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Author: ondbookshelf

Blogging my way through my extensive to be read pile of books.

About ondbookshelf

Blogging my way through my extensive to be read pile of books.

Published on Leave a comment on We Are Not Like Them
We Are Not Like Them Book Cover We Are Not Like Them
Christine Pride, Jo Piazza,
Fiction
Atria Books
October 5, 2021
Advance reader copy
336
Free from publisher

Told from alternating perspectives, an evocative and riveting novel about the lifelong bond between two women, one Black and one white, whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic event—a powerful and poignant exploration of race in America today and its devastating impact on ordinary lives.

Jen and Riley have been best friends since kindergarten. As adults, they remain as close as sisters, though their lives have taken different directions. Jen married young, and after years of trying, is finally pregnant. Riley pursued her childhood dream of becoming a television journalist and is poised to become one of the first Black female anchors of the top news channel in their hometown of Philadelphia.

But the deep bond they share is severely tested when Jen’s husband, a city police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. Six months pregnant, Jen is in freefall as her future, her husband’s freedom, and her friendship with Riley are thrown into uncertainty. Covering this career-making story, Riley wrestles with the implications of this tragic incident for her Black community, her ambitions, and her relationship with her lifelong friend.

Wow! Ripped from the headlines, this is a book that explores how two best friends handle things when a huge obstacle comes between them. Told in alternating chapters from Jen and Riley, best friends since kindergarten, Jen is white, Riley is Black. Due to a less than stellar homelife, Jen has basically grown up in Riley's family. Both are happy with where they've landed in life, Jen finally pregnant with the baby she has tried so hard for, and Riley on the cusp of becoming a television news anchor. Riley's final test for the promotion comes when she is given a story to report on, the death of an unarmed young black boy by a police officer. She's ready to make her mark, and try to end this madness of young black men being targeted, but there is one problem, the officer involved in the shooting is Jen's husband! The two characters are so well written that you find yourself flipping sides throughout the novel. It really makes you think about how a split second decision can have such devastating consequences. You will find yourself transported into the lives of each of these women, wondering what you would do in their shoes. Very well crafted, you would never suspect that there are two authors collaborating. The supporting characters also lend another layer to the tension, and the parallels with current events are evident. I had no idea how the authors could end this story, and I felt that they did a good job in coming to a justifiable conclusion.

This book will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, and is a must read for everyone in today's tumultuous society.

Published on Leave a comment on Blush
Blush Book Cover Blush
Jamie Brenner
Fiction
G. P. Putnam's Sons
June, 22, 2021
Advance reader copy
384
Free from publisher

For decades, the lush vineyards and majestic manor house of the Hollander Estates winery made it the North Fork of Long Island's premier destination for lavish parties and romantic day trips. Now the Hollander family fortunes have suffered, and as matriarch Vivian Hollander prepares for the arrival of her daughter and granddaughter for their annual summer reunion, she fears it might be their last. Worse, selling the family legacy to strangers might expose the dark secret she's harbored for thirty-five years....

Visits to the winery have been bittersweet for Leah Hollander Bailey ever since her father refused to let her take her place in the family business. Now a successful Manhattan shop owner, Leah loves the life she's built with her husband and daughter--but with her store, and her marriage, at a crossroads, she can't help but view this year's pilgrimage home as a sorely needed escape.

College senior Sadie Bailey has a thesis to write, and the towering shelves of the manor's library offer endless academic inspiration. But when Sadie discovers evidence that her proper Grandma Vivian once ran a book club dedicated to the scandalous women's novels of decades past, the shockingly outrageous tomes give her new insight into her family's glory days.

Resurrecting the trashy book club begins as the distraction all three women need. But as they battle to save their birthright and heal old wounds, they just might find that the pages contain everything they need to know about how to fight for what they want--and for the life, and love, they deserve.

My absolute favorite part about this book is going to show my age, but here goes. Three generations of women end up resurrecting a decades old bookclub of what were then considered racy books by authors such as Judith Kranz, Jackie Collins, Danielle Steele, and Sidney Sheldon. I read all of these books when they were released back in the 80's! The whole book was worth it just to delve into those memories again! But that's not all this book had going for it, lest you not remember any of these books 🙂 It also delves into the wine business and growing crops in the vineyards, the different types of cheese (some of which I've never heard of), and a misogynistic patriarch who you can root against. There is nothing to root against regarding the women in this book, although I wish that Vivian would have been more in tune with what was happening with the vineyard (function of the times.....sigh) before it was almost too late. Of course if you are looking for secrets to be revealed, there are those included, as well as a young summer love blossoming.

