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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 The Family Next Door
The Family Next Door Book Cover The Family Next Door
Sally Hepworth
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
March 6, 2018
Hardcover
352
Free from publisher

Small, perfect towns often hold the deepest secrets. From the outside, Essie’s life looks idyllic: a loving husband, a beautiful house in a good neighborhood, and a nearby mother who dotes on her grandchildren. But few of Essie’s friends know her secret shame: that in a moment of maternal despair, she once walked away from her newborn, asleep in her carriage in a park. Disaster was avoided and Essie got better, but she still fears what lurks inside her, even as her daughter gets older and she has a second baby. When a new woman named Isabelle moves in next door to Essie, she is an immediate object of curiosity in the neighborhood. Why single, when everyone else is married with children? Why renting, when everyone else owns? What mysterious job does she have? And why is she so fascinated with Essie? As the two women grow closer and Essie’s friends voice their disapproval, it starts to become clear that Isabelle’s choice of neighborhood was no accident. And that her presence threatens to bring shocking secrets to light. The Family Next Door is Sally Hepworth at her very best: at once a deeply moving portrait of family drama and a compelling suburban mystery that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

My review:

I am a big fan of books by this author (The Secrets of Midwives, The Things We Keep, The Mother's Promise). Click the links to see my reviews on those books I've listed. I had heard that this book was a departure from her previous novels, but I'm not sure that I agree. There was maybe a bit more of an unsettling mystery surrounding one of the new neighbors, but I think there has been a bit of that seen in prior works. What Hepworth does well is suck you into her stories because of the characters. She writes about seemingly normal people who may not be as normal as you think. Particularly in this book, they all have secrets they are hiding from not only their neighbors, but in most cases, from their spouses. This was a fast read for me, the alternating short chapters are told by each of five women in the neighborhood. I found myself racing through to find out not just the mystery behind the new neighbor, but how life pans out for all the other women. Despite it being a super engaging read, I did think there were just a few too many problems going on. I know the saying you don't always know what goes on in your neighbors house, but come on.....these people were ALL messed up! Couldn't we have a couple normal ones in the bunch, just for my sanity?

This is a fast paced story with some real life people, in some messed up secrets and lies. It's not what I would classify as a thriller, since most of the secrets are more scandal than sinister, but you will find yourself caught up in the lives of these neighbors. It's definitely worth the read.

2

Published on 2 Comments on Rosie Colored Glasses
Rosie Colored Glasses Book Cover Rosie Colored Glasses
Brianna Wolfson
Fiction
Mira Books
February 20, 2018
E-book
336
Publisher via NetGalley

Willow Thorpe knows friction… The friction between her parents, Rosie and Rex. The friction inside herself as she tries to navigate two worlds since their divorce.

But life has not always been like this.

When Rosie and Rex first met, theirs was an attraction of opposites. Rosie lived life for those heightened moments when love reveals its true secrets. Rex lived life safely, by the rules. Common sense would say theirs was a union not meant to last, but it was genuine love.

Now Willow just wants to be with Rosie, to bask in her mother’s outsize glow and, she thinks, protection. Because Rosie is the only person who can make Willow feel totally alive and completely loved.

But as Willow and Rosie and Rex try harder and harder to stay connected as a family, Rosie’s manic tornado of love continues to sweep up everyone in sight, ultimately to heartbreaking results.

My review:

This was a well written exploration into a love story that likely never should have worked, and when it becomes apparent that it isn't going to, the aftereffects it has on the two young children. Willow and her brother Asher go back and forth between their two parents' houses. Both parents have completely opposite styles, which only ends up confusing the children more. Their mom becomes the fun parent, the one that older child Willow wants to be with always, and their father the one with all the rules While this can perhaps work in a two parent family, it goes awry when sides become drawn. The book is told in alternating chapters, one from daughter Willow's viewpoint, and the other the story of the parents courtship up until present time. I had a hard time with pretty much all of the characters in this one, even though I credit the author with writing them well (I have read that this novel is semi-autobiographical). The mother, who was clearly struggling with mental illness and self medicating with drugs, needed to reign her wild behavior in and seek help, especially once there were children involved. The father needed to show more love and understand his children and where they were coming from. He appeared to do a better job  at being present for his ex-wife than his children. The daughter not understanding that her mother was not always the best option, had me on edge the whole book. She seemed a bit old in her thoughts and actions for a fifth grader, but I'm going to let that slide since as I mentioned, it was the author's life. Luckily there was a redemption for one of the parents in the end, which tied the story up.

A good story, with a heartbreaking look at what mental illness can do to a family, particularly the children.

