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Published on Leave a comment on The Way of Beauty
The Way of Beauty Book Cover The Way of Beauty
Camille Di Maio
Fiction
Lake Union Publishing
2018-05
Paperback
384
Publisher via GetRedPR

Hearts and dreams evolve in the shadow of the once-magnificent Penn Station. Vera Keller, the daughter of German immigrants in turn-of-the-century New York City, finds her life upended when the man she loves becomes engaged to another woman. But Angelo Bellavia has also inadvertently opened up Vera's life to unexpected possibilities. Angelo's new wife, Pearl, the wealthy daughter of a clothing manufacturer, has defied her family's expectations by devoting herself to the suffrage movement. In Pearl, Vera finds an unexpected dear friend...and a stirring new cause of her own. But when Pearl's selfless work pulls her farther from Angelo and their son, the life Vera craved is suddenly within her reach--if her conscience will allow her to take it. Her choice will define not only her future but also that of her daughter, Alice. Vera and Alice--a generation and a world apart--are bound by the same passionate drive to fulfill their dreams. As first mother and then daughter come of age in a city that is changing as rapidly as its skyline, they'll each discover that love is the only constant.

My review:

My first novel by Ms. Di Maio, and it definitely won't be my last! This is a fascinating look into the making (and breaking down) of Penn Station in NYC, complete with compelling characters and wonderfully descriptive settings. I was immediately sucked into the story, and relished my time reading what was to become of these characters. Being that I'm not from New York City, I was not even aware of the controversy surrounding the tearing down of Penn Station to make room for Madison Square Garden. I know I will look at that site fondly when I am in the city next month (my hotel is on the next block). These are characters you want to root for, and while there was the obligatory romance(s), it was handled so skillfully that I didn't even mind (see, there is a way to incorporate romance into novels that won't make me run the other way!). I loved the parts about the suffragette movement, and wouldn't have minded even more of that story line.

A great historical fiction novel about the rise and fall of Penn Station (1900-1960) with a fabulous cast of characters you will treasure! If you like this genre, or live anywhere near NYC, pick this one up and savor it.

 

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Published on 1 Comment on Then She Was Gone
Then She Was Gone Book Cover Then She Was Gone
Lisa Jewell
Fiction
Atria Books
April 17, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy
368
Free from publisher

Ten years after her teenage daughter disappears, a woman crosses paths with a charming single father whose young child feels eerily familiar, in this evocative, suspenseful drama from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell—perfect for fans of Paula Hawkins and Liane Moriarty.

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, the youngest of three. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, her mother Laurel Mack is trying to put her life back together. It’s been ten years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a café, no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters—and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie. And now, the unanswered questions she’s tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Laurel anew. Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl?

My review:

I'm going to say it again, because it always bears repeating when it comes to this author. My absolute favorite Lisa Jewell book was The House We Grew Up In. The reason I feel compelled to point to that book (other than that it is a fantastic family case study), is that her last few books have been more in the psychological thriller vein. I think it speaks to her writing skills that she can be successful in writing across multiple genres (including historical fiction with Before I Met You). This book was in the psychological thriller genre, and it was a gripping page turner. While I did figure out the "who dunnit"part of what happened to Laurel's daughter fairly early, the details, and particularly the "why" took me on a dark and sinister journey. The twists and turns were cleverly interspersed, the characters were well drawn, and the ending satisfactorily tied up all the loose ends. If you have not read this author before, grab a copy of one of her books. She has likely written one in whatever genre you are in the mood for.

A well written thriller about a mother trying to find out the truth about her missing daughter, including a villain with one of the most creepily plotted plans I've read about. Definitely a must if you want a page turner that isn't so scary as to keep you up at night.

3

Published on 3 Comments on All the Beautiful Lies
All the Beautiful Lies Book Cover All the Beautiful Lies
Peter Swanson
Fiction
William Morrow
April 3, 2018
Hardcover
304
Free from publisher

Harry Ackerson has always considered his stepmother Alice to be sexy and beautiful, in an "otherworldly" way. She has always been kind and attentive, if a little aloof in the last few years. Days before his college graduation, Alice calls with shocking news. His father is dead and the police think it’s suicide. Devastated, Harry returns to his father’s home in Maine. There, he and Alice will help each other pick up of the pieces of their lives and uncover what happened to his father. Shortly after he arrives, Harry meets a mysterious young woman named Grace McGowan. Though she claims to be new to the area, Harry begins to suspect that Grace may not be a complete stranger to his family. But she isn’t the only attractive woman taking an interest in Harry. The sensual Alice is also growing closer, coming on to him in an enticing, clearly sexual way. Mesmerized by these two women, Harry finds himself falling deeper under their spell. Yet the closer he gets to them, the more isolated he feels, disoriented by a growing fear that both women are hiding dangerous—even deadly—secrets . . . and that neither one is telling the truth.