This one has a bit of something for everyone. Food, drink, family, love, secrets, and a bookclub! Now I want to go back and read some of the classics written about here. Believe it or not I do still have a couple of them on my shelves 🙂

Published on Leave a comment on The Matzah Ball
The Matzah Ball Book Cover The Matzah Ball
Jean Meltzer
Mira Books
September 28, 2021
Advance reader copy
336
Free from publisher

Oy! to the world

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.

3.5 stars

I usually read a few "Christmas" themed books every year, but I don't know that I've ever read one centered on Hanukkah, so this was a delight to find. I loved that while the main premise is an enemies to lovers trope, typical of the romance genre, this book had a lot more to learn about and explore. The main protagonist Rachel is a romance novelist, she writes Christmas romances under a pen name. She loves everything about Christmas, but is thrust into writing about Hanukkah by her publicist, who thinks who better to write a Hanukkah romance than a nice Jewish girl? The problem is that Rachel can't imagine coming up with anything worthy of writing about for this particular "boring" holiday, so she ends up relying on the Matzah Ball for inspiration. The Ball is being organized by none other than her enemy from summer camp back when she was a preteen. While this part of the story seemed very predictable, the other part about Rachel suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome was very enlightening and educational to me. I've never personally known anyone who suffers from this, but the author did a wonderful job explaining how people who suffer from this disease are often dismissed as not having a "real disease". I also learned a lot about Jewish traditions and these were explained in a way that someone who doesn't have much knowledge about that faith could understand. The look at the publishing world, and its impetus to thrust authors into writing about a subject they are not necessarily thrilled to take, on was very interesting, and makes you wonder how often this occurs? While I genuinely loved Rachel, I wasn't as enamored with the love interest Jacob. He did some things that made me question why a grown man was still acting kind of controlling toward Rachel at times. He was redeemable in the end, but it was kind of too late for me to care. Rachel's antics at the ball were also a bit over the top.

All in all this was a fun read, with some extra education about Jewish faith, the book publishing industry, and the stigma of a chronic condition. I can definitely recommend as an extra holiday read this season.

Published on Leave a comment on First Love, Take Two
First Love, Take Two Book Cover First Love, Take Two
Sajni Patel
Fiction
Forever
September 21, 2021
Paperback
384
Free from publisher

On the verge of realizing her dream of being a doctor, Preeti Patel should be ecstatic. But between the stress of her residency, trying to find a job, and managing her traditional, no-boundaries family, Preeti's anxiety is through the roof. Relationships and love aren't even an option. Fortunately, Preeti's finally found a new place to stay . . . only to discover that her new roommate is her ex.

Preeti never quite got over Daniel Thompson. Super-hot, plenty of swagger, amazing cook—the guy is practically perfect. And if it weren't for their families, there might have been a happily ever after. But it's hard to keep her sanity and libido in check when the man of her dreams is sleeping mere feet away. Can Preeti and Daniel find a way to stand up and fight for each other one last time . . . before they lose their second chance?

Time to spotlight a romance, which is not something I do that often. In order for me to enjoy a romance novel, there has to be some substance to it besides the romantic tension found in pretty much all of them. I also have to like and respect the main characters, this means no dumb doormat women, no controlling men, etc. I was impressed that this novel definitely had some substance in that the main characters were originally broken apart by their respective families and traditions. Preeti is Indian, and her family has an Indian man in their sights they deem perfect for her, while Daniel's father wants a well connected woman from a wealthy family for his son. Meanwhile the two are both still in love with each other. Of course most people would tell their families where to shove it, but it was interesting to read about the deep bonds of tradition that keep both of these characters tied to their families opinions about their relationship. The other thing I loved in this one was that both characters were successful in their careers, Preeti completing her residency, and Daniel involved in his father's company. They were smart, successful, and genuinely nice people that I loved getting to know. There was even some mental health representation as Preeti suffers from anxiety and touch aversion. Love that more books are exploring this, and happy it was touched on here. The ending, as most romances are, was neatly tied up and highly satisfactory.