2

Published on 2 Comments on The Glass Forest
The Glass Forest Book Cover The Glass Forest
Cynthia Swanson
Fiction
Simon and Schuster
February 6, 2018
Hardcover
352
Free from publisher

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookseller comes a gripping literary suspense novel set in the 1960s about a deeply troubled family and three women who will reveal its dark truths. In the autumn of 1960, Angie Glass is living an idyllic life in her Wisconsin hometown. At twenty-one, she’s married to charming, handsome Paul, and has just given birth to a baby boy. But one phone call changes her life forever. When Paul’s niece, Ruby, reports that her father, Henry, has committed suicide, and that her mother, Silja, is missing, Angie and Paul drop everything and fly to the small upstate town of Stonekill, New York to be by Ruby’s side. Angie thinks they’re coming to the rescue of Paul’s grief-stricken young niece, but Ruby is a composed and enigmatic seventeen-year-old who resists Angie’s attempts to nurture her. As Angie learns more about the complicated Glass family, staying in Henry and Silja’s eerie and ultra-modern house on the edge of the woods, she begins to question the very fabric of her own marriage. Through Silja’s flashbacks, Angie’s discovery of astonishing truths, and Ruby’s strategic dissection of her parents’ state of affairs, a story of love, secrets, and ultimate betrayal is revealed.

My review:

This is my kind of suspense novel! The story is heavily focused on developing the characters, and the mystery (while ever present), is not the main focus. There are not any contrived hit you over the head twists, although make no mistake, there were a few times when I was fooled. From the beginning of the book we learn that a man is dead, his wife has gone missing, and a teenage daughter has been left behind. Enter the man's brother and wife, who are the only remaining family members to care for the daughter. I knew that things were not as they seem right from the start, but the author skillfully doles out just enough information at a time to keep the reader engrossed in what exactly happened within this family. There are three women who are the voices in alternating chapters. The teenage daughter Ruby, and the brother's wife Angie are in present timeline, while the mother Silja is a chronicle from when she meets her husband until her disappearance. I loved the triple person perspective, and was completely engrossed in this novel. This book is very different from Ms. Swanson's previous novel The Bookseller, but I really liked them both!

This is a great novel that will have you mesmerized by the characters, and embracing the unsettling feeling while reading. You will soon realize that you never know what is going on within a seemingly ordinary family!

 

 

Published on Leave a comment on She Regrets Nothing
She Regrets Nothing Book Cover She Regrets Nothing
Andrea Dunlop
Fiction
Washington Square Press
February 6, 2018
Paperback
400
Free from publisher

In the tradition of The Emperor’s Children and The House of Mirth, the forgotten granddaughter of one of New York’s wealthiest men is reunited with her family just as she comes of age—and once she’s had a glimpse of their glittering world, she refuses to let it go without a fight. When Laila Lawrence becomes an orphan at twenty-three, the sudden loss unexpectedly introduces her to three glamorous cousins from New York who show up unannounced at her mother’s funeral. The three siblings are scions of the wealthy family from which Laila’s father had been estranged long before his own untimely demise ten years before. Two years later, Laila has left behind her quiet life in Grosse Point, Michigan to move to New York City, landing her smack in the middle of her cousins’ decadent world. As the truth about why Laila’s parents became estranged from the family patriarch becomes clear, Laila grows ever more resolved to claim what’s rightfully hers. Caught between longing for the love of her family and her relentless pursuit of the lifestyle she feels she was unfairly denied, Laila finds herself reawakening a long dead family scandal—not to mention setting off several new ones—as she becomes further enmeshed in the lives and love affairs of her cousins. But will Laila ever, truly, belong in their world? Sly and sexy, She Regrets Nothing is a sharply observed and utterly seductive tale about family, fortune, and fate—and the dark side of wealth.

My review:

Seeing that pink happens to be my favorite color, I absolutely ADORE this cover! And yes, I most certainly looked at the blurb and requested a copy pronto after falling for the cover. I would have been happy just to have the cover to look at, but the story was equally as appealing! I love a good story about rich people behaving badly, and while the people in this one only marginally fit that bill, it was about a woman trying to insert herself into the rich life after finding out her recently deceased father had been estranged from his wealthy brother (whew!). She meets her cousins, lives the lush city life, backstabs  a few people along the way to reaching what she considers her rightful place in the family. Some of the cousins were more accepting of her than others, which made for a fun subplot. I loved the writing, the characters, the settings and the hi-jinks of the rich.

Just a fun book with a great plot and characters, with a little lifestyles of the rich and famous thrown in. And can we just sit and admire this cover for a few more minutes?

 

 

Published on Leave a comment on The Great Alone
The Great Alone Book Cover The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
February 6, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy
448
Free from publisher

Lenora Allbright is 13 when her father convinces her mother, Cora, to forgo their inauspicious existence in Seattle and move to Kaneq, AK. It's 1974, and the former Vietnam POW sees a better future away from the noise and nightmares that plague him. Having been left a homestead by a buddy who died in the war, Ernt is secure in his beliefs, but never was a family less prepared for the reality of Alaska, the long, cold winters and isolation. Locals want to help out, especially classmate Matthew Walker, who likes everything about Leni. Yet the harsh conditions bring out the worst in Ernt, whose paranoia takes over their lives and exacerbates what Leni sees as the toxic relationship between her parents. The Allbrights are as green as greenhorns can be, and even first love must endure unimaginable hardship and tragedy as the wilderness tries to claim more victims.

