Skip to content

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 Night the Lights Went Out
The Night the Lights Went Out Book Cover The Night the Lights Went Out
Karen White
Fiction
Berkley
April 11, 2017
E-book
416
Publisher via Penguin First to Read

Recently divorced, Merilee Talbot Dunlap moves with her two children to the Atlanta suburb of Sweet Apple, Georgia. It s not her first time starting over, but her efforts at a new beginning aren't helped by an anonymous local blog that dishes about the scandalous events that caused her marriage to fail.

Merilee finds some measure of peace in the cottage she is renting from town matriarch Sugar Prescott. Though stubborn and irascible, Sugar sees something of herself in Merilee something that allows her to open up about her own colorful past.

Sugar's stories give Merilee a different perspective on the town and its wealthy school moms in their tennis whites and shiny SUVs, and even on her new friendship with Heather Blackford. Merilee is charmed by the glamorous young mother's seemingly perfect life and finds herself drawn into Heather's world.

In a town like Sweet Apple, where sins and secrets are as likely to be found behind the walls of gated mansions as in the dark woods surrounding Merilee's house, appearance is everything. But just how dangerous that deception can be will shock all three women.

My review:

Karen White is one of those authors that you can pretty much count on to tell a great tale. She has a way of writing that just moves the plot along, with not too much or too little detail. This was one of my favorites that I've read, although I think The Sound of Glass still retains top honor.  There is something about a little old lady with chutzpah that gets me, and Sugar Prescott was worth the weight of this book in gold! The character of Merilee was superbly crafted. At times I wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up, but then I realized that her situation at this time in her life completely warranted her behavior. There are secrets revealed bit by bit within the novel, that serve to validate why the characters are who they are. While I did figure out what, and who, done it before the reveal, I was engrossed enough in the characters lives that I didn't feel at all cheated out of a big aha moment. Extra kudos to the blog inserts in the novel, complete with southern sayings and the meaning behind them. A great addition to the plot.

Any fans of Big Little Lies will love this take on the haves and have-nots in a private school arena (complete with a murder), with an awesome little old lady thrown in. Another winner by Ms. White.

4

Published on 4 Comments on The Sisters of Blue Mountain
The Sisters of Blue Mountain Book Cover The Sisters of Blue Mountain
Karen Katchur
Fiction
Thomas Dunne Books
April 4, 2017
Hardcover
320
Publisher

For Linnet, owner of a Bed and Breakfast in Mountain Springs, Pennsylvania, life has been a bit complicated lately. Hundreds of snow geese have died overnight in the dam near the B&B, sparking a media frenzy, threatening the tourist season, and bringing her estranged sister, Myna, to town. If that isn't enough, the women's father has been charged with investigating the incident. But when a younger expert is brought in to replace him on the case and then turns up dead on Linnet's B&B’s property, their father becomes the primary suspect. As the investigation unfolds, the sisters will have to confront each other, their hidden past, and a side of Mountain Springs not seen before. Karen Katchur has written a thrilling novel of sisters and the secrets that bind them that is sure to appeal to readers of her acclaimed first novel, The Secrets of Lake Road.

My review:

When I was sent this book for review, I wasn't sure about it. I get tired of the "sisters who are feuding, but then get back together" type books (you know the ones). I decided to start reading the first few pages to confirm my suspicion, and fifty pages later, I was still glued to my seat. There is still that element in the book, which frankly I could have done without, but the mystery surrounding what happened to the snow geese propelled me to gobble this up in two days. The scientific theories, the setting, the father in the mid stages of Alzeimers, and the mystery surrounding the reporter, all had me hooked. I'm not going to say that there was any real depth to the writing or the characters, but there was just something about the plot that sucked me in until the very last page. There are several stories going on within this one that keep the book moving along at a good pace, and I never got bogged down with a boring section. This book made me want to go visit this area in real life to watch the migration of the geese. I bet it's breathtaking, just as the book describes.

