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Category: Book Reviews

Published on Leave a comment on The Golden Couple
The Golden Couple Book Cover The Golden Couple
Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen,
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
March 8, 2022
Hardcover
336
Purchased

Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship driven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.

Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.

When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

My review:

3.5 stars

I do love a good domestic thriller, and I've been reading this writing duo for a while now (I believe this is book 4?). While they have not all been stellar, what they do have is what I like to call readability. I'm not sure how this team manages it, but their writing style is incredibly captivating and I always find myself flying through the pages. They write in such a seamless way that you would never know there are two authors! In this book, we are told the story from two main characters. I definitely gravitated toward the therapist Avery, I actually found Marissa (one half of the golden couple) to be a bit on the boring side and never really warmed up to her. Of course there are also several side characters who may or may not be important to the story, you as the reader will have to figure that out as twists and turns are revealed. I enjoyed the fact that there were secrets and intrigue involving both the couple and the therapist, and were they going to overlap or not? The short chapters and clues left along the way definitely propel the story forward and make for an addictive read. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I would start to question myself (I ultimately did figure out one part, but not all of them).

While my favorite book by this author duo remains An Anonymous Girl (an unpopular opinion by the way), I will continue to read their books because of their impeccable writing style and the addictive quality of the stories. This would be a perfect novel to tuck in your beach bag if you want something of a more thriller nature than the usual summer romances.

Published on Leave a comment on Peach Blossom Spring
Peach Blossom Spring Book Cover Peach Blossom Spring
Melissa Fu
Fiction
Little, Brown and Company
March 15, 2022
Advance reader copy
400
Free from publisher

"Within every misfortune there is a blessing and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune, and so it goes, until the end of time."

It is 1938 in China and, as a young wife, Meilin’s future is bright. But with the Japanese army approaching, Meilin and her four year old son, Renshu, are forced to flee their home. Relying on little but their wits and a beautifully illustrated hand scroll, filled with ancient fables that offer solace and wisdom, they must travel through a ravaged country, seeking refuge.

Years later, Renshu has settled in America as Henry Dao. Though his daughter is desperate to understand her heritage, he refuses to talk about his childhood. How can he keep his family safe in this new land when the weight of his history threatens to drag them down? Yet how can Lily learn who she is if she can never know her family’s story?

Spanning continents and generations, Peach Blossom Spring is a bold and moving look at the history of modern China, told through the story of one family. It’s about the power of our past, the hope for a better future, and the haunting question: What would it mean to finally be home?

My review:

I find this cover so aesthetically pleasing, and the opening connection to my oldest adopted daughter made the story even more impactful. My daughter was in an orphanage very near to where the opening of this book takes place, in fact we did all of our adoption paperwork in Changsha. Meilin and her young son Renshu flee this city when the Japanese invade the territory. They must then make their way west with what they can carry. After some harrowing conditions they eventually make their way to Taiwan. Meilin lives out her life here, while her son heads to America for schooling (under his assumed name of Henry). The writing was exquisite, and the characters in this novel will resonate long after finishing. The book is based on the author's own family, and what she learned about her father and grandmother's lives. I loved that I got to learn about WWII in an entirely different continent other than Europe. It also touches on the cultural revolution and the rise of communism, and how this effects Henry's fear and actions in America. The beautiful bond between Renshu and his mother in the early days was lovingly characterized, and there is a point about 2/3 of the way in that my heart absolutely ached for what plays out for them. While I found parts of Lily's story interesting (she is based on the author), my heart was really in it for Meilin and her fate. This story spans across three generations and many decades, and I was engaged until the very last page (and now I want to plant peach trees!).

An epic depiction of three lives, which includes instances of war, immigrant experience, immigration, parent/child bonds, activism, and more. Based on the author's family, the gorgeous cover of this one is definitely just a prelude to what is inside.

Published on Leave a comment on Ocean State
Ocean State Book Cover Ocean State
Stewart O'Nan
Fiction
Grove Press
March 15, 2022
Advance reader copy
240
Free from publisher

In the first line of Ocean State, we learn that a high school student was murdered, and we find out who did it. The story that unfolds from there with incredible momentum is thus one of the build-up to and fall-out from the murder, told through the alternating perspectives of the four women at its heart. Angel, the murderer, Carol, her mother, and Birdy, the victim, all come alive on the page as they converge in a climax both tragic and inevitable. Watching over it all is the retrospective testimony of Angel's younger sister Marie, who reflects on that doomed autumn of 2009 with all the wisdom of hindsight. Angel and Birdy love the same teenage boy, frantically and single mindedly, and are compelled by the intensity of their feelings to extremes neither could have anticipated. O'Nan's expert hand paints a fully realized portrait of these women, but also weaves a compelling and heartbreaking story of working-class life in Ashaway, Rhode Island.

