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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.

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Published on 3 Comments on The Nest
The Nest Book Cover The Nest
Cynthia D'aprix Sweeney
Fiction
Ecco
March 22, 2016
Hardcover
368
Own copy

Every family has its problems. But even among the most troubled, the Plumb family stands out as spectacularly dysfunctional. Years of simmering tensions finally reach a breaking point on an unseasonably cold afternoon in New York City as Melody, Beatrice, and Jack Plumb gather to confront their charismatic and reckless older brother, Leo, freshly released from rehab. Months earlier, an inebriated Leo got behind the wheel of a car with a nineteen-year-old waitress as his passenger. The ensuing accident has endangered the Plumbs joint trust fund, “The Nest,” which they are months away from finally receiving. Meant by their deceased father to be a modest mid-life supplement, the Plumb siblings have watched The Nest’s value soar along with the stock market and have been counting on the money to solve a number of self-inflicted problems.

Melody, a wife and mother in an upscale suburb, has an unwieldy mortgage and looming college tuition for her twin teenage daughters. Jack, an antiques dealer, has secretly borrowed against the beach cottage he shares with his husband, Walker, to keep his store open. And Bea, a once-promising short-story writer, just can’t seem to finish her overdue novel. Can Leo rescue his siblings and, by extension, the people they love? Or will everyone need to reimagine the future they’ve envisioned? Brought together as never before, Leo, Melody, Jack, and Beatrice must grapple with old resentments, present-day truths, and the significant emotional and financial toll of the accident, as well as finally acknowledge the choices they have made in their own lives.

This is a story about the power of family, the possibilities of friendship, the ways we depend upon one another and the ways we let one another down. In this tender, entertaining, and deftly written debut, Sweeney brings a remarkable cast of characters to life to illuminate what money does to relationships, what happens to our ambitions over the course of time, and the fraught yet unbreakable ties we share with those we love.

My review:

I've read over a hundred books so far this year, and this is my favorite! I can't say enough good things about this book because it's hard to pick out why this just worked for me. I think the biggest thing to know is that I love a good book about dysfunctional families, and wow, does this story have one! The characters are so well done, I didn't like any of them, but yet they make this book shine. I just couldn't wait to see who was going to outdo who in the scheming department. The story weaves in and out of each of the four siblings lives over the course of about a year, while they wait for their inheritance (the nest) to come to them. The pacing was perfect, I loved each of the sibling parts, and was interested in them all so there wasn't any parts that I wanted to skip over. There are a ton of secrets being kept, some between siblings, and some between family members. Do not expect to see huge changes in these people, if you like a book where the characters change into likeable forms, let me warn you, it's not going to happen. There was one tiny part at the end that I thought was wrapped up a bit too tidily, but I was satisfied with the ending overall. I'm frustrated to learn this is a debut novel, I was ready to scoop up everything Sweeney has written!

This book totally deserves all the accolades and hype being given to it. If you like books about dysfunctional families and rich people behaving badly, you MUST read this.

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Published on 2 Comments on Invincible Summer
Invincible Summer Book Cover Invincible Summer
Alice Adams, narrated by Georgia Dolenz
Fiction
Little, Brown
June 28, 2016
Audiobook
295/ 9 hours
Publisher via BEA, Hachette audio

Four friends. Twenty years. One unexpected journey. Inseparable throughout college, Eva, Benedict, Sylvie, and Lucien graduate in 1997, into an exhilarating world on the brink of a new millennium. Hopelessly in love with playboy Lucien and eager to shrug off the socialist politics of her upbringing, Eva breaks away to work for a big bank. Benedict, a budding scientist who's pined for Eva for years, stays on to complete his PhD in physics, devoting his life to chasing particles as elusive as the object of his affection. Siblings Sylvie and Lucien, never much inclined toward mortgages or monogamy, pursue more bohemian existences-she as an aspiring artist and he as a club promoter and professional partyer. But as their twenties give way to their thirties, the group struggles to navigate their thwarted dreams. Scattered across Europe and no longer convinced they are truly the masters of their fates, the once close-knit friends find themselves filled with longing for their youth- and for one another. Broken hearts and broken careers draw the foursome together again, but in ways they never could have imagined.

