipulator is among them.

This is a fairly good crime mystery with a surprise ending.

3 Stars

191. THE AWAKENING by Kate Chopen (9/17/21) Fiction

This classic, first published in 1899 and republished many times, we visit the awakening of 28-year-old Edna Pontellier, wife and mother who becomes aware of her desire for men and the need to express these issues. This book was quite scandalous for the time by showing that a woman can have passions and desires and and not be satisfied with the roles as wife and mother.

Even after 120 years I felt these questions can still find validity today.

3 Stars

192. A SLOW FIRE BURNING by Paula Hawkins ((9/20/21) Fiction Thriller

Actress Rosamunde Pike narrates this book with just the right quality of thriller excitement. The story is about a man who was murdered and three suspects and his relationship to them: A grief-stricken aunt, a nosy neighbor, and a one-night-stand. Compared to Girl on a Train it lacks some of the tantalizing building of suspense we felt in Train but this is still quite worth a read or listen.

3 Stars

193. NUMBERS DON’T LIE by Vaclav Smil (9/21/21) Non-Fiction

This is a book about data written by a man who loves numbers and statistics and believes that facts matter. He asks questions such as: What’s worse for the environment- your car or your phone? How much do the world’s cows weigh? What makes people happy? Smil is an environmental scientist, policy analyst, and tries to make sense of our world. From data about our societies and populations, through measures of the fuels and the foods that energize them, to the impact of transportation and how all this affects the planet, Smil challenges conventional thinking and gives us much food for thought.

4 Stars

194. THE SECRET KEEPER OF JAIPUR by Alka Joshi (9/24/21) Fiction

The Secret Keeper is #2 in the Jaipur trilogy with #1 being The Henna Artist (#98 on my book list-5 Stars, where you should start. Lakshimi is now married to Dr. Jay Kumar and her adopted son Malik is now 20 and has finished his private school education and has met a young woman named Nimmi. Soon he has to leave to apprentice a the building of a gigantic movie house in Jaipur, leaving his family and Nimmi behind. Lakshimi helps Nimmi, young and tribal, find work and become acquainted with modern society.

in The Henna Artist, we found Lakshimi independent, and resourceful. As an adult in the Secret Keeper, she is still dealing in healing and we see a beautiful relationship with her husband, a kind and supportive husband. But in this book she takes a lesser role and we don’t see the same qualities that made her so vibrant in the first book. Malik and Nimmi are driving the narrative in this second book and I kind of missed the young Lakshimi.

4 Stars

195. THE WINTRINGHAM MYSTERY by Anthony Berkeley (5/24/22

Republished for the first time in 95 years, in a style Agatha Christie fans would admire, complete with a country house, a cast of eccentric characters, and of course, an elderly titled “Lady”. At a weekend house party one of the guests, Cicely, disappears. when many try to discover here whereabouts and they find a suspicious death of another. With servants, suspects, romance and alibis this has all the fun trappings of a classic British who-don-it.

3 Stars

196. I AM MALALA by Malala Yousafzai (9/28/21) Autobiography

Malala Yousafzai is the youngest recipient of the Noble Peace Prize. She fought for girls getting an education in a country that reserved that right only for boys. Her father had a co-ed school but when the Taliban took control of Swat Valley, Pakistan, Malala stood up to them and refused to be silenced as she fought for the right to be educated. In retaliation the Taliban shot her when she was 15 while riding home from school in a bus. She wasn’t expected to survive but did and continued her quest to speak out on a worldwide scale all the way to the United Nations at just 16 years old. This book is Malala’s memoir of the courage and determination to inspire change under the most unlikely odds. Her message continues today.

5 Stars

197. LITTLE BROKEN THINGS by Nicole Baart (9/30/21) Fiction

Nora shows up at her sister Quinn’s lake home with a little girl. With no explanation other to tell no one about the girl, especially their Mouther, she drops little Lucy off and speeds away leaving Quinn to worried about what kind of situation Nora has gotten herself into and who is this girl? Nora has always had a fierce aloofness and lack of communication and now Quinn has been brought into a situation she neither likes nor understands. Lucy, looking lost and scared, gives no clue into this situation, making Quinn even more upset about this dilemma. The story unfolds into a suspense-driven life and death plot. Readable if you are in the mood.

3 Stars

198. THE WEDDING DRESS by Danielle Steel (10/1/21) Fiction

Not to be confused by the novel by the same name by Rachel Hauck, this as we see in bold lettering, is written by Danielle Steel, the iconic storyteller of over 169 mostly romance novels, I must admit I downloaded the audiobook at a weak moment when I wanted a “light-weight” read. It has been at least a couple decades since I have read one of her books and I wanted to check out one recently published. This is about one year old. This is a saga which begins in 1928 as a wealthy San Francisco family commissioned a Parisian design house to create a wedding dress for their daughter to beat all others. The story of the bridal gown continues through the crash of 1929, and the great loss of fortunes, to their survival into their lifestyle changes, and on to the War, the drug culture of the 60’s and how they had to adjust to changes and challenges in their lives.

This was surprisingly well-written, or has she always done a good job? Many suppose that such a prolific writer must have a “formula” in order to churn out so many books in one’s lifetime, but I judge just this single book on my enjoyment quotient.

4 Stars

199. Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday (10/3/21) Fiction

Alice, a book editor in her mid-twenties, becomes involved with a famous writer Ezra, 45 years her senior. While controlling yet generous, Ezra feeds his protege on what to read, how to look, with Alice, the want-to-be novelist, a willing recipient, trusting little of herself. She almost lacks a voice in this section.

The book makes an abrupt about-face (asymmetry?) with introducing us in the first-person narrative, to Amar Ala Jasfari, an Iraqi economist in London, visiting a friend and then plans to go to Kurdistan in search of his brother who has disappeared, but instead gets interrogated at the airport during the war on terrorism.

I have to admit I don’t see the value in two separate stories which do not merge and fail to see the significance of pairing them. They are interesting separately but allow no conclusions.

3 Stars

200. THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE by Katherine Center (10/4/21) Fiction

Cassie Hanwell is a firefighter in Austin, breaking into the male dominated workplace by earning recognition, a service award, for saving a life, a goal she craved to prove herself up to the job. But Cassie had been crippled by two traumatic events on her sixteenth birthday and got in trouble by losing her cool at the firehouse. The events of the past, her mother abandoning the family and a schoolmate assaulting her ten years ago, had a lasting effect on her ability to control her reactions to difficult triggers. After a desperate request from her estranged and ailing mother, she reluctantly agreed to move to the Boston area where she joined a smaller fire department far less welcoming than the last. Again, she had to prove herself, this time while also covering up her attraction to a rookie she was training.

The internal struggles of Cassie’s emotional past, the challenging male-dominated dynamics within the fire house, and the resistance to giving herself over to love give this story depth, excitement, and pace.

5 Stars

201. THE GRAMMARIANS by Cathleen Schine (10/6/21) Fiction

Laurel and Daphne are identical twins who from the time they were infants shared a secret language, twin tongue. As they grew and could speak their love expanded into a great love for language and words of all kinds. Their father expanded their vocabulary when he brought home a huge Merriam Webster’s New International Dictionary, Second Edition. Quickly their obsession grew which continued as Daphne became a copy editor and Grammar Columnist and Lauren, first a kindergarten teacher and then wrote poetry. They relationship began to fray over who would get custody of their most prized possession, the dictionary.

Mostly this book is a joyful, comedic anthology of words and the relationship of a shared linguistic delight and the joy and stresses of twin intimacy.