My review:

I admit to having doubts when I found out this book was about teens behaving badly (I think murder is just about as bad as it can get!). I usually don't get on well with that subject matter, but I've read from this author before so decided to trust in his writing process. I'm very glad I did because I ended up really liking this one, not so much for the teens behaviors (still appalling), but for the relationships and how they intertwined. This book has one of those opening lines that are brilliant at sucking you into the story and characters immediately:

When I was in eighth grade my sister helped kill another girl. She was in love, my mother said, like it was an excuse. She didn't know what she was doing. I had never been in love then, not really, so I didn't know what my mother meant, but I do now.

That was Marie, who tells her part of the story about her older sister Angel. While Marie's perspective is more in looking back on "the incident", the other characters, Angel, Carol (Marie and Angel's mother) and Birdy (the murdered girl) tell their stories in present time leading up to the crime. These characters are wonderfully crafted, and the relationships within each family's structure are key to the actions of all involved. Another topic woven delicately through the novel is the idea of class. Angel and her mother Carol are stuck in a working class environment they both are desperate to escape from. How much does that play into the tragedy that ensues is a question the reader must ponder. This is a quiet book in that nothing much happens (until the ultimate known climax), except we see the day to day life of these people.

A lovely story. The writing and characters clearly take center stage since we know from the beginning what is about to happen. It's the unraveling of layers of their lives that keeps the reader engaged.

Published on Leave a comment on The Tobacco Wives
The Tobacco Wives Book Cover The Tobacco Wives
Adele Myers
Fiction
William Morrow
March 1, 2022
Hardcover
352
Purchased

Maddie Sykes is a burgeoning seamstress who’s just arrived in Bright Leaf, North Carolina—the tobacco capital of the South—where her aunt has a thriving sewing business. After years of war rations and shortages, Bright Leaf is a prosperous wonderland in full technicolor bloom, and Maddie is dazzled by the bustle of the crisply uniformed female factory workers, the palatial homes, and, most of all, her aunt’s glossiest clientele: the wives of the powerful tobacco executives.

When a series of unexpected events thrusts Maddie into the role of lead dressmaker for the town’s most influential women, she scrambles to produce their ornate gowns for the biggest party of the season. But she soon learns that Bright Leaf isn’t quite the carefree paradise that it seems: A trail of misfortune follows many of the women, including substantial health problems. Although Maddie is quick to believe that this is a coincidence, she inadvertently uncovers evidence that suggests otherwise.

Maddie wants to report what she knows, but in a town where everyone depends on Big Tobacco to survive, she doesn’t know who she can trust—and fears that exposing the truth may destroy the lives of the proud, strong women with whom she has forged strong bonds.

Shedding light on the hidden history of women’s activism during the post-war period, at its heart, The Tobacco Wives is a deeply human, emotionally satisfying, and dramatic novel about the power of female connection and the importance of seeking truth.

My review:

Two things immediately drew me to this book when I first saw it mentioned. One was that it is set in North Carolina where I have lived for almost three decades, and the second was the cover (isn't it spectacular, kudos to whoever designed this one!). This is a historical fiction novel set in 1946 (another plus since there are SO many books set during WWII) about a small town where tobacco is king. We mostly follow the wives of the tobacco executives and a young seamstress who is tasked with creating ball gowns for their annual party. Lots of issues get exposed, among them the huge divide between the haves and have nots within the town, the conditions at the factories where the women have worked while the men have served in the war, and the potential coverup of the dangers of smoking (particularly among child bearing women). I loved the descriptions of the dress making business, and the usual gossip among the wives as they came in for their fittings. My favorite part was the moral dilemma the protagonist was in, since exposing an issue with tobacco could endanger the livelihood of the entire town (and let's be honest, the entire state of NC back then). I really enjoyed the characters in this story, and I felt transported back to that time while I was reading it. Definitely give the author's note a read to learn how this book intersected with her own family's history. If you ever drive through the rural parts of NC you can still see the acres of tobacco being grown. It's a spectacular site to see when the leaves are at their peak, too bad what comes from it is not as lovely.

A really entertaining historical fiction novel that is a bit lighter in scope (not dealing with war), but at the same time packs a punch in exposing a dangerous threat to society. An immersive story with a memorable plot, I recommend this one.