A dazzling depiction of the highs and lows of adulthood, Invincible Summer is a story about finding the courage to carry on in the wake of disappointment, and a powerful testament to love and friendship as the constants in an ever-changing world.

My review:

I've had a lot of failures when it comes to books about twenty somethings trying to find their place in the world. My one exception was The Ramblers, and now this book. I think one of the main things that worked for me in this book is that it takes place over a twenty year period, so we are not left stagnating with a bunch of entitled whiny people upset that success isn't being handed to them (see, I told you I'm not usually a fan!). This book is a wonderful character study into the four college friends and what happens to each of them. It's pacing is great, stuff happens that you expect and don't expect, and the story flows really well through time. Lots of ups and downs, but you find yourself really rooting for these people despite some of them having flaws and taking a long time to learn from their mistakes. But learn they do, and the ending was a wonderful culmination of two decades that didn't feel at all contrived or too tidily finished up.

I listened to this book on audio, and I have no doubt that a huge part of my enjoyment came from the narration. The narrator has a British accent, and let me say that I could listen to that accent for hours and be enraptured! I would highly recommend the audio on this one if that is something that appeals to you.

I loved this two decade sojourn into the lives of four college friends, with the highs, lows, and in-betweens. Great character portrayal from this author, and fantastic audio.

 

 

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Published on 1 Comment on The Sweetheart Deal
The Sweetheart Deal Book Cover The Sweetheart Deal
Polly Dugan
Fiction
Little, Brown
May 19, 2015
Hardcover
320
Publisher via BookSparks

The poignant story of what happens when a woman who thinks she's lost everything has the chance to love again. Leo has long joked that, in the event of his death, he wants his best friend Garrett, a lifelong bachelor, to marry his wife, Audrey. One drunken night, he goes so far as to make Garrett promise to do so. Then, twelve years later, Leo, a veteran firefighter, dies in a skiing accident. As Audrey navigates her new role as widow and single parent, Garrett quits his job in Boston and buys a one-way ticket out west. Before long, Audrey's feelings for Garrett become more than platonic, and Garrett finds himself falling for Audrey, her boys, and their life together in Portland. When Audrey finds out about the drunken pact from years ago, though, the harmless promise that brought Garrett into her world becomes the obstacle to his remaining in it.

My review:

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I will admit that I had a pre-conceived notion that it was going to be kind of cheesy and predictable. Imagine my surprise and delight to find that this story had some real merit to it! I thought the author did a superb job of describing the grief that the family goes through, particularly the wife/mother. Thankfully I've never been in such a position, but I bought into the devastation, grief, anger, and feeling of having to go on after a tragedy. Even the boys reactions were well done. This was the strong part of the book. The not as strong part was the relationship between the wife and the best friend. It wasn't off-putting, but I didn't buy into it as much as the grief portions. I became a bit annoyed with Audrey toward the end (no spoilers, so I won't go into why), and it did have a predictable ending, but this was a really good read overall.

Well paced, nicely written, and very good look at the emotional upheaval of a family following a tragedy. A bit further exploration into the changing feelings of Audrey and Garrett would have elevated the story even more, but a solid read, albeit with a predictable ending.

This book is one of the June picks for the BookSparks summer reading challenge. Click the link to learn more, or follow #SRC2026 and #BestSummerEver on social media to read more reviews.

BookSparksJune2016

 

 

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Published on 4 Comments on First Comes Love
First Comes Love Book Cover First Comes Love
Emily Giffin
Fiction
Ballantine Books
June 28, 2016
Advanced Reader Copy
288
Publisher via BookSparks and BEA

Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond.

Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and this close to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands.

On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.

As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew . . . and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first.

Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead.