While I could have lived without the estranged sister part, this was a surprisingly engaging book with some intertwined mysterious goings on. A quick and satisfying read.

2

Published on 2 Comments on Tell Me How This Ends Well
Tell Me How This Ends Well Book Cover Tell Me How This Ends Well
David Samuel Levinson
Fiction
Hogarth
April 4, 2017
E-book
464
Publisher via Penguin First to Read

In 2022, American Jews face an increasingly unsafe and anti-Semitic landscape at home. Against this backdrop, the Jacobson family gathers for Passover in Los Angeles. But their immediate problems are more personal than political, with the three adult children, Mo, Edith, and Jacob, in various states of crisis, the result, each claims, of a lifetime of mistreatment by their father, Julian. The siblings have begun to suspect that Julian is hastening their mother Roz's demise, and years of resentment boil over as they debate whether to go through with the real reason for their reunion: an ill-considered plot to end their father's iron rule for good. That is, if they can put their bickering, grudges, festering relationships, and distrust of one another aside long enough to act.
And God help them if their mother finds out . . .
Tell Me How This Ends Well presents a blistering and prescient vision of the near future, turning the exploits of one very funny, very troubled family into a rare and compelling exploration of the state of America, and what it could become.

My review:

When I explain what this book is about, I don't know if anyone will think this is going to be a satisfying read. A group of siblings want to kill off their father so their ailing mother can have a few good months of her life left to live. Trouble is, on the surface, the mother doesn't appear to really dislike the life she's led. Sounds morbid right? Except that even with the synopsis, I requested an advance copy. I kind of knew that I was going to like it.......and I did! The book focuses on each of the three siblings, and then their mother, with each one narrating a section of the book. It all takes place over a Passover weekend, with occasional flashbacks from each narrator showing the atrocities of their respective lives with this intolerable man. Even though there is abuse (emotional and mental, nothing physical), it's told in a way that while causing you to detest the father, is still a farcical look at deciding to kill him off. The characters, and their significant others, are all so well conceived by the author, and despite what seems to be a heady premise, there are several laugh out loud moments. The ending is quite the surprise, but totally satisfying in its resolution. This one is just quirky enough to totally satisfy my penchant for dysfunctional family stories.

Well written characters, and a completely original plot, this one should garner your attention if you are looking for something a bit off the beaten path in fiction.

3

Published on 3 Comments on The Hope Chest
The Hope Chest Book Cover The Hope Chest
Viola Shipman
Fiction
Thomas Dunne Books
March 21, 2017
Hardcover
320
Publisher

The Hope Chest is a deeply emotional novel about three people who have seemingly lost all hope until one woman’s heirloom hope chest is rediscovered in the attic, along with its contents and secrets. Mattie is a fiercely independent woman battling ALS; Don, her deeply devoted husband is facing a future without his one true love; and Rose, their struggling caregiver, is a young, single mother who feels trapped in her life. With each item that is discovered—including a beloved doll, family dishes, an embroidered apron, and an antique Christmas ornament—the hope chest connects Mattie, Don and Rose to each other and not only helps them find hope again in the face of overwhelming life challenges but also brings new meaning to family.

My review:

3.5 stars

Such a sweet and lovely story about an elderly couple, one of whom is in the last stages of their life. The characters were depicted in such a real fashion that I felt like they were my neighbors. If only we could all have a man like Don in our life when we get old (I'm chuckling as I write this since my husband's name just happens to be Don)! I loved the way the sections were divided to be about the various items within the hope chest, and the corresponding stories surrounding them from the past. Good writing, although not as thought provoking as the characters, who were the main focus of this novel. I did think it got a bit schmaltzy in places, particularly with the caretaker "turned family member" Rose, but who doesn't need a bit of that in a book once in a while? This is a vivid picture into the lives of a couple who have loved each other through the ages, and I lapped it up.

A sweet character driven story about the end of a woman's life, and the treasures she holds dear that she wishes to pass on in her memory. Grab the tissue box for the ending. And let's all strive to be a man like Don, or find one like him.