4 Stars

202. THE FRIEND by Sigrid Nunez (10/9/21) Fiction

Nunez uses an unnamed narrator to “talk” of her best friend, spoken as “you”, her literary mentor and the previous owner of a Great Dane named Apollo. The narrator muses about “you’s” three marriages and his affairs with his students. Along with the narrator’s rambling musings about art, grief and life, the narrator befriends Apollo the dog to further her presence into “you’s” life. They delve into random discussions of topics the narrator had with her mentor who was a major influence in her life. The story has no plot but rambles about memories of past writing workshops, her grief over you’s suicide and his distress over the suffering of human trafficking of women. After “you’s” death his third wife wants the narrator to take Apollo and the dog becomes her closest friend as she sleeps with the dog and rarely leaves the dog behind. Does this book sound confusing? The narrative wandered in and out of time and if you enjoy following lightly related musings, you may find this literary style to your taste. Most critics have applauded this style of writing, however, I personally felt myself drowning in it’s irrelevance.

3 Stars

203. WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH by Sigrid Nunez (10/10/21) Fiction

After struggling through the previous book by Nunez, The Friend, which won the National Book Award for 2019, I was anxious to see if this book was more relatable, more understandable, or did I just not “get it”! The story begins when a woman goes to a hospital to visit a friend dying of cancer. Then we see her as she attends a lecture and finds out it is given by her ex-boyfriend. It is a doomsday climate lecture where he sees no hope of the survival of life in the future. Another story is about an owner of an Airbnb and how her difficultly with interacting with her guests. Another is about a stranger who needs help comforting his mother.

Again the author uses a narrator of seemingly random experiences. I tried to ‘free-associate” this book and tried hard not to make their relationships to one another mandatory to my enjoyment. Individually they are all about aspects of the human experience and how we deal with seemingly large and small problems. The dying woman choses to use her time left in her own way, making her own choices. The lecturer sees no hope for mankind and the ultimate ruination of the planet. The Airbnb owner and the stranger show how difficult communication is to those we know well and those we don’t. All stories show how listening and helping quietly shows empathy. Nunez observes these experiences to unearth answers as she realizes “this saddest time that has also been one of the happiest times of my life will pass. And I will be alone.” Do I find this inspirational as others have? I am afraid I find this depressing. But then, maybe I don’t “get it”.

3 Stars

204. BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY by Qian Julie Wang (10/13/21) Non Fiction

This is a memoir of what life was like for an undocumented immigrant family from China arriving to the US in 1994 and trying to survive in New York’s Chinatown. As a 7-year-old child Wang and her mother joined her father who had previously escaped the brutality of the Cultural Revolution to New York and tells with great detail what life was like, or should I say survival, as they left a country they loved with university jobs and became trash pickers, sweat-house workers, and sushi workers in frigid processing plants to survive. Hunger and fear of being exposed and deported were the mainstream of their everyday lives. Qian was constantly warned not to make friends or draw attention to herself. Without English language skills or an understanding of the new culture in the U.S, we see the paranoia they have in even normal interactions. Despite the poverty Qian learns to be creative in order to survive and takes risks her parents would never take to become educated and dream of a better future for herself. This story shows in raw detail how the lack of resources available to them and the depth of hunger, dirt and medical care affected their ability to find what they hoped from the “promised land”.

4 Stars

205. IN HOFFA’S SHADOW by Jack Goldsmith (10/14/21) Autobiography

Jack was 12-years-old when his mother married her third husband, Charles (Chuckie) O’Brien, a friend and follower to Jimmy Hoffa, Teamster’s Union President, known for his gangster style of leadership. Jack had finally found a father figure in Chuckie, who showered him with attention and love, as Jack proudly changed his name to “O’Brien. Chuckie’s stories were filled with tails of his life with Jimmy Hoffa and who sounded like a grandfather figure to young Jack. When Jack was in college he began to realize that his stepfather, Chuckie had possible Mafia ties which coup undermine his career path to law school and beyond. And Jack did go to the top in law and in the Justice Department. All by denouncing his stepfather. This book tells Jack’s tough, true story. An interesting read.

4 Stars

206. MISS BENSON’S BEETLE by Rachel Joyce (10/18/21) Fiction

Margery Benson is a schoolteacher and spinster in post WWII London still reeling from the effects of the war. Margery has a tough life at school, never seeking nor trying to fit in. One day, while reaching her breaking point, Margery decides to quit the job, sell her belongings to get enough money to set out on an expedition in search of a rare insect that is thought to exist in New Caledonia. She advertises for an French speaking assistant and ends up with her polar opposite, a silly, fun-loving, not so classy, blond bombshell with a zest for adventure and a heart of gold, named Enid Pretty. Margery has misgivings about this girl but has no other options. Together this odd-couple cross the ocean, an adventure in itself, and land totally ill-equipped for the adventure ahead. Through trials and hardships the ladies form a peculiar friendship which changes throughout their challenges. This story, somewhat crazy and wacky, is both hilarious and poignant and becomes an adventure into friendship and trust. The narrator is terrific and makes it one to be listened to.

5 Stars

207. ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney (10/19/21) Fiction Suspence

In the dead of winter Amelia plans a trip to an enchanting converted chapel in the Scottish Highlands for a weekend away with Adam her husband, a self-proclaimed workaholic who she fears she is losing. Her attempt to rekindle the warmth and heat of a bygone relationship becomes problematic when they encounter a wild snowstorm and can’t get into the chapel. This is the beginning of many problems relating to the possibly haunted chapel, the scary and weird appearances, and another oncoming power-outage type storm. This is a good page-turner with lots of twists and turns.

4 Stars

208. APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty ((10/26/21) Fiction

This is a story about a family who previously ran a tennis academy. Stan and Joy, now in their golden years have raised four children-all great tennis players who never went all the way. But Stan and Joy no longer have the academy to run and find their relationship far less than they hoped, with lots of bickering disagreements. Also laden with past infidelities, Joy remembers how Stan would disappear on her, further dividing them. Thrown in the middle of this mix is Savannah, a bruised girl who shows up at their home, who Joy takes in without a question and nurtures her. Savannah is not accepted readily by the four siblings as she takes over cooking and cleaning for the burned out Joy, who is a little tired of the whole family. Then Joy disappears. Most of the family thinks she just got mad and left like their father used to do but Savannah also went missing. After a while the police were notified and Stan became a prime suspect. This brought up doubts and discomfort as the family tried to take in the possibility their mother was a crime victim. Liane Moriarty has a great knack at conversational dialogue and with flashbacks fills in the relationships past and present.

5 Stars

209. THE GOLDEN GIRL by Elin Hilderbrand (10/31/21) Fiction

Hilderbrand has made a fortune writing “beach reads” and in this book, she makes the protagonist, an author of 13 wildly popular “beach reads”! Not wanting to give up too easily by this cliche, I kept at it and found enough depth I expect in books. Right at the beginning Vivian Howe, author and mother of three is killed by a hit and run while jogging down a road in Nantucket. Killing the protagonist in the beginning means there will be lots of flashbacks, true to form. But first we see her in the Beyond being granted three nudges (wishes) by Martha, her heavenly “Person” who allows her for one year to look at what is going on. She must carefully chose her nudges.

This, like most “beach reads”, is a little light weight, but still filled with interesting characters, a luscious background location, a little mystery, and not too much deep thinking. Don’t we all need this kind of book now and again? It is sort of like “easy listening” and Elin Hilderbrand knows how to do this well.

4 Stars

210. SECRETS OF A CHARMED LIFE by Susan Meissner (11/2/21) Historical Fiction

In current day Oxford, England, Kendra Van Sant, a young American student seeks an interview with London Blitz survivor, Isabel McFarland, now 93 years old. Isabel is now ready to tell a story with hidden secrets about her life. She tells the story of two sisters, Emmy and Julia Downtree, who have been evacuated to the countryside for safety as were most children in London. Fifteen-year-old Emmy had great dreams to design and create the most beautiful wedding dress and hoped to work as a apprentice at a dressmaker shop in London. Emmy decided to sneak back to London and her mother with her younger sister who insisted she not be left behind. On the first night of bombing the sisters are separated and young Julia has disappeared.

