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Published on 2 Comments on Better Luck Next Time
Better Luck Next Time Book Cover Better Luck Next Time
Julia Claiborne Johnson
Custom House
January 5, 2021
Hardcover
288
Free from publisher

It’s 1938 and women seeking a quick, no-questions split from their husbands head to the “divorce capital of the world,” Reno, Nevada. There’s one catch: they have to wait six-weeks to become “residents.” Many of these wealthy, soon-to-be divorcees flock to the Flying Leap, a dude ranch that caters to their every need.

Twenty-four-year-old Ward spent one year at Yale before his family lost everything in the Great Depression; now he’s earning an honest living as a ranch hand at the Flying Leap. Admired for his dashing good looks—“Cary Grant in cowboy boots”—Ward thinks he’s got the Flying Leap’s clients all figured out. But two new guests are about to upend everything he thinks he knows: Nina, a St Louis heiress and amateur pilot back for her third divorce, and Emily, whose bravest moment in life was leaving her cheating husband back in San Francisco and driving herself to Reno.

A novel about divorce, marriage, and everything that comes in between (money, class, ambition, and opportunity), Better Luck Next Time is a hilarious yet poignant examination of the ways friendship can save us, love can destroy us, and the family we create can be stronger than the family we come from.

My review:

I read this as one of my final books of 2020. With all that the year brought, I didn't realize that I was craving a feel good novel until I picked this one up! Exploring a real life historical fact, it is about a fictional ranch in Reno, Nevada (circa 1938) where women spent six weeks living until their divorces came through. Unbeknownst to me, Nevada had a rule that if you resided within the state, a quickie divorce was possible. The trick was that you had to live their for six weeks. Behold, the creation of places for women to live while biding their time. One of these places was the Flying Leap ranch, and during the course of this novel we follow its residents (two in particular), and staff (one of whom is telling this story). I really loved the way this story was structured. I thought it was different than so many others, and enjoyed the way the storyteller was looking back on his life, including these few weeks working at the ranch. The women were a breath of fresh air, most of them exploring their "freedom" for the first time. Lots of shenanigans ensue (some silly, but still entertaining), but the book also focuses on some greater issues such as love, class, friendship, family, and of course divorce. As this author did in her novel Be Frank With Me, there is the inclusion of a child, a thirteen year old girl in this case, who was spot on if you've ever been fortunate to deal with thirteen year old girls in your life! I don't want to include any spoilers, but the ending was the cherry on top, I loved it!

An excellent feel good book based on history (that was not WWII......hurray!). You will laugh, you will commiserate, and if you're like me, you'll even shed a tear or two. I can highly recommend this to take away the winter doldrums.

Published on Leave a comment on My Best of 2020

The one upside to this year is that it has been good for my hobby! I ended the year having read 224 books. I think I made it to 200 a few years ago, but I'm sure this is my highest total yet! Having said that, how was my quality of books this year? While my average Goodreads rating remained much the same, I did have way more 5 star reads this year than last (when I only had 6). Of course that means that in order for my average rating to remain close to the same, I must have had more clunkers, even though I don't feel like I did. But I digress, this post is about my stellar books of the year. This first picture is all 17 of my 5 star reads:

Now comes the tough part. I narrowed these down to my top five, which is SO tough to do! I was going to just post my favorite of the year, but then I decided I needed to take a stand and rank them. Without further ado......

#5 If You Want to Make God Laugh by Bianca Marais

#4 Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction)

#3 American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

#2 Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

And my #1 (with a character I don't think I will ever forget!) is The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

What a great reading year I've had, can't wait to see what 2021 has in store!!

Published on Leave a comment on Pretty Little Wife






Pretty Little Wife Book Cover




Pretty Little Wife





Darby Kane




William Morrow




December 29, 2020




Hardcover




416




Purchased



Lila Ridgefield lives in an idyllic college town, but not everything is what it seems. Lila isn’t what she seems.A student vanished months ago. Now, Lila’s husband, Aaron, is also missing. At first these cases are treated as horrible coincidences until it’s discovered the student is really the third of three unexplained disappearances over the last few years. The police are desperate to find the connection, if there even is one. Little do they know they might be stumbling over only part of the truth….

With the small town in an uproar, everyone is worried about the whereabouts of their beloved high school teacher. Everyone except Lila, his wife. She’s definitely confused about her missing husband but only because she was the last person to see his body, and now it’s gone.