2

Published on 2 Comments on The Devil and Webster
The Devil and Webster Book Cover The Devil and Webster
Jean Hanff Korelitz
Fiction
Grand Central Publishing
March 21, 2017
Hardcover
368
Publisher

Naomi Roth is the first female president of Webster College, a once conservative school now known for producing fired-up, progressive graduates. A former student radical herself, Naomi isn't alarmed when Webster students, including her own daughter, begin an outdoor encampment to protest a popular professor's denial of tenure.

But when Omar Khayal, a charismatic Palestinian student with a devastating personal history, emerges as the group's leader, shocking acts of vandalism begin to destabilize the campus. As the crisis slips beyond her control, Naomi struggles to protect her friends, colleagues, and family from an unknowable adversary. A riveting novel about who we think we are, and what we think we believe.

My review:

I have mixed feelings about this book. The plot was super interesting to me. I was never one to engage in any kind of protests when I was in school, but with what's going on in our country today, I can definitely relate to the concept now. I loved the satirical aspects of this novel, it was slyly (or not) poking fun at elite colleges, and what draws people to them. There was some neat college history thrown in. The rules which prevented the administration from explaining tenure and student admission decisions were as fascinating as they were frustrating, within the novel's framework.  I even really liked Naomi Roth, the main character.

Sounds great right? It was great, to a point, but what I felt this book severely lacked was good editing! There was way too much information thrown out there that I think wasn't entirely necessary for this novel to work. There were run on sentences, even run on paragraphs that made me bleary eyed. I think most of the information could have been edited down so that the reader still got it, but didn't want to yell "let's just get back to the story".

Overall a great story about college life, mostly from an administration perspective, but beware that there is lots of extraneous writing that I wish could have been edited out.

4

Published on 4 Comments on Never Let You Go
Never Let You Go Book Cover Never Let You Go
Chevy Stevens
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
March 14, 2017
Hardcover
384
Publisher

The author of Still Missing targets her readership with a novel that hits all the notes they come to expect from her—and ratchets up the stakes even more. Lindsey Nash has left an abusive relationship and her ex-husband was sent to jail. She has started over with a new life, her own business, and a teenage daughter who needs her more than ever. When her husband is finally released, Lindsey believes she has cut all ties. There is no way he can ever find her and her daughter again. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her, tracking her every move. Her new boyfriend is threatened. Her home is invaded. Even her daughter is shadowed. Lindsey is convinced it's her ex-husband, even though he claims he is a different person and doesn't want to do her any harm. But can he really change? Is the one who wants her dead even closer to home than she thought?

My review:

This is my first book by Chevy Stephens, and after devouring it, I'm sure it won't be my last! This was a fast paced page-turner with lots of twists and turns. The characters were well sculpted, the plot (with a few exceptions) seemed totally plausible, and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. As usual with these types of books, it's impossible to say too much without revealing anything, but you know the whole time that it's not going to be the obvious suspect. There are several bones thrown out, to make you think "well maybe it's him", and even though my suspicion proved correct, I was floored by the reason behind it.

A great thriller that will keep you reading, and your heart pounding, well after it's tidy conclusion. An awesome escape from reality novel. Can't wait to read more from this author!

2

Published on 2 Comments on All Grown Up
All Grown Up Book Cover All Grown Up
Jami Attenberg
Fiction
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
March 7, 2017
Advanced Reader Copy
208
NetGalley