Meissner builds extraordinary scenes of what life was like during the relentless bombing, with terror, shortages, and acts of kindness a daily occurrence. It was another World War II novel, but refreshing to see the London perspective.

4 Stars

211. THE WOMAN WITH THE BLUE STAR by Pam Jenoff (11/5/21) Historical Fiction

It is 1943 Krakow, Poland and the Nazi’s are rounding up the Jews and sending them to the ghetto. Rumors abound about what happens to the Jews when they leave the ghetto. Sadie’s father believes they must hide and with the help of a Polish sewer worker they and another family enter Krakow’s sewer system, with the most horrible of conditions, to escape. While exploring the tunnel Sophie sees an open grate and makes eye contact with a young woman her age looking down into the sewer. After the frightening contact Sophie takes a chance that this girl, Ella will not betray them and they become friends.

As with most stories about the Nazi occupation, this story explores the lengths the Jews went to to avoid capture and the strange and heroic people who become involved in the helping them.

5 Stars

212. THE CUCKOO’S CALLING by Robert Galbraith (AKA-J.K. Rowling) (11/10/21) Fiction Suspense

J.K Rowling of Harry Potter fame couldn’t keep her pseudonym a secret for long when she wrote this debut detective novel introducing Cormoran Strike, a Vietnam Vet amputee/detective with lots of war scars, mostly emotional. Down on his luck financially and personally, when his wife left him, Strike’s new client, John Barstow, wants Strike to prove that the death of his famous step-sister, superstar model, Lula Landry, was not a suicide but a murder.

Robert Galbraith created a strong character in Strike but lacked the detail needed to feel a connection and empathy to him. His quirky secretary-wannabe detective Robin was the more interesting character. Good story but not great.

3 Stars

213. THE HUSBAND’S SECRET by Liane Moriarty (11/14/21) Fiction Mystery

After reading Apples Never Fall (207), I wanted to try another. Moriarty has a knack of writing about families and relationships, throws in a mystery or moral dilemma and gives a conversational voice to each character. In this book there are three main characters: Rachael, a woman whose daughter was killed thirty years ago, and cannot heal until the murderer is found; Cecilia, a wife and mom who lives a comfortable life, is organized, successful, and happy until she finds a letter to be opened after her husband’s death: and Tess who’s husband and cousin break their silence causing her to leave with her young son to tend her ailing mother. Their stories are interwoven and linked by circumstances that challenges their lives. This book covers the reality of how lives can change in a instant with repercussions which can last a lifetime and place their lives on a new trajectory. Moriarty hooks you into her stories and weaves the narrative in ways you may not expect.

4 Stars

214. CHINA DOLLS by Lisa See (11/19/21) Fiction

Lisa See is one of my favorite authors and in this book she goes in a new direction by following the lives of three showgirls in the late 1930’s through the 40’s Chinese nightclub scene of San Francisco and beyond. Grace Lee, Helen Fong, and Ruby Fong, all estranged from their families for various reasons, meet at an audition for an all new Chinese nightclub opening soon in San Francisco. In a time of racist and gender put-downs this is like magic to the three woman wanting to get out of the sweatshops and laundries and find the glamour and excitement of the limelight. Each woman has a past with secrets they hide until they are impossible to keep. World War II brings a new aspect of bigotry and hatred in to their lives as they struggle to find jobs.

See makes this exceptional time period come to life in this exciting and heartbreaking novel.

5 Stars

215. THE DRESSMAKER by Rosalie Ham (11/19/21) Historical Fiction

Tilly Dunnage returns home to the small Australian town to check on her ailing mother. After spending 20 years in the couture houses of Paris as a dressmaker this trip is intended to be short still harboring her childhood as an outcast. She now is acceptable having made a name for herself in the world of fashion. After the local women find her dresses irresistible, forging a friendship with the town’s policemen, and starting a romance with a local football coach, she decides to stay. But Tilly has revenge on her mind for those who wronged her.

Published in 2000, and made into a major motion picture in 2005, starring Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth and Judy Davis, I intend to try to stream it to see how close to the book it is.

4 Stars

216. THE FIRST CONSPIRACY by Brad Meltzer (11/22/21) Non-Fiction

Set during the birth of America’s origins and the beginning of the Revolutionary War, author Meltzer scoured history to tell a remarkable story, previously untold, about George Washington in 1776, who chose an elite group of handpicked soldiers to serve as his bodyguards, similar to special agents. Washington was putting together an army to fight the Brits arriving in multiple ships, and he was a target. The shocking story details not only how Washington succeeded in defeating the most powerful military force in the world, but a secret plot against him by traitors of our own.

Meltzer was joined in writing this story by Josh Mensch, an American History writer and documentary television producer, to unravel the exciting story leading up to July 4, 1776. If you are a history buff you will like it, if you aren’t you will still like it.

5 Stars

217. THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED by Lisa Jewell (11/26/21) Fiction Thriller

Tallulah and Zach are a young couple with a one-year-old baby. The take a night off to go to a lavish party while grandma Kim babysits. Tallulah and Zach do not return and Kim takes it upon herself to find them. Many think, due to their ages that they fled their responsibility, but Kim knows they would never abandon their beloved child. The story covers the year before they disappeared, the time of the disappearance-2017, and the year after.

Jewell’s skillful writing keeps you guessing, with lots of added characters from the past and present, but I found this to be far less exciting than other of her suspense novels.

3 Stars

218. PERIL by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa (1/26/21) Non-Fiction

Woodward, a bestselling author, and Costa, an acclaimed reporter reveal the details surrounding the transition of power from President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden as one of the most dangerous periods in American History. After interviewing more than 200 people at the center of the turmoil, resulting in more than 6,000 pages of transcripts, they found a nation on the brink. Throughout the book they unveil secret orders, confidential transcripts, emails and government records to verify their story. This book makes Watergate look like child’s play.

5 Stars

219. THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michelle Richardson ((5/19/22) Historical Fiction

Thanks to Eleanor Roosevelt’sKentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome Creek got it’s own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter. She is also of a skin color with a slight shade of blue, the blue-skinned people of Kentucky,and is considered “colored” by many in these Appalachian hills. This is her story.

3 Stars

220. THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL by Sujata Massey (5/21/22) Historical Fiction

This is the first of a new historical series set in the 1920’s Bombay. Perveen Minstry, the daughter of a respected Roroastrian family, has just joined her father’s law firm, becoming one of the first female lawyers in India. Armed with a law degree from Oxford, she decides to champion women’s rights as she finds discrepancies in the execution of the will of a wealthy man that left behind three wives. Inspired in part by a woman who made history as India’s first lawyer, Widows of Malabar Hill dives into the customs and traditions of the day which I found interesting and multiculturally rich.

4 Stars

221. COME WITH ME by Ronald Malfi (12/1/21) Fiction Thriller

Aaron Decker’s life comes crashing down around him when his wife Allison is killed. Aaron becomes haunted by her ghost, and delves into her belongings for answers about the wife he thought he knew. Through grief and curiosity he embarks on a journey to discover what his wife had been doing in the weeks leading to her death and finds a dark, hidden life, eventually putting himself at risk.

This fast-paced thriller turned in places I never imagined it going and I found it exciting and unusual.