My review:

The last book (The One and Only) I read by Emily Giffin was not my favorite, so I went into this one with a bit of trepidation. My feelings were unwarranted, as I really liked this one despite reasons why I might not have. I was never a huge fan of either of the sisters, but it didn't matter because their stories fascinated me and kept me turning pages to see how it would all work out. For the most part, this book is about the affects of a traumatic event in a family, and how each member deals with it in a different way. The tension is created when each of the sisters doesn't agree with how the other one copes, particularly when a long held secret is revealed. Giffin knows how to move the story along, creates some good secondary characters, and engages the reader in the lives of her protagonists. While I thought the sister's tension was resolved a little too easily, I loved the unexpected ending for Josie, it was not the cookie cutter I was expecting.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read that flowed well, and kept you turning pages to find out how it all turns out.

This book is one of the BookSparks summer reading challenge picks. Click the link to follow along all summer with the book choices for each month. Also follow #SRC2016 and #BestSummerEver on social media for more reviews.

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Published on 4 Comments on 25 Sense
25 Sense Book Cover 25 Sense
Lisa Henthorn
Fiction
Sparkpress
May 24, 2016
Paperback
181
Publisher via BookSparks

Claire Malone didn't mean for this to happen when she moved to New York. She just wanted to live the city life and gain experience in television writing, her dream career. It's not like she meant to reciprocate when her married boss, Sean Vared, sent her flirty e-mails. And you can't blame her for coming into the office on the weekend when Sean told her he was going to be there . . . alone. She didn't mean to sleep with him but hey, she wanted to experience the city life, so no big deal, right? Wrong. By the time Claire wakes up on her 25th birthday, she's very much in love with Sean. At work, she struggles to hold it together when he passes her desk the very desk that they used to make love on. Soon Sean has turned his affection to the show's starring actress, and Claire is devastated. Can she break away from Sean without ruining her barely started career? Will someone find out what happened? Will she ever grow up and stop making stupid mistakes? 25 Sense is about the time in a young woman's life when the world starts to view her as a responsible adult but all she feels is lost.

My review:

This would have been a much better read for me if I was younger. I've found myself reading several books lately that, while well written and interesting, just don't work for me. I'm a whole generation removed from a book about a 25 year old trying to make her way in the world. Unfortunately, this one also involves an infatuation with a married man.....another one of my pet peeves. Even though the plot didn't work for me, this was actually very well done. The part I did love was the way the chapters were headed and the bits of twitter jargon at the beginning of each. So very clever! I liked that the story focused on not giving up on making something of your life even when things seem to be getting in the way. The main character was well drawn, and the writing flowed very well. This was a quick read at under 200 pages, and I thought the ending was satisfying.

A good read for those in the age range that can relate a bit better than I did to the main character. Nicely written, clever chapter breaks, but just not my kind of plot.

This book is one of the BookSparks summer reading challenge picks. Click the link to follow along all summer with the book choices for each month. Also follow #SRC2016 and #BestSummerEver on social media for more reviews.

BookSparksJune2016

 

 

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Published on 2 Comments on Saving Abby
Saving Abby Book Cover Saving Abby
Steena Holmes
Fiction
Lake Union Publishing
May 31, 2016
Paperback
274
Publisher via BookSparks

All children's book illustrator Claire Turner ever wanted was to be a mother. After six years of trying to conceive, she and her husband, Josh, have finally accepted that she will never be pregnant with a child of their own. Yet once they give up hope, the couple gets the miracle they've been waiting for. For the first few months of her pregnancy, Claire and Josh are living on cloud nine. But when she begins to experience debilitating headaches, blurred vision, and even fainting spells, the soon-to-be mother goes to the doctor and receives a terrifying diagnosis. Since any treatment could put their unborn baby's life at risk, the Turners must carefully weigh their limited options. And as her symptoms worsen, Claire will have to make an impossible decision: Save her own life, or save her child's? USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Steena Holmes brings us an unforgettable story of one woman's courage and love.