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Middlesteins comes a wickedly funny novel about a thirty-nine-year-old single, childfree woman who defies convention as she seeks connection. Who is Andrea Bern? When her therapist asks the question, Andrea knows the right things to say: she's a designer, a friend, a daughter, a sister. But it's what she leaves unsaid--she's alone, a drinker, a former artist, a shrieker in bed, captain of the sinking ship that is her flesh--that feels the most true. Everyone around her seems to have an entirely different idea of what it means to be an adult: her best friend, Indigo, is getting married; her brother--who miraculously seems unscathed by their shared tumultuous childhood--and sister-in-law are having a hoped-for baby; and her friend Matthew continues to wholly devote himself to making dark paintings at the cost of being flat broke. But when Andrea's niece finally arrives, born with a heartbreaking ailment, the Bern family is forced to reexamine what really matters. Will this drive them together or tear them apart? Told in gut-wrenchingly honest, mordantly comic vignettes, All Grown Up is a breathtaking display of Jami Attenberg's power as a storyteller, a whip-smart examination of one woman's life, lived entirely on her own terms.

My review:

I had a hard time liking this one, but I can see why others would. I was a big fan of two previous novels by Ms. Attenberg (Saint Mazie and The Middlesteins), so I'm not a stranger to her writing. And I love her writing, I really do, I still do. However, I did not like the main character in this book AT ALL! She reminded me of those books about 20 somethings who can't get their act together and figure out their lives (and if you've read my blog, you know those are not books I tend to enjoy, with a few exceptions). The problem was, that Andrea is thirty nine years old. Come on now! I kept reading (because the writing style just flows so well that you want to continue on), waiting for a major change in her character. I guess it kind of, sorta happened at the end, although not well enough to convince me, and far far too late. Her behavior was appalling to me, and although the book was trying to convey why she acted that way, I just couldn't buy into it (especially at her age).

Sorry to say that the character ruined this one for me, although Attenberg's writing style has not lost anything since her previous books. Count me in to read the next one, I'm just hoping for a character I like better. Be sure to check out other reviews of this around social media, sometimes it is just not the right book for me, yet others enjoy it immensely.

2

Published on 2 Comments on Everything Belongs to Us
Everything Belongs to Us Book Cover Everything Belongs to Us
Yoojin Grace Wuertz
Fiction
Random House
February 28, 2017
Advanced Reader Copy
368
NetGalley

"This debut novel takes place at the elite Seoul National University in 1970s South Korea during the final years of a repressive regime. The novel follows the fates of two women--Jisun, the daughter of a powerful tycoon, who eschews her privilege to become an underground labor activist in Seoul; and Namin, her best friend from childhood, a brilliant, tireless girl who has grown up with nothing, and whose singular goal is to launch herself and her family out of poverty. Drawn to both of these women is Sunam, a seeming social-climber who is at heart a lost boy struggling to find his place in a cutthroat world. And at the edges of their friendship is Junho, whose ambitions have taken him to new heights in the university's most prestigious social club, called "the circle," and yet who guards a dangerous secret that is tied to his status. Wuertz explores the relationships that bind these students to each other, as well as the private anxieties and desires that drive them to succeed" --

My review:

This was quite the up and down read for me. And I'm not speaking about my emotions, I'm speaking about the ups and downs of whether I was going to continue reading. The book starts off with promise, with a protest from some textile workers in a South Korean factory. Then it drags on about these two guys, who at some point do have a connection to the story. Every time I would decide to just read one more chapter before I gave up, the story would swing back around to my favorite character, and become interesting again. In other words, I loved the story of Namin, and pretty much was bored with all the rest of the parts. To be fair, I have a known affliction with books about twenty-somethings who are trying to "find themselves" in the world, so this could weigh heavily on why I didn't enjoy many parts not related to Namin (who was trying to claw her way out of poverty for her family). There was nothing wrong with the writing, although I wouldn't hang any literary awards on it, and if I had been more engaged in all the characters, I think the plot would have moved along more quickly. I was also hoping to glean a bit more knowledge about South Korea in the 70's, but that didn't really happen.

All in all, I'm giving this 3 stars. The Namin parts were a solid 4 stars, and the rest was 2 stars. Not a horrible book, but if you don't engage with the characters from the first few chapters, it may not be worth your while to finish.