4 Stars

222. MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid (12/6/21) Fiction

This is a story of a family, the Riva’s, who had the good luck to grow up in Malibu and spend most of their childhoods surfing. In 1983, now all adults, they threw an end of the summer party to end all parties. Booze, sex, drugs, and wild rough housing increase as the hours develop later in to the night which culminates with family drama, some which will change their lives forever. But first we get to the back-stories in their youth and see how their lives and relationships developed or at least progressed. There was fringe telling of celebrity insights and seemed like the author had insider knowledge of Malibu life, especially parties, in the 80’s. I didn’t like what was going down at the party but I couldn’t put it down.

3 Stars

223. THE REPORTER WHO KNEW TOO MUCH by Mark Shaw (12/6/21) Non-Fiction

Dorothy Kilgallen is the female reporter who broke the glass ceiling. Her knack to get the inside scoop made her a legend in the days where you had to go to nightclubs and get liquored-up to find the tips and gossip. Dorothy was the toast of the town in NYC, and after becoming a panelist on the hit game show “What’s My Line” on live TV in the 50’s, she became a celebrity all over America. Her delving into who killed President John Kennedy may have put her life in jeopardy by knowing too much. Then in her prime she suddenly and mysteriously died. It was called an overdose of alcohol and barbiturates, either an accident or suicide, but most who knew her best suggested foul play. The author suspects foul play and gives an intense and exciting trail into those who had motive, such as, Frank Sinatra, J. Edgar Hoover, Mafia Don Carlos Marcello and a mystery man who may have silenced Kilgallen.

5 Stars

224. THE RECUITER By Douglas London (12/13/21) Non-Fiction

London reveals his life as a CIA case officer and recruiter of foreign agents. A 34-year veteran of the Agency he shares vivid details of his life before and after 9/11, and is candid about the life he lead, mostly abroad developing relationships and gaining the trust of certain foreign nationals, then finally taking the big step of pitching to them the advantages of helping the US government and how they will be protected. Most encounters with the foreign agents were in the middle of the night, while he was by day maintaining various identities, going to a real job, and living with his wife and kids at home.

The spy business, at least what can be told, shows the challenges in the field and dynamics with co-workers and his bosses, and how a change in administrations can ruin much of his work of weeks and months in a flash. London also points out a decline of American intelligence since 9/11 and Iraq and what changes should and need to happen.

This book is written like a story teller-full of depth, rich in details, and for me, totally mesmerizing.

5 Stars

225. THE BOOKSELLER’S SECRET by Michelle Gable (12/17/21) Historical Fiction

The book is fiction based on a real life icon named Nancy Mitford. The time is 1942, the place, London. All are worried about air raids, German spies while Nancy, estranged from her husband, is reeling over the loss of her writing career. Needing an income she jumps at the chance to manage a bookshop while the owner is away at war. The incredible times and colorful people she meets cause Nancy to consider writing stories again. Jump eighty years later and a hunt goes on to find Nancy’s lost manuscript.

The book is filled with interesting characters, some intrigue, and a fun read.

3 Stars

226. THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS by Ruth Hogan (12/20/21) Fiction

Forty years ago Anthony Peardew lost a keepsake from his fiancee on the day she died. Haunted and brokenhearted, he started collecting (or rescuing) lost objects others have lost or left behind. Now near the end of his life he regrets not finding the owners and gives that task to his his assistant, Laura, as he bequeaths not only his mission but his home. Laura, having gone through a bad divorce, is lonely but soon finds quirky neighbors who she eventually recruits to help her in reuniting the lost things with their rightful owners.

This debut novel is as the Brits say, “charming” though not thought-provoking or suspenseful, it has rich characters and mini stories about the objects and their journeys.

3 Stars

227. THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides (12/25/21) Fiction Thriller

Cambridge University has a secret society of female students known as THE MAIDENS. Mariana, a group therapist, becomes fixated on the group when one member, Zoe, the daughter of a friend, is murdered at Cambridge. Mariana, a former student at Cambridge becomes obsessed with finding the murderer and suspects a Greek Professor, Edward Fosca, who seems to cast a spell on his “Maiden” students and the rites of Persephone. Soon another body is found and Mariana is out of control in her desire to prove Fosca’s guilt.

Michaelides, author of “The Silent Patient”, really knows how to write an intense thriller that is dark, psychologically chilling, and intelligent.

5 Stars

228. THE LOST APOTHECARY by Sarah Penner (2/28/21) Historical Fiction

It is 1791, London, a time when women had few options when dealing with crimes and abuse against them by husbands, fathers, and employers. Nella Clavenger, has a remedy in her apothecary shop, a deadly option to help right a wrong.

In the present-day we find Caroline Parsewell, a visitor from Ohio, celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary alone due to her finding out about her husband’s infidelity. Caroline finds an old apothecary vial along the edge of the Thames and does research into the marking on the jar.

We also meet Eliza, a 12-year-old lady’s maid who is sent to purchase something from Nella.

Penner skillfully intertwines the stories and have us rooting for the three damaged protagonists.

4 Stars

229. NOT A HAPPY FAMILY by Shari Lapena (12/29/21) Fiction

In upstate New York, within a wealthy community, Fred, Sheila live a grand life until they are murdered. Their three adult children stand to inherit millions and immediately become suspects as family secrets are exposed showing they weren’t a happy family. All in the family were flawed, especially the selfish and vindictive father and weak mother who was afraid to stand up to her husband’s abuse. This, like most who-done-its, has us traveling our suspicions from one child to the other and some outside folks for good measure.

I found this to be a solid story which lacked suspense, which is normal when the crime occurs in the beginning, but not amazing. It is hard to care about unlikable people.

3 Stars

230. WE WERE NEVER HERE by Andrea Bartz (12/31/21) Fiction Thriller

Best friends Emily and Kristen are on their annual backpacking trip, this time in the mountains of Chile, when one night Emily comes back to their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass. Kristen says she was attacked by the cute backpacker she brought back to her room and had to kill him in self-defense. This horrifying event was similar to one that happened last year when another backpacker wound up dead. They bury evidence and leave immediately.

Emily goes home to Wisconsin traumatized by the experience, but tries to go back to normal with work and a new relationship. When Kristen shows up for a surprise visit Emily is forced to confront their violent past and the truth about her closest friend.

This was a pretty exciting book, especially if you like Hitchcockian psychological thrillers.

4 Stars

231. BRAT by Andrew McCarthy (1/3/22) Autobiography

As a card carrying member of the Brat Pack, which also included Molly Ringwald, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe, McCarthy recalls how he got into show business and his good luck being chosen for some iconic 80’s flicks such as St. Elmo’s Fire, and Pretty in Pink. His honesty reveals his innocence, shyness, awkwardness, conflicted ambition, and laid-back laziness about his career path which may have helped him stick to the authenticity of his true self, rather than his talent. I thought he did a good job with this biography of some of his early interesting moments in time.

5 Stars

232. THE SOULMATE EQUATION by Christina Lauren (1/8/22) Fiction

The Soulmate Equation is a fun romantic comedy about single mom Jess Davis, a data and statistics wizard who was abandoned by the father of her child and similarly by her parents. A relationship was not on her radar even though she was lonely and financially burdened. When a new dating company based their matchmaking on DNA and the statistics for similarities was introduced, she gave it a try and the results proved unusual but amazing as she found out that her high-level “Diamond” pairing was a match with a most unlikely person.

This is a fun story loaded with quirks and laughs which I need to read at times. Also catch her other book, #234 on my book list called “The Unhoneymooners”.

4 Stars

233. COME FLY THE WORLD by Julia Cooke (1/10/22) Non-Fiction

This history of the early airline industry, focuses on Pan Am World Airways and the young women who were attracted to the glamorous and exciting lifestyle of America’s biggest and best transcontinental airline from 1966-1975. The selection process was difficult. The stewardesses were required to have a college education, speak two languages and to have the political savvy to serve foreign officials and beautiful enough to charm the mostly male cliental. They also had to be under 26 years of age, between 5’3″ and 5’9″ tall and weigh between 105 and 140 pounds.