My review:

It's pretty hard to top The Nightingale, but I really enjoyed this new release by Kristin Hannah. It's a different style than Nightingale, I would say more in line with most of her previous works (of which I have read a few). The setting of Alaska is absolutely a character in and of itself in this one, the descriptions of the beauty and isolation (particularly in winter) were wonderfully written. The other characters were so well defined, right down to my favorite supporting character Large Marge. There is a poignant scene with her that had me in tears! Be aware that there is abuse in this one, so if that is a trigger for you, I would not recommend. The book touches on the subjects of PTSD, survival skills, injury related brain trauma, and familial bonding, among others. As I was reading this one, it reminded me of another of this winter's blockbusters, My Absolute Darling (young girl protagonist, survivalists, nature setting). However I didn't like Darling because of the incest and excessive nature and gun descriptions, whereas The Great Alone was much more to my taste in not going over the top in these areas.

This was an absolutely beautiful exploration of Alaska in the 1970's, with some of the most well defined characters I've read about. It's not The Nightingale, but it's definitely worth all the hype it's been given. I highly recommend!

1

Published on 1 Comment on As Bright as Heaven
As Bright as Heaven Book Cover As Bright as Heaven
Susan Meissner
Historical fiction
Berkley
February 6, 2018
Advanced readers copy
400
Publisher via Bookish First

In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town, came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters—Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa—a chance at a better life.

But just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges, they learn what they cannot live without—and what they are willing to do about it.

My review:

Ahh Susan Meissner, you've done it again! One of my automatic buy authors returns with a fabulous historical fiction novel set amidst the Spanish flu pandemic of 2018-2019. We follow the Bright family as they navigate their new city of Philadelphia, where the patriarch has taken a job with his uncle, owner of a funeral parlor. This was back in the beginning of the shift from caring for the deceased at home vs. having them embalmed and viewed at a funeral home. Fascinating as this topic was unto itself, there is also the widespread panic and loss of lives from the flu, where no one is spared no matter what socioeconomic class you were from. I loved the Bright family, and along with getting to know them, we are treated to topics such as first love, men being called up to serve in the war, fostering an orphan child, speakeasys, mental health asylums, and the ever present tragedies of death. Ms. Meissner writes in her usual masterful style, and her characters and places leap off the page. Despite a small hitch with a too coincidental part of the plot, there was nothing else I would want from this book.

A definite read, especially for those looking for some historical perspective to the greatest pandemic (greater than the Bubonic plague for loss of life), which occurred a century ago. Another wonderfully written story of a family you will want to get to know.

1

Published on 1 Comment on Anatomy of a Scandal
Anatomy of a Scandal Book Cover Anatomy of a Scandal
Sarah Vaughan
Fiction
Atria/Emily Bestler Books
January 2, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy
400
Publisher via BookishFirst

An astonishingly incisive and suspenseful novel about a scandal amongst Britain’s privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake. Sophie’s husband James is a loving father, a handsome man, a charismatic and successful public figure. And yet he stands accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is convinced he is innocent and desperate to protect her precious family from the lies that threaten to rip them apart. Kate is the lawyer hired to prosecute the case: an experienced professional who knows that the law is all about winning the argument. And yet Kate seeks the truth at all times. She is certain James is guilty and is determined he will pay for his crimes. Who is right about James? Sophie or Kate? And is either of them informed by anything more than instinct and personal experience? Despite her privileged upbringing, Sophie is well aware that her beautiful life is not inviolable. She has known it since she and James were first lovers, at Oxford, and she witnessed how easily pleasure could tip into tragedy. Most people would prefer not to try to understand what passes between a man and a woman when they are alone: alone in bed, alone in an embrace, alone in an elevator… Or alone in the moonlit courtyard of an Oxford college, where a girl once stood before a boy, heart pounding with excitement, then fear. Sophie never understood why her tutorial partner Holly left Oxford so abruptly. What would she think, if she knew the truth?

My review:

I read a preview of this one through the BookishFirst site, and requested a copy. Imagine my surprise when I realized that this author also wrote one of my previous 5 star reads The Art of Baking Blind (click for review)! I say that I was surprised because this book did not seem like the same sort of genre, but it was obvious when I finished this one that Sarah Vaughan can write a fantastic story no matter the subject matter! Even though this is a thriller, it's definitely a slow burn type (generally my favorite). I like to have more character driven than plot driven thrillers. That's not to say that this one doesn't have plenty of twists and turns, but the characters are very well fleshed out and made the story just that much more enjoyable for me. I particularly liked Sophie, who I thought was very believable as she grapples with what to do about her marriage, and how she lost sight of herself through the years. Part of the novel takes place in a courtroom, which I am also usually intrigued with. The writing was sharp, the characters were well done, and the story after a bit of a slow start, was fast paced and engaging. While not the ending exactly as I had hoped, I was satisfied and felt it was tied up nicely.

After a bit of a slow start while the characters are introduced, this book is a fabulous character study of the people involved in a scandal. Well worth the read, especially if you like a bit of substance rather than just twists with your thrillers.