My review:

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. The reason why I didn't love it precludes me from giving it the most fair review, but I'm going to give it a shot and hopefully my readers can make up their own minds. The main character in this book wants a child. Not just a child, but her OWN child, and herein lies the rub. I am an adoptive mom. When it was discovered that I would not be able to have children, my husband and I turned to adoption, without hesitation. A child is a child! Claire goes into a major depression because she can't have a child, even though her husband suggests adoption (and seems, like us, to be perfectly comfortable with it). If you don't like the main character in this story, it kind of loses its appeal. I did understand the huge burden of how to deal with the pregnancy once her illness is diagnosed (and I'm not saying I would not have handled things in the exact same way), but by this point she just annoyed me and I never got on board. What I did like about it was the fact that they wrote and illustrated children's books. This was a fun career to think about. Despite my misgivings about Claire, I loved her husband Josh, and the end of the book definitely tugs on the heartstrings.

I'm sure that this book will have a lot of appeal to those who may not be quite so close to the subject (and quite so judgemental!), so please read some other reviews before you take my word for it.

This book is one of the June picks for the BookSparks summer reading challenge. Follow the link to join in the fun this summer!

BookSparksJune2016

 

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Published on 6 Comments on Before the Fall
Before the Fall Book Cover Before the Fall
Noah Hawley
Fiction
Grand Central Publishing
May 31, 2016
Hardcover
400
Publisher

On a foggy summer night, eleven people—ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter—depart Martha's Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs—the painter—and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family.

With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the crash and the backstories of the passengers and crew members—including a Wall Street titan and his wife, a Texan-born party boy just in from London, a young woman questioning her path in life, and a career pilot—the mystery surrounding the tragedy heightens. As the passengers' intrigues unravel, odd coincidences point to a conspiracy. Was it merely by dumb chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something far more sinister at work? Events soon threaten to spiral out of control in an escalating storm of media outrage and accusations. And while Scott struggles to cope with fame that borders on notoriety, the authorities scramble to salvage the truth from the wreckage.

Amid pulse-quickening suspense, the fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy glows at the heart of this stunning novel, raising questions of fate, human nature, and the inextricable ties that bind us together.

My review:

Great premise and plot for a book! I was hooked from the beginning as we follow the story from just before take-off to the crash and subsequent rescue of the only remaining survivors. It was well written, it was suspenseful, it had me turning pages to find out what would happen. I was completely absorbed in the story, but then about halfway through, it lost my interest. It wasn't so terrible that I didn't want to finish, but I was a bit let down when the intensity fell away. I think I would have liked more interaction between the two survivors instead of the parts where we learn about their lives separately. I also did not enjoy the flashbacks to the victims on the plane. There was not enough information for me to really care about them, and I think enough about the cause of the crash could still have been gleaned from the recovered plane. I would have preferred to have more story about them, or none at all. The ending was satisfying enough although perhaps wrapped up a bit quickly.

All in all this is worth the read. The first half is wonderful, the ending is satisfying, the middle is a bit weak, but not enough to not recommend it.

This book is one of the She Reads books of summer. Visit this link to find out more about their picks. Thanks to the publisher for sending me this book to review. As always, my opinions are my own.

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Published on 6 Comments on One True Loves
One True Loves Book Cover One True Loves
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Washington Square Press
June 7, 2016
Paperback
352
Publisher via BookSparks

In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

My review:

Probably one of the best  opening lines ever:

“I am finishing up dinner with my family and my fiancé when my husband calls.”

If that doesn't make you want to keep reading, right? This book was great. This author has yet to let me down with her books, which always have a great plot, emotional situations, and some really great quotes! This was definitely a novel that made you think what would you do if facing the same type of situation? Really well written (did I mention the quotes?), great flow, and characters. I'm not sure that Emma didn't start to annoy me toward the end with her waffling, but it ended very satisfactorily for me, so I'm going to forgive that small flaw. I loved that this really brings home the point that where you are in your twenties (emotionally and goal-wise) is not necessarily where you will be a few years later. People change, and does love always change with them? Great thought provoking questions abound in this gem!

Perhaps a bit schmaltzy for some, for me this is a wonderful read about what constitutes true love, and is it possible to have more than one in your lifetime?