Cooke tells the real-life stories of several early stewardesses and their change from small-town lives and city lives to the new jet-set lifestyle.

As a wife of an airline pilot and the mother of a flight attendant I found the differences between then and now fascinating.

5 Stars

234. SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY by Glenn Frankel (1/12/22) Non-Fiction

This classic, brilliant, dark and edgy movie should never been made. The director was an insecure taskmaster whose last picture had bombed. The producer was a lifelong depressive whose last film had also flopped. The screenwriter was a self-destructive alcoholic, and the two lead actors were relatively untested newcomers. The movie was based on a bleak novel which sold poorly and was ignored by critics. And in 1969 the controversial subject matter of gang rape, homosexuality, and prostitution was not billboard mania. This book explores the unlikeliness that this picture could have been made and the unbelievability that this movie would touch the hearts of many and become a major success.

This was great read. I loved it!

5 Stars

235. THE UNHONEYMOONERS by Christina Lauren (1/15/22) Fiction

Olive and Ami are twins, identical in looks but not in luck. Olive, the unlucky twin, becomes lucky when her sister gets married but gets sick with food poisoning at the wedding and asks her to use a free honeymoon that she won and wants her to go with the best man, Ethan, whom Olive detests. Neither are happy but hate to waste an all-expenses-paid vacation at a luxury resort. Now the fun begins.

Of course they are attracted to each other. Of course they pretend to be newlyweds. Of course they meet people who they know. Of course it is sexy and fun.

If you like a “Oh, I hate him but he’s so sexy” kind of a book it will meet your needs. I kept wondering why I stayed with this book to the end. I guess I liked it a little.

3 Stars

236. HOW TO MARRY KEANU REEVES IN 90 DAYS by K.M. Jackson (1/16/22) Fiction

Bethany is devastated when she hears that the confirmed bachelor, Keanu, is getting married in 90 days. She figures she is the perfect soulmate for him and although unlikely, she decides to take her BFF Truman on a wild road trip from NYC to LA to find Keanu and to confess her undying love.

Here is another cute, funny, relaxing read to put you in a good mood.

3 Stars

237. HOW STELLA LEARNED TO TALK by Christina Hunger (1/16/22) Non-Fiction

Christina, a speech pathologist, the author, got a new dog named Stella and decided to use some of the skills she used on her patients to try to allow her dog to communicate with her. She had been working with toddlers who had significant delays in language development and used Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices to help them communicate.

At home she noticed Stella understood many words and began a journey of teaching a version of AAC, using a paw-sized word button of her voice saying “outdoors” which the dog readily recognized and learned to use when she wanted to go outdoors. Gradually she developed more than 30 buttons for Stella who eventually was able to put several words together to show what she wanted.

This memoir/guide gave me a smile on my face throughout the whole book and reminded of past pets, Cindy, Dixie, and Toby, who knew exactly what I was saying and would have loved to have used this method of communication.

5 Stars

238. WHEN HARRY MET MINNIE by Martha Teichner (1/25/22) Non-Fiction

If you recognize the author’s name it is because she has been a TV correspondent for 30 years on the CBS Sunday Morning news. Martha, a long-time resident of NYC, knows there is a special kind of camaraderie among early-morning dog walkers. Fellow pet owners become as familiar as their pets and when one day Martha met an old friend who told her of another good friend whose diagnosis of cancer, due to exposure to toxins from 9/11, was dying and desperate to find a home for her beloved Bull Terrier, the same breed as Martha’s dog, Minnie.

The author beautifully writes of the friendship which develops between the dogs and between Harry’s owner, Carol, and Martha. The two women develop a deep and meaningful friendship through love for their Bull Terriers and the heartache and grief of knowing the inevitable loss of this friend, but felt privileged to becoming the caretaker for the most meaningful part of Carol’s life. This is a sweet, sad, but uplifting story of friendship and loss and about love that can be found by opening our hearts and lives to strangers in need. A must read.

5 Stars

239. MAISIE DOBBS by Jacqueline Winspear (1/30/22) Fiction

Maisie Dobbs at the age of thirteen became a servant at the estate of Lady Rowan who caught her perusing the library and instead of firing her proposed an education for the young girl. She and another benefactor continued to support her education until The Great War interrupted as Maisie enlisted for overseas nursing duty. After the war Maisie apprenticed at Scotland Yard and later opened her own office as a private investigator. Her first case involved what was a suspected infidelity, but became a search for a killer and mysteries of he war.

This is the first book of what will become a series about the plucky, determined, and lucky Maisie. This book is predictable, not too mysterious, and easy to read. I did not hate it but it is far from being a favorite. But this kind of clean-cut mystery, filled with genuinely nice people, a strong female lead, and is a place for those who do not want violence or too much tension. Oh, and there is always a happy conclusion.

3 Star

240. POPPY HARMON AND THE PILLOW-TALK KILLER by Lee Hollis (2/2/22) Fiction Mystery

Lee Hollis is the fictional name of a brother and sister who are jointly writing this book which is part of a series, Desert Flowers Mystery. Private investigator Poppy Harmon in Palm Springs likes working for the hottest names, many from Hollywood. Her client, a rising starlet and social media influencer, fears a stalker and Poppy stays close to her at the movie set where Poppy is spotted by a director who wants to cast her in a part, a career she had given up many years ago. Feeling it is a good cover for her presence on the set she reluctantly agrees. There is a murder, Poppy has a hunky sidekick, and the action and movie back-set is interesting. Not a great book but I thought it was fun.

3 Stars

241. DOG ON IT by Spencer Quinn (2/6/22) Fiction-Mystery

This is the first book of the Chet and Bernie mystery series. Chet, the lovable, smartest dog you’ve ever met, is the narrator of these books. Perspective by a dog is genius in that all dog-lovers will relate to the attitudes and premonitions Chet has throughout the book. His smell, especially for meat, can take his mind momentarily from the prize, but mostly his sixth-sense about bad guys saves the day. His down and out owner, Bernie, flawed in human terms, is all Chet cares about (except food) and his loyalty saves the day and keeps Bernie on many a right path.

The relationship between dog and man has always been beautiful and this one is no exception. We love them both, worry about the danger they get into and breathe relief during close calls. This has all elements of an exciting mystery/detective book and the canine-human relationship adds to the warmth and drama.

5 Stars

242. THE GOOD SISTER by Sally Hepworth (2/9/22) Fiction

Fern and Rose are twin sisters but as unlike as can be. Rose is married but oversees Fern who avoids crowds, loud noises, bright lights. She manages to overcome her idiosyncrasies at the public library where she makes her job her mission. Rose, protective of Fern has dinner with her three times a week and manages Fern’s life by helping her through difficult situations.

When Rose discloses that her dream to become a mother cannot happen due to a female problem Fern takes it to heart and decides she can pay back Rose by having a baby for her. She looks over the men who come to the library and choses one to be the father, without his knowledge. The problem begins when she begins to like him as he accepts Fern and her oddities.

This psychological novel peels like an onion as we get snippets of their childhood and a perplexing accident which has crippled their lives. It is well-written with twists and turns and surprises.