Published on Leave a comment on The Moment I Met You
The Moment I Met You Book Cover The Moment I Met You
Debbie Johnson
Fiction
William Morrow
March 8, 2022
Advance reader copy
304
Free from publisher

Elena Godwin has scrimped and saved for a relaxing dream holiday in Mexico with her handsome but laddish boyfriend Harry. Life has felt a bit less exciting than she'd imagined her twenties would be, and she's hoping the trip will add some sizzle. But on a gorgeous summer evening an earthquake strikes--shattering their peaceful vacation. The trauma changes Elena's life forever.

Ten years later, Elena still can't forget the face of the stranger she met that night--the man who may have saved her life. When they're suddenly and unexpectedly thrown back together again, Elena starts to uncover the truth around that fateful night, and question whether she should have lived her life differently in the years afterwards.

What if it's not too late?

My review:

Hooray, a book that looked like your typical romance read that turns out to not be at all what I was expecting! Don't let the cutesy cover fool you, this book deals with some super heavy (and sad) subjects, namely how to deal with your life in the aftermath of a catastrophic event. An earthquake hits when the protagonist (the book is told in first person from her view) is on vacation in Mexico. The immediate and long term after effects are the main subject of the narrative. I loved this main character, as well as the secondary characters of Alex and Em. Without giving too much of the plot away, I really felt for Elena, and thought the decisions she made along the road to recovery were vey believable, even if not what the reader may have wanted. I did have a tiny issue toward the end when I thought the final twist was revealed too early (to sleuth-y thriller readers capable of picking up on subtle hints), but the ending justified the slight disappointment in guessing it. I thought the pacing and descriptions of place and mood were spot on, and I never felt the book dragged in any portion. Excellent examination of how different people respond to trauma, especially the long term effects.

Not what you expect when you see the cover, this book is an excellent portrayal of grief, trauma, and life choices in the wake of a life altering event. You will get your romance sprinkled in, but that is not at the heart of this one, and I was a huge fan of that!

Published on Leave a comment on Piranesi
Piranesi Book Cover Piranesi
Susanna Clarke
Fiction
Bloomsbury Publishing USA
September 28, 2021
Paperback
272
Purchased

Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house.

There is one other person in the house—a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.

My review:

What in the world would possess me to pick up a fantasy book you ask? Blame it on this one winning last year's Women's Prize for Fiction. I follow that prize more than any other, and I usually have luck with their choices, but this one was a huge stretch for me and I put it off for months. This was certainly the strangest book I may have ever read, but yet I actually enjoyed it. It's not going to end up on any best of lists from me, but I was actually pretty captivated by this little guy named Piranesi. You spend most of this book with him exploring the world he is in, and it is composed of endless corridors in what can only be described as a mythical castle. He meticulously catalogs his surroundings, as well as patterns of the tides that fill up portions of his dwelling, in journals. He is visited on a certain day of the week by someone he calls The Other, who brings him his necessities and receives updates on Piranesi's projects. Strange things start happening when yet another person shows up in his space, and The Other tells him to stay away from this bad creature. The plot then intensifies from there as the reader tries to figure out who is telling the truth, and who exactly is Piranesi? I will say that even though it takes a while to get going, I found the descriptions of his house with all its statues and labyrinths fascinating! I am a pretty meticulous person so I also loved his sense of structure and record keeping. I found the ending to be satisfying, but just vague enough to promote further contemplation.

I definitely went out of my comfort zone with this one, and while I didn't love it, I enjoyed it enough to recommend it to others also looking to dip their toes into the fantasy genre. Once again I can say that The Women's Prize didn't let me down (although I would have personally picked Unsettled Ground had I been the sole judge!).

Published on Leave a comment on The Club
The Club Book Cover The Club
Ellery Lloyd
Fiction
Harper
March 1, 2022
Advance reader copy
304
Free from publisher

Envisioned as a luxurious home-away from-home for Very Important People, The Home Group is a collection of celebrity members clubs dotted across the globe, from London to Lisbon, Malibu to Manhattan, where the rich and famous can party hard and then crash out in its five-star suites, far from the prying eyes of fans and the media.

The most spectacular and exclusive of all is Island Home--a sprawling, closely-guarded complex of faux-rustic guest cabins, spas, bars and restaurants just off the English coast. To mark its opening, Home's mercurial CEO Ned Groom and his team have planned a glamorous three-day launch party, easily the most coveted A-list invite of the year.