My review:

This was a fun one! I don't usually describe thrillers in that way, but I found this one to be that because of the circumstances surrounding dead high school teacher Aaron's death. You find out really early on that his wife had planned his death to look like a suicide, but then his body disappears! The reason for her decision to kill him, as well as her fear that somehow he must have survived, keep you on the edge of your seat just waiting for the next shoe to drop. As the investigation into his death ramps up, how does Lila handle what she knows while keeping up the facade of grieving widow? Also, is there any connection between Aaron's death and that of the cold cases of young girls gone missing? I flew through the pages wanting to put all the clues together while waiting for Lila to trip up and also be put in danger. Her character was drawn so well that I waffled back and forth the entire book on whether I liked her or not. I will say that I did figure out the gist of what was happening before the big reveal, but that didn't effect my overall enjoyment of this one. A totally satisfactory vigilante justice ending was the cherry on top!

An unputdownable thriller with a protagonist you don't come across very often, this one will keep you guessing until the end. Definitely a good whodunnit tale.

Published on Leave a comment on The Lies You Told






The Lies You Told Book Cover




The Lies You Told





Harriet Tyce




Fiction




Grand Central Publishing




December 1, 2020




Hardcover




400




Free from publisher



In the playground it's the law of the jungle But at the school gate, there are no rules at all... When Sadie Roper moves back to London, she's determined to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. First, she needs to get her daughter settled into a new school-one of the most exclusive in the city. Next, she's going to get back the high-flying criminal barrister career she sacrificed for marriage ten years earlier. But nothing goes quite as planned. The school is not very welcoming newcomers, her daughter hasn't made any friends yet and the other mothers are as fiercely competitive as their children. Sadie immediately finds herself on the outside as she navigates the fraught politics of the school gate. But the tide starts to turn as Sadie begins to work on a scandalous, high-profile case that's the perfect opportunity to prove herself again, even though a dangerous flirtation threatens to cloud her professional judgment. And when Julia, queen of the school moms, befriends Sadie, she draws her into the heart of the world from which she was previously excluded. Soon Sadie and her family start to thrive, but does this close new friendship prevent her from seeing the truth? Sadie may be keeping her friends close, but what she doesn't know is that her enemies are closer still... Dark, addictive and compelling, The Lies You Told is a compulsive psychological thriller from a master storyteller.

My review:

This was a solid thriller with many moving parts, perhaps too many, but more on that later. I was completely invested in the three parallel storylines. First was the schoolyard theme, with  parent competitiveness  in full on mode. Then we have the family dynamic of a mother and daughter in a delicate situation brought about by an unusual housing situation. Lastly, a court case involving a teacher accused of molesting a student. All of these plots were super interesting, and propelled the story along at a fast pace. For me, while the pace was fast and the stories engaging, I felt that maybe there was too much going on to really settle into each individual plot point. I think using one or two of them may have allowed more expansion of each topic. Nevertheless, I did find myself tearing through this to see how everything was going to play out, so I may just be nitpicking here. The ending was satisfactory, although I did figure out one of the scenarios ahead of the the reveal, which doesn't mean much because there were lots of twists and turns by the end!

Lots of interesting characters to love and loathe, with tons of action, make this a fast paced and engaging thriller. If you like school mom shenanigan stories or courtroom dramas, this will be one to check out.

Published on Leave a comment on The Arctic Fury






The Arctic Fury Book Cover




The Arctic Fury





Greer Macallister




Fiction




Sourcebooks Landmark




December 1, 2020




Audiobook




400




Cloud library



In early 1853, experienced California Trail guide Virginia Reeve is summoned to Boston by a mysterious benefactor who offers her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: lead a party of 12 women into the wild, hazardous Arctic to search for the lost Franklin Expedition. It’s an extraordinary request, but the party is made up of extraordinary women. Each brings her own strengths and skills to the expedition- and her own unsettling secrets. A year and a half later, back in Boston, Virginia is on trial when not all of the women return. Told in alternating timelines that follow both the sensational murder trial in Boston and the dangerous, deadly progress of the women’s expedition into the frozen North, this heart-pounding story will hold readers rapt as a chorus of voices answer the trial’s all-consuming question: what happened out there on the ice?