4 Stars

243. THE MASTER by Christopher Clarey (2/14/22) Biography

I am a big tennis fan. I played tennis for close to 50 years when my wrist arthritus kicked in and I lost grip of the racket way too often. I sadly hung up my racket, Joined the Y for water aerobics, and live vicariously by watching tennis on TV. In my humble opinion Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time, even though his total grand-slam wins has been beat by Rafael Nadal recently and soon may be beat by Novak Djokovic. I am loyal to Roger’s game because he made it look easy-the ballet of tennis. He also seems to be able to control himself, is a big family man (2 sets of natural twins!) and has brought tennis into the main stream of sports like none other. This biography of Roger Federer was written by a New York Times correspondent who had unusual access to Roger and others as he was formerly a player and really understands the game. In professional tennis everyone plays well. But to be the greatest you have to pass so many other challenges. Federer had lots to overcome. Like most young players he had to overcome temperamental outbreaks, lack of self-belief, and training deficits when things were not going well, He always possessed natural ability and grit. He had to lose a lot of games, overcome many crushing defeats and harness his will to become as great as he is for as long as he has been on top of tennis.

The author, Christopher Clarey, follows Roger’s career and his personal life, focusing on all the pivotal people, places and moments in Roger’s long and brilliant career.

5 Stars

244. WHILE WE WERE DATING by Jasmine Guillory (2/20/22) Fiction

If you’re in the mood for a sizzling romantic comedy you will enjoy this fun book. Ben is in advertising and gets to promote a new ad campaign to none other than Anna Gardiner, a beautiful movie star. Anna will be starring in the commercial, another step into making herself a household name. Ben and Anna start flirting and the temperature goes way up. When a family emergency comes up for Anna, Ben comes to the rescue where they reveal more of themselves than is their norm.

This is a cute rom-com, playful and sexy, but not great literature.

3 Stars

245. BEWILDERMENT by Richard Powers (2/16/20) Fiction

Theo Byrne, a young astrobiologist, found a way to search for life on planets many light years away. After his wife died in an accident he was in charge of bringing up his nine-year-old son, Robin, on planet Earth, who is on the autism spectrum, OCD, and ADHD, but has a savant-like intellect and curiosity. Theo does not want his vibrant, creative son to follow the path of psychogenic drugs that will dull his spirit and finds a way of meeting most of Robin’s needs and curious mind. His many interests include animals, especially the endangered, where he decides to paint elaborate pictures of every animal on the list. But when Robin is at school Theo cannot control his triggers and when bullying erupts Robin retaliates with violence. Robin no longer wants to go to school and home-schooling seems the only answer. Robin’s activist mother endowed him with a desire to solve an explanation for a world that is on a path to self-destruct. Robin starts a desperate campaign to save the planet in a world that doesn’t seem to care.

This book delves into planetary science, biofeedback for Robin, and politicians with little regard for science. This is a love story of a father and son, full of love, honesty, challenges, curiosity and dreams and heartbreak.

5 Stars

246. THE FRIENDS WE KEEP by Jane Green (3/3/22) Fiction

Three college friends who swore to remain close drifted apart and came together at their 30th Reunion. None of them had the lives they had hoped for and after some soul-searching decided to live together. All had disappointments, secrets and unfulfilled dreams. Could their secrets ruin their relationship? Can they all re-start on a path to success? In this we venture back and forth through their lives and pasts. It is an easy read, pretty lightweight at times, but good when you don’t want a heavy, deep read.

3 Stars

247. THE BETRAYAL OF ANNE FRANK by Rosemary Sullivan (3/3/22)

Most know the story of Anne Frank through her diary, read by over 30 million people. Yet, since 1944 the mystery of who betrayed Anne and her family to the Nazis has not been solved. Led by an obsessed retired FBI agent, helped by sophisticated investigative techniques and the discovery of new documents this search was almost a do or die since most present in those days has died. Agent Vincent Pankoke and his team pored over tens of thousands of pages of documents and interviewed many descendants of people familiar with the Franks. They utilized new FBI Cold Case techniques and came to a shocking conclusion.

For those of you interested in minute details of the Frank’s history before and after capture will find this story riveting as they profile and eliminate suspects.

4 Stars

248. THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE by Katrine Engberg (3/5/22) Fiction Mystery

This is a Danish murder mystery set in Copenhagen, and a sequel to the International bestseller The Tenant. The detective team of Jeppe Korner and Anette Warner seek to solve a series of murders in a Danish hospital.

The author gives plenty of detail and quirky personality traits to the detectives as they struggle with their private lives while trying to solve the mysteries.

4 Stars

249. THE PARIS APARTMENT by Lucy Foley (3/10/22) Fiction Mystery

Jess and her brother Ben had few breaks in life, however Ben, now seemed on the right track in his Paris apartment. Jess was in more trouble and sought out Jess for temporary help. She got together just enough for a train to Paris and went to her brother’s apartment. As she entered the courtyard and saw the fabulous chateau she marveled at his good luck, that is, until he failed to greet her arrival and she broke in only to find it suspiciously empty.

After waiting for his return and starting to suspect some wrongdoing she garnered up the courage to follow some clues to his disappearance from the less than helpful tenants in the chateau.

This popular author knows how to write suspense and those who like her tales will love this as well.

4 Stars

250. THE MAID by Nina Prose (3/12/22) Fiction Mystery

I like books with a protagonist that is not the usual type person. Molly Gray is probably on the autism spectrum, but highly functional in her work as a maid in a hotel where rules of cleanliness are her forte. Although she struggles with social skills, and misinterprets verbal language, living with her beloved gran has helped her to find the life rules she can live by. Molly takes pride like no other by bringing dirty guest rooms in a state of perfection and it is only when her gran dies leaving her to her own resources that she becomes betrayed by someone she thought cared for her. And she gets into trouble for innocently helping this friend.

This is a sweet story with a lovable character trying to survive in an imperfect

world.

5 Stars

251. SHADOWS OF PECAN HOLLOW by Caroline Frost (3/18/22) Fiction

In 1970 thirteen runaway Kit Walker met smooth-talking Manny Romero. She was too love-starved and broken to realize that he was abducting her and went away with him willingly. Manny was a low-level criminal who groomed Kit into being his partner-in-crime, mostly gas station robberies. Soon they became infamous as the “Texas Twosome” and enjoyed the fast life and excitement. The story takes in the gritty lifestyle they lead as they get in and out of scrapes and close-calls.

As Kit grows up their relationship changes. In many ways. And we fast-forward twenty years where Kit and her daughter live in a shabby home in Pecan Hollow and we start to piece together what took place in between. The story is about survival, the complexity of love, what one can do out of desperation, and the vulnerability and strength of womanhood. At times this is hard to watch as all characters act-out of desperation and the tendency to continue on a path of poor decisions. With all the mistakes Kit has made, as a mother she tries to lead her daughter forward without the skills needed to succeed. This is a tour into live of the impoverished. But between all the grit and grime there is unexpected tenderness and resilience.

4 Stars

252. AS I LAY DYING by William Faulkner (3/22/22) Fiction Classic

In 1930 “As I Lay Dying” was published and is considered an American classic for its structure, style, and drama as Faulkner nails the dialect of a range of characters from the impoverished low Mississippi countryside. Each Dundren family member has a narrative, usually quaint, with seemingly insignificant observations which give the reader a view into that person’s mind.

In the beginning Addie is nearing death and seeks to have her wishes met after her death. She wants to be buried with her kin in Jefferson, a long and difficult journey for the family. Son Cash is building a coffin right outside of Addie’s window. The more prosperous neighbor’s, the Tull’s, ask for sons Darl and Jewel to do an errand for him and they leave only to come home in two days to find their mother had died. These are a few of the snippets which set up the odyssey of Addie’s trip to Jefferson.

This sometimes pathetic, sometimes humorous story of mishaps, and poor decisions goes on and on. One of the best scenes is when the floods wash out the bridges they attempt a river crossing over a makeshift ford. A stray log upsets the wagon, the coffin falls out and the team of mules are drowned. Cash’s previously broken leg is re-injured. Neighbor Tull sees the wreck and helps Jewel save the coffin and wagon from the river. Then they all search the riverbed for Cash’s tools. Anse ends up mortgaging his farm equipment and using his false teeth money to buy a new team of mules. A horse doctor sets Cash’s leg and he faints from the pain.