But behind the scenes, tensions are at breaking point. Years behind schedule and vastly over budget, the project has stretched a long-serving and long-suffering team to their limits. There's Ned's trusted PA, who has over decades maneuvered her way from coat-check girl to Home's inner circle; Ned's younger brother, who has sacrificed his marriage and morals to be Ned's right-hand man; the Head of Membership keeping the world's most spoiled and jaded individuals entertained using any means necessary; the Head of Housekeeping, who plays silent witness to the guests' very worst excesses. All of them have something to hide - and that's before the beautiful people with their own ugly secrets even set foot on the island.

As tempers fray and behaviour worsens, as things get more sinister by the hour and the body count piles up, some of Island Home's members begin to wish they'd never RSVP'd at all.

Because at this club, if your name's on the list, you're not getting out . . .

My review:

I feel like the synopsis of this one does a very good job of setting up the premise and mystery of this book. However the first couple of lines in the prologue were a definite setup for me to keep reading to find out more.

By the time the Land Rover was halfway across the causeway it must have been obvious they were never going to make it. Not at the speed that tide was coming in.

After the explosive first pages, this book does take a bit to set things up and get going, but then it is a wild ride with many surprises as you try to figure out who makes it off the island and who doesn't (and who is in the Land Rover?). The twists and turns are leaked out a few at a time (just the way I like my thrillers) and the story is told from the perspective of four people, all elemental in the functioning of the Club. There are really not any likable characters in this one, they are all either spoiled celebs or nefarious grudge holders, but for me that was what made it more fun. You are more invested in the secrets they all have, and why they all have such an affinity for this club, rather than rooting for any one character. I definitely didn't figure many parts of this one out, and certainly not the major plot twists.

Despite a bit of a slow start to set up the ensuing drama, this one has a nice payout. If you are a fan of rich people behaving badly, you are definitely going to want to get your hands on this one.

Published on Leave a comment on Black Cake
Black Cake Book Cover Black Cake
Charmaine Wilkerson
Fiction
Ballantine Books
February 1, 2022
Hardcover
400
Free from publisher

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett's death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child, challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage, and themselves.

Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor's true history, and fulfill her final request to "share the black cake when the time is right"? Will their mother's revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?

Charmaine Wilkerson's debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names, can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.

My review:

First can we marvel at this amazing cover? I'm really enjoying these books being released with swaths of color, I can't imagine it doesn't help to catch the eye of anyone browsing books, as it did me. There is a lot to unpack in this family story. First we have siblings Benny and Byron who have not exactly been close since they were children. When they come back together for the reading of their mother's will, their relationship will undergo a lot of soul searching, but will it cause them to come together or break apart again? Second is the story of Eleanor, and her will which consists of a traditional Caribbean black cake and a fifteen hour audiotape that will tell the parts of her story her children have never heard before. Third is the story of the Black Cake itself, and how a certain food can play a significant role in our lives. I found this book fascinating and engaging albeit a bit long (more on that shortly). I was definitely more invested in Eleanor's story than the siblings, but that doesn't take away from the fact that they were well drawn characters. To me it did get a bit bogged down in the middle with too many characters and plot points, and the people and timelines jumped around a bit, but this didn't impact my enjoyment of the novel as a whole. I will say that I'm positive from the description of the cake that I would probably not enjoy it (dried fruits in rum.....no thank you!), but I've seen lots of book groups attempt to make one for their meeting, which is such a fun idea.

A really interesting story full of secrets and memorable characters that will live up to the praise it's been given. I may not want to sample the cake, but I can certainly find the cover and story delicious.

Published on Leave a comment on With Love From London
With Love from London Book Cover With Love from London
Sarah Jio
Fiction
Ballantine Books
February 8, 2022
Paperback
375
Purchased

When librarian Valentina Baker was a teenager, her mother, Eloise, unexpectedly fled to her native London, leaving Val and her father on their own. Now in her thirties and fresh out of a failed marriage, Val feels a nagging disenchantment with her life--and knows she is still heartbroken over her mother's abandonment.

In a bittersweet twist of fate, Val receives word that Eloise has passed away, leaving Val her Primrose Hill apartment and the deed to a bookshop Val never knew she'd owned. Though the news is devastating, Val finds herself more determined than ever to discover who her mother truly was. She jets across the Atlantic, departing Seattle for a new life in charming London.