This is part of the BookSparks June picks for their summer reading challenge (SRC2016). Click the link for more info, and to follow along this summer.

BookSparksJune2016

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Published on 1 Comment on The One That Got Away
The One That Got Away Book Cover The One That Got Away
Leigh Himes (narrator Kristin Kalbi)
Fiction
Hachette Books
May 31, 2016
Audiobook
12 hours 31 minutes (384 pages)
Publisher via Hachette audio

In this irresistible debut novel, a freak accident allows a wife and mother to explore the alluring alternative of the Road Not Taken. Abbey Lahey is a married, harried working mother of two, struggling to make ends meet in a blue-collar suburb of Philadelphia. When a tumble down a Nordstrom escalator lands her in an alternate reality, Abbey finds herself happily married to the one who got away--a dashing Philly blueblood she met briefly years earlier--and living a Cinderella life of privilege and luxury. It's everything Abbey ever dreamed of. Or is it? At first dazzled by the clothes, the penthouse, the nannies, and the glittering social functions, Abbey begins noticing troubling flaws in her new fourteen-karat life . . . and wonders what happened to the people she left behind. Torn between two vastly different realities, Abbey takes increasingly dramatic steps to reclaim herself---whoever that may be.

My review:

A cute read about what might have been. This was a solid story, marred for me mostly by the fact that I've read its premise before. I have read In Another Life and The Bookseller within the past year (click links for my review), so that definitely had an effect on my enjoyment of this novel. Having said that, I don't want to discourage others from reading this as it's entertaining (albeit not a new theme). The characters were well formed. I actually thought the main character was a bit shallow, but some of the supporting characters were spot on. It was a great glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous, who don't always appear as they seem. Mostly it was a well done commentary on how our lives, while they might not seem great in that moment, are exactly where we should be. Lots of pop culture references in this book, particularly when it comes to fashion.

I listened to the audio of this book, and thought the narrator did a good job with all the voices. My only complaint was that I can't change the speed on itunes, and felt that it was slow compared to the speed at which I could have read it. A problem with the media outlet, not necessarily the narrator.

A fun look at what might have been, my only real issue was that I wish it had a different spin that wasn't already explored. Thanks to Hachette audio for the audiobook. My opinions, as always, are my own.

 

 

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Published on 1 Comment on Appetite
Appetite Book Cover Appetite
Sheila Grinell
Fiction
She Writes Press
May 17, 2016
Paperback
326
Publisher via BookSparks

When Jenn Adler returns from a year in India, she has a surprise for her parents: a young guru from Bangalore whom she intends to marry. Her father, Paul, is wary of this beggar Jenn has brought home who, he suspects, is conning his much-loved daughter while her mother, Maggie, is frightened that this alien stranger will steal away her only child, her focus in life. In the months leading up to the backyard wedding, Maggie is forced to reevaluate her virtues as she casts about for support, and Paul faces an unexpected threat at work, one that Maggie could help him meet, if he would only ask. But even with these distractions, the two parents are focused on one primary question: Can they convince their daughter she is making a terrible mistake before the wedding takes place?

My review:

Good book with an interesting premise. What to do if you are not sure about your child's impending marriage, specifically if you think their intended does not "fit the bill"? Well written, if a bit plodding at times, this was essentially about the fallout of a family when one event (in this case an impending marriage) tips the balance. The characters were all believable, and well drawn. I could relate to their issues, although I wasn't particularly enamored with any of them. At first the title confused me, since this doesn't have much to do with food or eating, but then I realized that it's more of a play on words for what each character needs.......essentially their appetites in life. It was very interesting to watch the progression of each character as the book wore on. How far should we go when we disagree, and when is it time to step back and let the chips fall where they may? One of my small issues with the book was that there was some infidelity, which I'm honestly not a fan of except under certain circumstances (that I felt weren't really warranted in this particular book).

Interesting idea, with a good message about our appetites in life. Overall a good first attempt by the author. I'll be interested to see what she comes up with next.

This book is part of the May summer reading challenge by BookSparks. Click on the link to learn how you can participate.

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