My review:

Another novel set before the 20th century, who am I anymore? Lol! I liked the dual timeline set forth in this atmospheric novel. The actual expedition set embarked upon is one chapter, with alternating chapters being in a courtroom for the trial of the expedition leader Virginia. I actually think I enjoyed the trial aspect more, but that may be because it took a bit before we actually got into the actual arctic part of the journey (which is where that part of the plot took off for me). I particularly appreciated the way women were portrayed here as such capable beings, when we know how women were typically looked at during this time frame. These were some gutsy ladies! The writing and characters were well formed, and I loved the descriptions of the settings, especially the Arctic cold. I thought the author did a great job fictionalizing a true historic event (Lady Franklin did exist, and her husband did disappear on an exploration).

A very engaging story about a dangerous expedition by a group of women cobbled together, but who ultimately grow to respect each other and have each others backs. Definitely a great winter read.

1

Published on 1 Comment on Hamnet






Hamnet Book Cover




Hamnet





Maggie O'Farrell




Fiction




Knopf Publishing Group




2020




Hardcover




320




Purchased



England, 1580. A young Latin tutor--penniless, bullied by a violent father--falls in love with an extraordinary, eccentric young woman: a wild creature who walks her family's estate with a falcon on her shoulder and is known throughout the countryside for her unusual gifts as a healer. Agnes understands plants and potions better than she does people, but once she settles with her husband on Henley Street in Stratford she becomes a fiercely protective mother and a steadfast, centrifugal force in the life of her young husband, whose gifts as a writer are just beginning to awaken when his beloved young son succumbs to bubonic plague.

A luminous portrait of a marriage, a shattering evocation of a family ravaged by grief and loss, and a hypnotic recreation of the story that inspired one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time, Hamnet is mesmerizing and seductive, an impossible-to-put-down novel from one of our most gifted writers.

My review:

This is one of those books that I typically stay away from. I'm not a fan of books set earlier than the 20th century, and this one takes place in the 16th! I also profess to know as little as possible about Shakespeare (even the name evokes memories of high school English classes). I picked it up solely because it won the Women's Prize for Fiction, and I try to read several of their selections every year. I'm so glad that this was picked as the winner, because I likely would not have chosen to read it otherwise, and would have missed out on a gem! I'll say right off the bat that you literally have to know nothing about Shakespeare to enjoy this novel. In fact, he is not even named in the book, we know it's him because of the play Hamlet which occurs at the tail end of the book. This is mostly a story of family and grief. How the death of a child effects those who are left. I can't say enough about the writing of this one......it was spectacular! The characters made me grieve with them, the time and place put you there, and the description of the bond between Hamnet and his twin was fascinating (they were written as if two halves of a whole). Because I'm not a scholar of Shakespeare, I honestly don't know how much, if any, of this story is based in fact. In the end it didn't matter, it was a beautifully written account of a family, and the way you go on following tragedy.

I urge everyone to pick this one up. If you think the time frame and people won't appeal to you, you may be wrong this time (just as I was). The writing alone is worthy of your time.

2

Published on 2 Comments on New Research: Book Clubs in Lockdown

I had the opportunity to participate in this survey conducted by BookBrowse a few months ago. If you are a part of a bookclub (whether virtual, in-store, or community based), you may find the following information interesting. I know I did, but I'm kind of a geek when it comes to various statistical analysis!

Here are some of the highlights of the report, scroll to the end for a link that will take you to the full report containing graphs and charts that you can download.

____________________________________________________________________________

"The resilience of book clubs shines through," said Davina Morgan-Witts, BookBrowse Publisher. "Of course, book clubs would prefer to be meeting without restrictions, but the majority have persevered and found a way forward. It is truly heartening to see how these groups of dedicated readers have worked together to maintain, and even grow, their community."

Key Findings:

  • Three-quarters of respondents say their group has been meeting during the pandemic. Many have experienced sickness, quarantines or fatalities among those close to them, and many feel drained by current events; but they also feel supported by their book club and buoyed by a greater sense of friendship and community, leading to half saying their group is even more important to them than last year.
  • The quarter of respondents in book clubs that are not currently meeting are generally not doing so because either their group could not find a safe way to meet in person or most of the members were technically unable or uncomfortable meeting virtually. Compared to those that are meeting, a higher proportion of respondents belong to public groups such as those that meet in libraries and bookstores. 90% say their book club is important to them, and they look forward to meeting again as soon as their group is able to do so.
  • Of the groups that are currently meeting, two-thirds are doing so virtually, almost all on Zoom, which is described as a lifeline by many. The remainder are meeting in person, half of them outdoors (albeit with some looking for a new winter location).
  • Overall, one-third of respondents in book clubs that are currently meeting virtually expect to retain a virtual element in the future: Some expect to be all virtual; most expect their group will use virtual technology to enable absent members to join in-person meetings or to host the entire meeting virtually at certain times; for example, when weather conditions are not conducive to meeting in person.
  • There is considerable potential demand for virtual book clubs. 14% of those meeting virtually say their attendance is up compared to 2019 primarily due to members who have moved away being able to join in; and 3% of respondents are in a book club that expects to remain all virtual (around half of these groups formed this year in direct response to the pandemic). In addition, we know from our past research (Inner Lives of Book Clubs, 2019) that there are many readers who would like to be in a book club but have not been able to commit to an in person group because of issues such as childcare, frequent travel, lack of transportation and disabilities.
  • Many find virtual discussions less free-flowing. This is seen as a benefit by some who feel their group's book discussions are more focused and inclusive due to fewer side conversations, but others miss the organic flow of an in-person meeting.
  • 58% of respondents say their group has discussed racial issues in 2020.
  • Politics is a challenging topic for many US book clubs: while 37% of respondents in the US say their group has discussed politics in 2020, 27% say their group has banned political discussion, up from 11% in 2018 (and compared to just 3% for non-US groups).
  • Although some book clubs report lower attendance (usually due to health concerns for groups meeting in person and technical issues for groups meeting virtually), 14% of virtual groups have increased attendance, primarily due to members who have moved away being able to join in, and also from people who weren't able to commit to an in person group being able to join virtually.
  • Sourcing print books has been a particular challenge with library buildings closed for much of the year and, even now, longer than usual wait times due to quarantining of books and higher than usual demand. Many groups that would normally borrow print books have turned to their library's ebook collection, with Hoopla frequently mentioned for its unlimited downloads. However, using the technology has been a challenge for some, who look forward to returning to borrowing print books.

Here is the link to download all the information above and more:

https://www.bookbrowse.com/wp/lockdown/

Published on Leave a comment on Frontier Follies






Frontier Follies Book Cover




Frontier Follies





Ree Drummond




Biography & Autobiography




William Morrow




November 17, 2020




Hardcover




352




Free from publisher



A warm, hilarious collection of stories and reflections on motherhood from the #1 New York Times bestselling author, photographer, businesswoman, and star of the Food Network show The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. From her beginnings as an early blogger, Ree Drummond has become a household name with a passionate following of devoted fans. On her blog, in her magazine, and on her cooking show, Ree shares recipes, tales of her adventures in the country, and stories of everyday life with her four children and cowboy/rancher husband. In this down-to-earth and charming book written especially for Mother's Day, Ree shares real-life anecdotes about parenting from her own unique vantage point. While her busy life is constantly full of new surprises, what's most important to her is family. Over the years she's learned a few things about balancing motherhood with a million other things, and now she offers the wisdom of her experiences--the ups, the downs, the bumps in the road, the laughter and the tears--in stories brimming with the relatable wit and humor found in her cookbooks and her bestselling love story, The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. A celebration of motherhood, family, love, and laughter, Frontier Follies is a keepsake to treasure and share with the wonderful women in your life.

My review:

I don't watch a lot of cooking shows (cooking is my husband's passion, so no need to intervene), but when I do, The Pioneer Woman is one of the only ones to hold my attention. I love that the recipes are never overly complicated, they aren't whacky combinations of ingredients, and Ree Drummond just looks so friendly and engaging. Watching the show, I wondered if perhaps this was acting, but after reading this book I know she is the real down to earth deal that comes across on the show! I was lucky enough to find the audio at my library to download, so I got to listen to Ree narrate the book, which definitely made the experience even better! I loved the stories she told about her family and ranch life. Many were informative, and there were several times that I laughed out loud (I'm never going to see  an apple fritter without thinking of this book!). Her family stories were lovely, and this blogger who grew up in dairy farm country, even learned the difference between a farm and a ranch. The book even contains a few recipes, or you can get them from the website if you go the audio route.

A wonderful book of stories that reads like you are sitting across the table from the author enjoying a cup of coffee (and perhaps an apple fritter.....LOL). I highly recommend, especially for anyone who watches The Pioneer Woman food show.