This moment in time, with all the scabs and flaws of the characters, makes this a unique, but believable family portrait.

4 Stars

253. THE NEXT SHIP HOME by Heather Webb (3/25/22) Historical Fiction

This is a novel about the secrets of Ellis Island in the early 1900’s, where all immigrants seeking a new life of opportunity get their first taste of what “processing” in the new country is like. Far from a welcoming party, rejections by staff put the most vulnerable into positions of suffering abuse in order to be allowed to stay. Francesca, a young Italian immigrant and her ill sister, are fleeing poverty and an abusive father, have arrived with great hope. On the same day Alma begins her first day of work at the immigration center and has hopes to someday become a translator, which is usually out of reach for women.

I thought this book was interesting and did not sugar coat the prejudices which still exist today: Mainly, by being poor and speaking a foreign language, immigrants can suffer abuse.

4 Star

254. HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE by Imbolo Mbue (3/28/22) Fiction

Set in the fictional African village of Koswana, it tells of people living in fear as their children get sick from the water and earth as oil spills by an American oil company brings environmental degradation making the land useless and the people sick and dying. Promises of cleanup and monetary reparations to the villagers are made and ignored year after year. The country’s government, led by a corrupt dictator leaves the villagers no choice but to fight back. And one hopeful young woman who was granted a scholarship in America becomes an activist to help her village and people.

This book has won many tributes and acclaim from being one of the 10 best books of the year by The New York Times, People, The Washington Post and others. I am sure this is based on many similar true stories in Africa and beyond.

5 Stars

255. THE PILOT’S DAUGHTER by Meredith Jaeger (4/2/22) Historical Fiction

In the final days of World War II, Elle Morgan is working at the San Francisco Chronicle as a secretary and dreams of becoming a reporter. She is engaged and conflicted by her fiancee’s desire to quit and join domestic life for the news room. Elle wants to try to solve the mystery of her missing-in-action pilot father and the possibility that he may still be alive. She finds a stack of love letter from a woman who is not her mother and she is determined to find the truth. With the help of her Aunt Iris, a past showgirl with the Ziegfeld Follies, she decides to embark on a search for the truth no matter where it takes them.

This book has all the elements most want in an historical fiction book. There is a mystery to solve, regardless that the truth may be painful and a whirlwind of glimpses into Iris’ wild and dangerous past in the 1920’s as a New York showgirl.

4 Stars

256. THE UNFAMILIAR GARDEN by Benjamin Percy (4/4/22) Fiction

A meteor strike in the Seattle area altered the weather pattern and caused a massive drought. The night of the meteor, Jack and Nora Abernathy’s daughter, Mia, disappeared while Jack was doing science experiments in the woods in the middle of the night with Mia. Nora lost herself in her work as a homicide detective when she tried to solve her young daughter’s disappearance. Jack’s promising biologic research crumbled as he struggled with guilt over Mia’s disappearance. When Jack uncovers evidence of a parasitic fungus the parents unite to find out the truth about Mia’s fate and it’s relationship to the meteor strike.

This is no only science fiction, but a gripping thriller, and a story about family tragedy, all rolled into one. On a personal note, I usually steer clear from science fiction, especially when it seems too creepy, contrived and unrealistic, BUT, this one has human elements along with possibilities that at least some of these circumstances could actually happen, to encourage a high recommendation for this one.

5 Stars

257. A FLICKER IN THE DARK by Stacy Willingham (4/9/22) Fiction Thriller

Chloe Davis was only twelve when six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of summer her father confessed to the crimes and was jailed for life for the murders. Chloe and her family were left to grapple with the truth, each trying to move forward in life. Twenty years later, Chloe, now a psychologist in Baton Rouge, is getting ready for her upcoming marriage, while trying to find a balance to her own life and the lives of her patients. When two local teenage girls go missing, the parallels to her own life are overwhelming which brings all the past circumstances back to examine to see whether there is a copycat killer or if her father was the real killer after all.

This is a good mystery with a surprise ending, although I felt like the narrative was following an obvious conclusion, then quickly switched to another. You know, the kind you go “What???”

3 Stars

258. DEAD SILENCE by S.A. Barnes (4/10/22) Fiction

In this futuristic space novel we can go to space on vacation. Claire Kovalik is part of the Beacon repair crew which attends to problems in space. She is young, spunky, and a risk-taker with ambitions of making a name for herself. They accidentally spot the beacon of a luxury space-liner, the Aurora, which on it’s maiden voyage tour disappeared into space. The Beacon crew decided to investigate which would immediately make them “high-profile” and in the news. Aboard the Aurora they realize that something horrific happened as they see signs written in blood and passenger’s bodies floating around of the high profile rich people, athletes, royalty and celebrites. Violence definitely happened on this ship. Instead of abandoning the ship to it’s fate, Claire, who is leading the mission, decides to bring the ship home despite the risks of recovery. The retrieval can bring the crew the money and fame that could set their career paths for life.

This is pretty exciting vision of what life could look like if we can use space as a destination. It is cleverly written, exciting, although a little too technical for my limited knowledge. Space addicts will love this book.

4 Stars

259. THE TENANT by Katrine Engberg ((4/14/22) Mystery Fiction

This may be an introduction into Katrine Engberg, for some, although she is an international bestselling author, especially in Europe. We follow two Copenhagen police detectives, Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner, in a brutal murder of a young woman in her own apartment. An intricate pattern of lines were carved into the victim’s face.

I found The Tenant to be filled with plenty of suspense, human drama, and off-beat characters. It is also interesting to view the differences in police procedures in Denmark.

4 Stars

260. THE DIAMOND EYE byKate Quinn ((4/24/22) Historical Fiction

Based on a true story, Kate Quinn continues to write captivating stories about female heros of World War II. After reading The Rose Code, The Alice Network, and The Huntress, she finds another remarkable woman, a quiet librarian who becomes history’s deadliest female sniper. Another interesting detail is that the protagonist, Mila Pavlichenko, lives in the snowbound city of Kiev (quite in the news these days) and joins the fight as Hitler invades Russia. Her shooting expertise cam from the farm and she, with great determination, had to gain acceptance from her male soldiers by being the best. Eventually known as “Lady Death”, she had over 300 kills and became a heroine in her own country and was even sent to America on a goodwill tour where she became a friend of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

The author continues to take a real circumstance(s) and individual(s) and tells the story according to history but fills in the blanks she couldn’t possibly know, in order to create and develop a full personality and interesting story. And at the end she informs us of the liberties she took. I’m a fan.

5 Stars

261. THE DRESSMAKER OF KHAIR KHANA by Gayle Tzemach (4/27/22)

Non Fiction

This true story of Kamila Sidiqi, is the inspiring story of how at a very young age Kamila, whose father had so much faith in her that when he had to leave Afghanistan when the Taliban’s rise to power threatened their lives, he charged her with finding a way to support the family- she,4 younger sisters, and her young brother. Previously she had studied to become a teacher, but the Taliban didn’t allow females to go to school, so she had to reinvent herself in times where women and girls could not go outside alone without a male escort. Her older married sister and her mother had been very good seamstresses and she decided to learn to sew beautiful dresses in the style the Taliban would allow. When she learned sew she taught her sisters and eventually other Kabul neighbors and became an entrepreneur of a robust business, helping dozens of families to survive in the restricted Taliban times.

This Non-Fiction book is important and interesting and yet reads easily like a novel.