This was a strong second chance romance with self assured independent characters you were rooting for. Add in the cultural ties to family, and you've got a story with much more than the typical romance read.

2

Published on 2 Comments on When Ghosts Come Home
When Ghosts Come Home Book Cover When Ghosts Come Home
Wiley Cash
Fiction
William Morrow
September 21, 2021
Advance reader copy
304
Free from publisher

When the roar of a low-flying plane awakens him in the middle of the night, Sheriff Winston Barnes knows something strange is happening at the nearby airfield on the coast of North Carolina. But nothing can prepare him for what he finds: a large airplane has crash-landed and is now sitting sideways on the runway, and there are no signs of a pilot or cargo. When the body of a local man is discovered—shot dead and lying on the grass near the crash site—Winston begins a murder investigation that will change the course of his life and the fate of the community that he has sworn to protect.

Everyone is a suspect, including the dead man. As rumors and accusations fly, long-simmering racial tensions explode overnight, and Winston, whose own tragic past has followed him like a ghost, must do his duty while facing the painful repercussions of old decisions. Winston also knows that his days as sheriff may be numbered. He’s up for re-election against a corrupt and well-connected challenger, and his deputies are choosing sides. As if these events weren’t troubling enough, he must finally confront his daughter Colleen, who has come home grieving a shattering loss she cannot fully articulate.

As the suspense builds and this compelling mystery unfolds, Wiley Cash delves deep into the hearts of these richly drawn, achingly sympathetic characters to reveal the nobility of an ordinary man struggling amidst terrifying, extraordinary circumstances.

Let me just start this review with the following.....if you have not yet read a novel by this author, what are you waiting for? Obviously, being from NC, I'm sure he came on my radar much sooner than on a national scale, but MAN, can this guy write a story!!! In the case of this particular book, I am not a fan of sheriff/detective type stories, but because of who it was written by, I eagerly read it anyway. I'm so glad that I did, and it goes to show you that some writers really can make even the phone book come alive (I kid, but I was amazed that I liked a mystery/detective story)! While the mystery of a downed plane and a murdered man are at the forefront, there is so much more to love about this story. There is a part about race, the book takes place in 1984 on a small island off the coast of NC, the majority of residents are white, and the murdered man is black. There is a part about the haves and have nots, with expensive sub divisions going up, and some less than savory corrupt good ol' boys, one of whom is running for sheriff. There are the secrets that follow several of the characters, and have an effect on their actions as the book plays out. Then there is the heartbreaking story of the main character's daughter, who has come home to grieve the loss of her infant son. All of these characters are so well written, and the setting and time so well developed, it transported me into the story. I came to care so much for these characters, and definitely shed a tear at the sad, but also hopeful ending.

I cannot say enough about this one! If this author has not come across your radar yet, please give his books a try. Regardless of the topic, you can't help but be enthralled with this writing and characters. I am eagerly awaiting his next book already!

Published on Leave a comment on Apples Never Fall
Apples Never Fall Book Cover Apples Never Fall
Liane Moriarty
Fiction
Henry Holt and Company
September 14, 2021
Hardcover/Audio
467
Purchased/ALC from Libro-FM

The Delaneys are fixtures in their community. The parents, Stan and Joy, are the envy of all of their friends. They’re killers on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after fifty years of marriage, they’ve finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. So why are Stan and Joy so miserable?

The four Delaney children—Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke—were tennis stars in their own right, yet as their father will tell you, none of them had what it took to go all the way. But that’s okay, now that they’re all successful grown-ups and there is the wonderful possibility of grandchildren on the horizon.

One night a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy’s door, bleeding after a fight with her boyfriend. The Delaneys are more than happy to give her the small kindness she sorely needs. If only that was all she wanted.

Later, when Joy goes missing, and Savannah is nowhere to be found, the police question the one person who remains: Stan. But for someone who claims to be innocent, he, like many spouses, seems to have a lot to hide. Two of the Delaney children think their father is innocent, two are not so sure—but as the two sides square off against each other in perhaps their biggest match ever, all of the Delaneys will start to reexamine their shared family history in a very new light.