Published on Leave a comment on White Ivy






White Ivy Book Cover




White Ivy





Susie Yang




Fiction




Simon & Schuster




November 3, 2020




Hardcover




368




Purchased



Ivy Lin is a thief and a liar—but you’d never know it by looking at her. Raised outside of Boston, she is taught how to pilfer items from yard sales and second-hand shops by her immigrant grandmother. Thieving allows Ivy to accumulate the trappings of a suburban teen—and, most importantly, to attract the attention of Gideon Speyer, the golden boy of a wealthy political family. But when Ivy’s mother discovers her trespasses, punishment is swift and Ivy is sent to China, where her dream instantly evaporates.

Years later, Ivy has grown into a poised yet restless young woman, haunted by her conflicting feelings about her upbringing and her family. Back in Boston, when she bumps into Sylvia Speyer, Gideon’s sister, a reconnection with Gideon seems not only inevitable—it feels like fate.

Slowly, Ivy sinks her claws into Gideon and the entire Speyer clan by attending fancy dinners and weekend getaways to the Cape. But just as Ivy is about to have everything she’s ever wanted, a ghost from her past resurfaces, threatening the nearly perfect life she’s worked so hard to build.

Filled with surprising twists and offering sharp insights into the immigrant experience, White Ivy is both a love triangle and a coming-of-age story, as well as a glimpse into the dark side of a woman who yearns for success at any cost.

My review:

It's hard to believe this is a debut novel because the writing is masterful. Literally none of the characters is particularly likable, yet it kept me immersed in the story throughout the entire book. We follow Ivy from childhood, where she learns how to set her sights on what she wants and get them. Some of this is immediate, and some she waits years to achieve. There were a lot of moving parts to this one. First and foremost was the desire that Ivy had for the rich and powerful lifestyle. Also we had Ivy's relationship with her mother and grandmother, the immigrant experience, and lots of deception. Being that I am not Asian, I can't really address this properly, but I do wonder if there are a few stereotypes cast that may bother some readers? For me it was not an issue, but something to be aware of particularly if you are of Asian descent. Ivy is a complex character, and while I didn't love her, I certainly enjoyed going along on her journey.

Not a lot, if any, characters to like in this one, but such a well written and crafted story! Definitely a slow burn, and somewhat dark, but a satisfying novel from start to finish.

Published on Leave a comment on Little Cruelties






Little Cruelties Book Cover




Little Cruelties





Liz Nugent




Fiction




Gallery/Scout Press




November 10, 2020




Hardcover




352




Purchased



This story begins with a funeral. One of three brothers is dead, mourned by his siblings. But which one? And how? And, most importantly: why?

William, Brian, and Luke are each born a year apart in a lower middle class Catholic family in 1960s Dublin. William, the eldest, rises to the top of the heap in the film industry as a successful movie producer. Luke, the baby of the family, surprises everyone by morphing into a worldwide pop star. Brian, the compliant middle son, is the eternal adult in the room: the helpful, steady one, the manager of finances and careers.

But none of them is actually quite what he seems. Wounded by childhood, they have betrayed one another in myriad ways, hiding behind little lies that have developed into full blown treachery. With an unnerving eye for the complexities of families, Nugent delves into the secret life of a deeply troubled household and provides stunning insights into the many forces that shape us from childhood.

Liz Nugent’s new work of fiction follows three working class Irish brothers, and delves into the many ways families can wreak emotional havoc across generations.

My reviews:

I was nervous going into this one because I had read some not so favorable reviews from fellow bloggers. I decided to forge ahead since dysfunctional family stories are my JAM. My hunch was correct on this one, I loved it! From the time they are children, these three brothers were always doing typical mean brotherly things to each other. But as they grow older, the stakes get way higher in the mean game. Of course we get to delve into the family history to try to discover the why of their behavior. The story is written in three sections, with each brother narrating his own section, so some of the stories we are privy to more than once, but with a new perspective depending on the opinion of who is telling it. I can see why this might get tedious for some readers, but I thought it was fascinating seeing the different viewpoints. You do have to wait until the very end to find out which brother dies, but even the circumstance behind his death was shocking! I thought the characters were really well drawn, even some of the supplemental ones of the mother, daughter, and various love interests. Lots of family drama to unpack in this one! If I had to pick one thing that bothered me it would be the variable timelines within each brother's section. I'm glad I was reading rather than listening because I could make note of the year with each chapter break.

If you are a fan of dysfunctional family dramas, you must pick up this intense look at three brothers lives, and the damage they caused to themselves, each other, and others along the way.