4 Srars

262. THE PARIS ARCHITECT by Charles Belfoure (4/30/22) Historical Fiction

Most Gentiles in occupied Paris had little empathy for Jews. Many were displeased with the “Resistance”, they thought of as thugs and Communists. Lucien Bernard was in this group when a wealthy industrialist offered him a large sum of money to design a secret hiding place for a Jew he knew. Lucien’s first reaction was “Why would this man put himself at risk for a Jew?” Lucien struggled with this choice to become a part of a cause he didn’t believe in. He ultimately couldn’t resist the money since the war literally stopped his ability to find work. When the first hiding place was a success he continued to devise unique hiding spaces-behind a painting, inside a drainpipe, in a column, and other unique places. Soon his lack of empathy for the Jews reverses and he gets more involved in helping. But he also gets jobs from the Nazis to build armament factories he justifies as being useful to Paris at the end of the war.

This was well-written and really a great story.

5 Stars

263. DISAPPEARING EARTH by Julia Phillips (5/3/22) Fiction

This debut novel has won or been a finalist in many literary awards including The National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle, and the New York Times Book Review named it one of the top 10 best books of 2019. With these credentials I had high expectations. The title comes from a story told in the opening chapter about a seaside village that was washed away by a tsunami and the disappearance of two young girls, seemingly unrelated to the tsunami. The 13 chapters are named after a month of the year except for chapter 6 which is named “New Year”. The author writes from a third person point of view and has an unconventional narrative structure, shifting perspectives from one Kamchatkan (Russian) woman to another. Rather than telling one story it tells many with lots of characters in loosely related vignettes. At the very end of the book the author ties many of the characters togethers but leaves out many.

This type of literary experience, although highly acclaimed, leaves me confused as to why I am seeing so many stories that seem to have little relationship to each other, nor relevance. Tying up some of it in the end was helpful but not satisfying to me. It left me with the feeling that I must have missed something, or maybe this unique style is why it got rave reviews.

3 Stars

264. SAVING US by Katherine Hayhoe (5/7/22) Non-Fiction

As her byline says, “A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, I was definitely looking for hope for the future in what usually looks dismal to me. In this difficult time where well-educated people scoff at well-documented scientific facts, I admit to feeling hopeless at times as we experience more and more climate events that are the “NOW”, not just predictions of the future. Just last year I was one of many who had to evacuate their homes due to rampant wildfires in the Western United States. And this year is an even bigger threat with another record-breaking drought year added to the other previous years.

Katherine Hayhoe, a Canadian climate scientist living in Texas, knows that arguing statistics with people resistant to enacting positive change is an incredible challenge, but through her years of work in this field she has learned how to inspire others from the ground up to start to make changes in their lives. She believes that the most important thing we can do is to talk about it and she teaches us how to do this. Finding shared values is the answer to changing hearts and minds. This is a multilayered look at science, faith, and human psychology and leaves us with some tools to open a dialogue with our friends and family. There is a lot in this book to learn and I think we need all the help we can get to save our future on this earth.

5 Stars

265. LOVING EDIE by Meredith May (5/9/22) Non-Fiction

Loving Edie is a memoir of a journalist and her wife who decide it is time to adopt another dog. Edie seems like a perfect addition to their family and as a tiny golden retriever pup, is irresistible in the cuteness category. As she grew they realized that Edie was afraid to almost everything–loud noises, children at play, strangers, cars, airplanes overhead, and the list grew as they tried to introduce her to stimuli and training. Her response was always the same: to flee, sometimes into traffic. There were far too many times when she got in trouble when she was “off leash”, and I had to say to myself-well that’s stupid! They tried everything and were beginning to think they would have to “do something” to save their marriage because Edie was taking up all of their time.

I think most dog-lovers will enjoy and relate to this book but have a bit of frustration in their choices for a cure. I had a little empathy because we had a dog many years ago who was highly intelligent and trainable but as soon as thunder struck was a quivering mess and would run away in terror if left outside.

4 Stars

266. MIDNIGHT AT THE BRIGHT IDEAS BOOKSTORE by Matthew Sullivan (5/11/22) Fiction

Lydia loves her job at the Bright Ideas Bookstore in Denver. One day she discovers that a patron, young Joey Molina had hanged himself in the store and that he bequeathed his few belongings to Lydia, mainly his books and she finds messages throughout the pages. While trying to find answers for Joey’s suicide a friend from the past, Raj Patel, came back to town and memories of a tragedy that happened to Lidia as a child were brought back to light.

This book has interesting characters, several mysteries and unsolved crimes wanting to be solved and generally was a good page turner.

4 Stars

267. THE WORTH OF WATER by Gary White and Matt Damon (5/13/22) Non-Fiction

Gary White and Matt Damon founders of the non-profits Water.org and WaterEquity teamed up to end the global water crisis. A big job, you bet when three-quarters of a billion people have no clean water source near their homes. And 1,7 billion don’t have access to a toilet. This keeps people in extreme poverty as the women and children spend much of their day walking miles to fill jugs with water and without toilets disease spreads. Gary is a water expert and engineer and Matt, an actor, have spend years trying to find the right solution to this enormous problem. After many mistakes they have found a good answer and have already with the help of partners across East Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia found a solution for over 40 million people. This book is a story of their journey in finding solutions and invites us to join the effort to empower families and communities around the world. Inspiring as all the proceeds from this book will donated to Water.org.

4 Stars

268. STOLEN FOCUS by Johann Hari (5/15/22) Non-Fiction

In this digital world where we are ruled by our screens and constantly being bombarded by ads and product peddlers wrecking havoc on our attention spans and keeping us in a parade of diversions, we are finding big problems in our abilities to focus our full attention for any length of time. ADD and ADHD drugs are being prescribed by the billions to help ease those overly distracted minds. The author believes that our attention has been stolen by all the algorithms intended to divert our focus in other directions. We used to have a society of people who were interacting through mechanisms both individually and collectively to reach goals and solve problems. Now people have so much information fed to them that they cannot distinguish conspiracy theories and lies from and science and truth.

The author brings up interesting theories and behavioral explanations and attempts to find reasons to legislate to control part of the unhealthy stimuli that has intentionally played havoc with our brains.

5 Stars

269. BEING MORTAL by Atul Gawande (5/23/22) Non-Fiction

BEING MORTAL: Illness, Medicine, and What Matters in the End, tackles the hardest challenge of the medical profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending. In the time of aging and death the goals of medicine too often are in opposition to what the person wants in those last days and years. Nursing homes are so overly obsessed with keeping the patient safe that the patient becomes a prisoner to being strapped to railed beds and wheelchairs and often they isolate the dying. Annoying continuous checks of vital signs long after cures are moot and continuing to carry out devastating procedures to extend life in the end only extends suffering.

Dr. Gawande examines many of these issues and advocates for the patient’s right to be allowed a voice in these quality of life and dignity decisions. He shows examples of models of assisted living for the infirm and dependent elderly that give them some choice and dignity.

This is a book for all who either are elderly, or coming near and for those who will be caregivers in the future. For doctors, nurses, and all caregivers, this is a MUST READ.

5 Stars

270. THE PARIS BOOKSELLER by Kerri Maher (5/28/22) Historical Fiction

Young American Sylvia Beach, lover of books and Paris moves to Paris and on a quiet street in 1919 she opens her own English language bookstore, “Shakespeare and Company”. Soon her bookstore becomes a favorite of the prominent writers and intellectuals, such as Ernest Hemmingway and James Joyce whose book Ulysses, was banned in the United States and Sylvia decided to risk it all to publish it through her bookstore. But the success and notoriety of the most infamous and influential book of the century brings great personal and financial crises and a strange relationship with the careless Joyce himself.

A good read into the past although I really don’t know how much is fiction and how much truth.

4 Stars