This author never disappoints me. Many disliked her last novel (Nine Perfect Strangers), but while it was not my favorite from her extensive titles, I enjoyed it. I went into this one knowing that the plot was right in my wheelhouse, the family saga. I was correct in that this book is chock full of family drama, particularly when siblings have to take sides on whether their father could have murdered their mother! How's that for family drama? As is always the case, Moriarty develops her characters very well, and her writing makes a 467 page book fly by. You are kept guessing on what exactly happened to Joy Delaney, with alternating chapters from the time Joy disappears, back to the time six months earlier when a stranger appeared on their doorstep. I loved the conclusion of this story, most of the ends are tied up, but not to the point where it felt forced. The last couple pages gave me the creep factor, and put a nice spin on the book's closure. My one small criticism would be that it may have been a tad too long, but that's for the editor's to decide and is not a fault of the author. There was a nod at the end to the pandemic, which was a nice touch and made the time period current.

Lots of secrets, lots of drama, and great writing make this well worth the read, particularly if you enjoy family stories. I'd say if you were disappointed in this author's last novel, you will feel like she has returned to her roots in this one.

1

Published on 1 Comment on The Charm Offensive
The Charm Offensive Book Cover The Charm Offensive
Alison Cochrun
Fiction
Atria
September 7, 2021
Advance reader copy
368
Free from publisher

Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.

Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.

As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find the happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.

Yes, I did just rate another book based on The Bachelor franchise five stars (see also One to Watch and If the Shoe Fits)! As I've said in my reviews for all three of these books, I'm not a viewer of this reality show (except in the very early seasons), but I think the timeline and setup just works for me. Not to mention, I have fallen hard for the main protagonists in every book! Charlie and Dev are no exception. While the previous two dealt with body positivity, this book deals with a gay romance, and also does a great job addressing mental health issues in a sensitive, but not overbearing way. Poor Charlie was so out of his element, and you could feel his anxiety ebb across the pages as he tries his best to be the perfect star of the show. There are so many sweet scenes in this one, but it doesn't come across as cheesy in anyway. The side characters are just as lovely as the main ones, and the portrayal of the "show must go on" cliche rings true each and every week.

I adored this cross between last summer's huge hit Red, White, and Royal Blue (which I also recommend) and the two books mentioned at the top of this review. I am predicting this to be the sleeper hit of the year, and I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next!

Published on Leave a comment on The Night She Disappeared
The Night She Disappeared Book Cover The Night She Disappeared
Lisa Jewell
Fiction
Atria Books
September 7, 2021
Advance reader copy
416
Free from publisher

2017: 19 year old Tallulah is going out on a date, leaving her baby with her mother, Kim.

Kim watches her daughter leave and, as late evening turns into night, which turns into early morning, she waits for her return. And waits.

The next morning, Kim phones Tallulah's friends who tell her that Tallulah was last seen heading to a party at a house in the nearby woods called Dark Place.

She never returns.

2019: Sophie is walking in the woods near the boarding school where her boyfriend has just started work as a head-teacher when she sees a note fixed to a tree.

'DIG HERE' . . .

A cold case, an abandoned mansion, family trauma and dark secrets lie at the heart of Lisa Jewell's remarkable new novel.

The queen of the domestic thriller has managed to create yet another page turner of a novel. First let me say, as I do every year when I review books by this author, that her non-thriller book The House We Grew Up In is a must read! Now with that promotion out of the way, let's discuss this latest release. As is the case with all her novels, the author tells this story with multiple POV's (points of view) and a couple different timelines. As is also the case, reading a Jewell book takes me back to my Nancy Drew obsession. Remember when there was always a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter to make you want to continue on? That's pretty much how I feel when I read Jewell's books! The writing and storytelling is so compelling, you will want to keep your eyes glued to the pages to find out how it's all going to end. The mother character worked the best for me in this one, I'm not much of a fan of young people behaving badly, so those characters and their backstory were more secondary and a bit boring for me. However, the mystery aspect was what definitely propelled this one. I had some ideas, some I was correct on, some not, I always like to be right at least once in awhile, so I can appreciate the easy clues fed to the reader. I loved the conclusive ending, I'm not one to want to guess at what happened to the major players, so I appreciated the closure.

Another fast paced, riveting read from and author I know I can count on to provide a few hours of quality entertainment and amateur sleuthing. Definitely will be a hit for those who know this author, and hopefully will be picked up by others who want an immersive reading experience.