Slowly but surely, Val begins to piece together Eloise's life in the UK, falling in love with her pastel-colored flat, cozy neighborhood, and tucked-away storefront. But when she discovers that The Book Garden is in danger of going under, Val must work with its eccentric staff to get it in working order. In the process, she learns more about Eloise than she ever thought possible. And as Val races to save the shop, Eloise's own story unfolds, leading both mother and daughter to unearth revelatory truths.

My review:

Sometimes when a story is told in dual timelines and perspectives, I tend to gravitate to one or the other. Not the case with this one. I really loved both characters. Eloise is the mother whose timeline begins in 1968 London, and moves forward chronologically until 2013. Valentina is her daughter, and we pick up her story in 2013 when she goes to London to try and find answers as to why her recently diseased mother abandoned her when she was eleven years old. Through the dual narration we learn more about Eloise pre and post leaving her daughter, and we slowly learn the why as well. From Valentina we experience her anger and hurt about being left by her mother, and also her present time in London as she explores the life her mother was leading prior to her death. Hint.....there is a quaint and lovely bookstore with an elderly shopkeeper and a fabulous tenant rounding out the great characters. This was well written, with not a paragraph of dull filler, and an absolutely beautiful ending that may have brought a tear to my eye. There is a bit of a romance in this one (we all know how I feel about the obligatory romance), but one was lovely and swoon worthy, and the other was tolerable and not at the forefront of the story.

This was a really enjoyable read focusing on love and forgiveness, loss and discovery, that will leave you with a full heart and wistful smile. And don't forget there is a bookstore 🙂

2

Published on 2 Comments on Beautiful Little Fools
Beautiful Little Fools Book Cover Beautiful Little Fools
Jillian Cantor
Harper Perennial
February 1, 2022
Paperback/Audio
368
Free from publisher

On a sultry August day in 1922, Jay Gatsby is shot dead in his West Egg swimming pool. To the police, it appears to be an open-and-shut case of murder/suicide when the body of George Wilson, a local mechanic, is found in the woods nearby.

Then a diamond hairpin is discovered in the bushes by the pool, and three women fall under suspicion. Each holds a key that can unlock the truth to the mysterious life and death of this enigmatic millionaire.

Daisy Buchanan once thought she might marry Gatsby—before her family was torn apart by an unspeakable tragedy that sent her into the arms of the philandering Tom Buchanan.

Jordan Baker, Daisy’s best friend, guards a secret that derailed her promising golf career and threatens to ruin her friendship with Daisy as well.

Catherine McCoy, a suffragette, fights for women’s freedom and independence, and especially for her sister, Myrtle Wilson, who’s trapped in a terrible marriage.

Their stories unfold in the years leading up to that fateful summer of 1922, when all three of their lives are on the brink of unraveling. Each woman is pulled deeper into Jay Gatsby’s romantic obsession, with devastating consequences for all of them.

Jillian Cantor revisits the glittering Jazz Age world of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, retelling this timeless American classic from the women’s perspective. Beautiful Little Fools is a quintessential tale of money and power, marriage and friendship, love and desire, and ultimately the murder of a man tormented by the past and driven by a destructive longing that can never be fulfilled.

My review:

When I read that this was a retelling of The Great Gatsby, my first thought was whether I was going to have to re-read that book in order to enjoy this one. I'm not a re-reader....so many books, too little time is my mindset. My most prominent memory of the story is actually the movie version with Robert Redford (yes, I'm that old!). I decided to just jump in and perhaps my takeaway would suffer a bit, but hopefully some of the details would come back to me. I can't say that many of them did, but I didn't even care, because this book is fantastic! While the original book is told from the perspective of Gatsby's neighbor Nick, this book is told from the viewpoint of three women entangled in Gatsby's life. The characters were brilliantly portrayed and I was sucked into their stories immediately. They may have been beautiful, but they were anything but little fools. Then of course there is the time period of the roaring twenties and the Jazz age. The settings made you feel totally immersed in that era and you could see and feel everything down to the minutest detail. In between the women's stories is the testimony of a detective who is convinced one of these three women knows more than she's letting on. While I did think this was the weakest part of the story, I understand how it was necessary to tie in with the mystery surrounding Gatsby's ultimate end. I listened to this one on audio, and that experience is one I highly recommend for this book (provided you enjoy this medium). The characters are all narrated by different voices, pulling you into the story even more.

This book took me completely by surprise by how much I loved it! The time, place, and characters all combined to make this a hit. Even if you know nothing about the original, I cannot imagine you won't be completely hooked by this re-imagining. I can't imagine it not making my best of the year list.