 

2

Published on 2 Comments on Windy City Blues
Windy City Blues Book Cover Windy City Blues
Renee Rosen
Fiction
Berkley books
February 28, 2017
Advanced Reader Copy ebook
448
Publisher via Penguin First to Read

In the middle of the twentieth century, the music of the Mississippi Delta arrived in Chicago, drawing the attention of entrepreneurs like the Chess brothers. Their label, Chess Records, helped shape that music into the Chicago Blues, the soundtrack for a transformative era in American History.
But, for Leeba Groski, Chess Records was just where she worked...
Leeba doesn't exactly fit in, but her passion for music and her talented piano playing captures the attention of her neighbor, Leonard Chess, who offers her a job at his new record company. What begins as answering phones and filing becomes much more as Leeba comes into her own as a songwriter and befriends performers like Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Chuck Berry, and Etta James. But she also finds love with a black blues guitarist named Red Dupree.
With their relationship unwelcome in segregated Chicago and shunned by Leeba's Orthodox Jewish family, she and Red soon find themselves in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement and they discover that, in times of struggle, music can bring people together.

My review:

Ms. Rosen has done it again! I really enjoyed her previous work White Collar Girl, about a young woman in the newspaper business. With Windy City Blues, the reader gets to experience the music business in Chicago from right after WWII up through the civil rights movement. I loved the main protagonist Leeba, who works for one of the record labels, and is also a songwriter trying hard to make it after work hours. The other story with Leeba is that she is also in love with a black man. This sets up a great side plot regarding race tolerance, particularly with her family and the sentiments of the time. The struggle for all the blues musicians of this time was made so very real, and I thought the integration of the fictional characters and real history making singers (such as Chuck Berry and Elvis) was seamlessly written. The surrounding characters were all well drawn, and I felt the emotions springing off the page. I learned a lot about this time during music history, but because it's a work of fiction, it was entertaining as well as factual.

They always say the music biz is a tough one, but this book drives home that point so very well. Great characters, a well formed plot, good pacing, and good writing make this a must read, particularly if you are interested in the music business during this time period. I can't wait to see what Rosen comes up with next!

I was given access to this book via Penguin's First to Read program. As always, my opinions are my own.

 

Published on Leave a comment on The Nearness of You
The Nearness of You Book Cover The Nearness of You
Amanda Eyre Ward
Fiction
Ballantine Books
February 21, 2017
E-book
240
NetGalley

Brilliant heart surgeon Suzette Kendall is stunned when Hyland, her husband of fifteen years, admits his yearning for a child. From the beginning they’d decided that having children was not an option, as Suzette feared passing along the genes that landed her mother in a mental institution. But Hyland proposes a different idea: a baby via surrogate.

Suzette agrees, and what follows is a whirlwind of candidate selections, hospital visits, and Suzette’s doubts over whether she’s made the right decision. A young woman named Dorothy Muscarello is chosen as the one who will help make this family complete. For Dorrie, surrogacy (and the money that comes with it) are her opportunity to leave behind a troubled past and create a future for herself—one full of possibility. But this situation also forces all three of them—Dorrie, Suzette, and Hyland—to face a devastating uncertainty that will reverberate in the years to come.

Beautifully shifting between perspectives, The Nearness of You deftly explores the connections we form, the families we create, and the love we hold most dear.

My review:

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of reading The Same Sky by this author. I was a big fan of that book (see my review here), so was looking forward to another novel by this author. This one is another gem that I highly recommend. Ms. Ward has a way with characters that makes them leap off the page and you feel like you are immersed in their lives. Even though a couple of these characters were not even that likeable to me, the way they were written still had me feeling emotions and relating to their troubles. This book had me hooked following the lives of these characters. Perhaps because I've been involved in the adoption process, although not using a surrogate, I could relate so much to Suzette and her intense need to protect her child, even without that biological bond. There is even an interesting twist at the end that you can kind of see coming if you are paying close attention.

Despite the end being a bit too tidy and quickly wrapped up, this is definitely another winner from Amanda Eyre Ward. You will love these well written characters.