Published on Leave a comment on Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Book Cover Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
Elle Cosimano
Fiction
Minotaur Books
February 2, 2021
Hardcover
368
Purchased

Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

If you are looking for something completely different to read, you've come to the right place with this book. Despite what seems like heavy subject matter (a woman is mistaken as a contract killer and manages to agree to a job), it is hilarious in scope! Poor Finlay's life is a mess, she's a bit of a dimwit when it comes to shady dealings, yet she is definitely someone to root for! I found myself chuckling so many times over the situations she seems to fall into, without even trying to. The writing was on point, the story flowed very fast, and the main character and her sidekick nanny were so well formed. Despite the hilarity of the situations Finlay finds herself in, this book did have some side plots that were not all fun and games, such as a custody fight, mob influencers, spousal abuse, and harried motherhood. The plot was so clever, just when I thought there was no way Finlay was going to get out of a situation, the author came up with one. There are several twists woven through this one, and the ending was perfect. Speaking of endings, it was the perfect segue into what will be a new sequel coming next February. I for one cannot wait to read more of this character and her shenanigans!

A totally different kind of book, this one is technically a mystery, but it's not like your usual whodunnit tale. The humor was the spotlight. I can definitely recommend this, especially if you are tired of the same old worn out plots.

Published on Leave a comment on Damnation Spring
Damnation Spring Book Cover Damnation Spring
Ash Davidson
Fiction
Scribner
August 3, 2021
Hardcover
464
Purchased

For generations, Rich Gundersen’s family has chopped a livelihood out of the redwood forest along California’s rugged coast. Now Rich and his wife, Colleen, are raising their own young son near Damnation Grove, a swath of ancient redwoods on which Rich’s employer, Sanderson Timber Co., plans to make a killing. In 1977, with most of the forest cleared or protected, a grove like Damnation—and beyond it 24-7 Ridge—is a logger’s dream.

It’s dangerous work. Rich has already lived decades longer than his father, killed on the job. Rich wants better for his son, Chub, so when the opportunity arises to buy 24-7 Ridge—costing them all the savings they’ve squirreled away for their growing family—he grabs it, unbeknownst to Colleen. Because the reality is their family isn’t growing; Colleen has lost several pregnancies. And she isn’t alone. As a midwife, Colleen has seen it with her own eyes.

For decades, the herbicides the logging company uses were considered harmless. But Colleen is no longer so sure. What if these miscarriages aren’t isolated strokes of bad luck? As mudslides take out clear-cut hillsides and salmon vanish from creeks, her search for answers threatens to unravel not just Rich’s plans for the 24-7, but their marriage too, dividing a town that lives and dies on timber along the way.

Told from the perspectives of Rich, Colleen, and Chub, in prose as clear as a spring-fed creek, this intimate, compassionate portrait of a community clinging to a vanishing way of life amid the perils of environmental degradation makes Damnation Spring an essential novel for our time.

This was not only a well written and engaging story, but one that sheds light on the growing environmental concerns we face. The use of regular pesticide sprayings, and the effects it has on this small logging town in 1977, is the main focus of the story. From the salmon, to the drinking water from the creeks, to the myriad numbers of birth issues, the welfare of these people becomes of grave importance to the reader. Add to the growing environmental issues, two sides form to argue over the spraying, and there is a lot of tension between neighbors, families, and friends. The loggers need the excess brush cleared in order to work, but there are those who want to know at what cost is this work to their community? There are definitely two sides to the story, and even though I knew which side I should take, the author skillfully makes you look at both sides and the effect on the town's economy. The story is told from three viewpoints, Rich (a logger), his wife Colleen (a midwife), and their son Chub. If I was going to nitpick the book at all I would say that I wasn't a fan of the son's chapters. I felt that they didn't really ring true for what a five year old would be observing or saying. I loved him as a character, just not as much as a narrator. I felt that despite sadness toward the end of the book, it overall left you with a hopeful feeling for the family. This is one of those books that you worry about what happened to the characters and how everything turned out.

A wonderful story about a small logging town dealing with the environmental effects of pesticides. I don't know much about the regulations placed on these chemicals today, but I certainly hope they are far removed from what was happening in 1977. Richly crafted characters, many of them deeply flawed, propel this story into one that will stay with you a while.