My review:

Without giving away any spoilers, I can definitely say that this one gave you the "something is just off here" vibes from the get-go. What a masterful job Swanson does of stringing the reader along, as they try to figure out exactly what is going on. Of course, as in most thrillers if they are well written, just when you think you have it figured out (sort of?)......BAM.......you are thrown a curve ball! I was initially worried that the sexual conduct of Alice and Harry would turn me off from the book, but my fears were, for the most part, unfounded. It's there, but not as prevalent as the blurb makes it seem I thought the writing and pacing of this one were totally on point, and I was turning pages as fast as I could to figure out just what Alice, and to a lesser extent Grace, were up to. This book not only focuses on the present day death of Harry's father, but we are taken back into the worlds of Alice and Jake, two creepier characters than you thought possible. The back and forth in time eventually combine to form the explosive ending. . My first book by Swanson, and now I need to go back and read his backlist.

This one is dark and creepy (but not in the freak you out in the night creepy), but I was glued to the pages to figure this one out! Definitely add it to your list if you want a good psychological thriller!

 

Published on Leave a comment on Sophia of Silicon Valley
Sophia of Silicon Valley Book Cover Sophia of Silicon Valley
Anna Yen
Fiction
William Morrow
April 10, 2018
Hardcover
368
Free from publisher

Sharp, dramatic, and full of insider dish, SOPHIA OF SILICON VALLEY is one woman’s story of a career storming the corridors of geek power and living in the shadow of its outrageous cast of maestros. During the heady years of the tech boom, incorrigibly frank Sophia Young lucks into a job that puts her directly in the path of Scott Kraft, the eccentric CEO of Treehouse, a studio whose animated films are transforming movies forever. Overnight, Sophia becomes an unlikely nerd whisperer. Whether her success is due to dumb luck, savage assertiveness, insightful finesse (learned by dealing with her irrational Chinese immigrant mother), or a combination of all three, in her rarified position she finds she can truly shine. As Scott Kraft’s right-hand woman, whip-smart Sophia is in the eye of the storm, sometimes floundering, sometimes nearly losing relationships and her health, but ultimately learning what it means to take charge of her own future the way the men around her do. But when engineer/inventor Andre Stark hires her to run his company’s investor relations, Sophia discovers that the big paycheck and high-status career she’s created for herself may not be worth living in the toxic environment of a boys-club gone bad.

My review:

I was graciously sent this book for review. Although I'm not sure that it's something I would have picked up on my own, the premise sounded interesting, and not so far out of my comfort zone to not give it a whirl. There were a lot of things to like about this one. I loved that the protagonist has a chronic illness (not dealt with a lot in fictionalized go-getters). The repartee between her and her Asian mother was reminiscent of the mother/daughter interactions in Crazy Rich Asians, and were very entertaining. The portrayal of the boys network, alive and well and truly obnoxious in this technology setting, had me rooting for Sophia to put them in their place. I thought the author (who the character of Sophia is loosely based on) did a very good job exploring the issue of having a relationship outside of a high pressure, time consuming job. Where the book bogged down a bit for me was in all the descriptions of the tech industry, including sales pitches, stock options, IPO's and the like. Had I been in this field, I'm sure I would have a totally different perspective, but it did temper my overall enjoyment. I really liked Sophia, and this kept me interested to find out if she "made it out of the tech jungle alive"!

A good read, with a well written protagonist. Showing that the more things change (or not) in the boys network, the more they stay the same for the few women climbing to power. This one will be especially of interest to those with knowledge of the Silicon Valley tech world.

 

Published on Leave a comment on The Secret to Southern Charm
The Secret to Southern Charm Book Cover The Secret to Southern Charm
Peachtree Bluff
Kristy Woodson Harvey
Fiction
Gallery
April 3, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy
400
Free from publisher

After finding out her military husband is missing in action, middle sister Sloane’s world crumbles as her worst nightmare comes true. She can barely climb out of bed, much less summon the strength to be the parent her children deserve.

Her mother, Ansley, provides a much-needed respite as she puts her personal life on hold to help Sloane and her grandchildren wade through their new grief-stricken lives. But between caring for her own aging mother, her daughters, and her grandchildren, Ansley’s private worry is that secrets from her past will come to light.

But when Sloane’s sisters, Caroline and Emerson, remind Sloane that no matter what, she promised her husband she would carry on for their young sons, Sloane finds the support and courage she needs to chase her biggest dreams—and face her deepest fears. Taking a cue from her middle daughter, Ansley takes her own leap of faith and realizes that, after all this time, she might finally be able to have it all.

My review:

3.5 stars

The second novel in the Peachtree Bluff series (slated for three so far) was enjoyable, but paled for me in comparison to the first (Slightly South of Simple, which I would recommend reading first,  reviewed here). However, there are several very good reasons why this one didn't dazzle me as much, and they are all personal taste. The writing is still just as captivating as all of Ms. Harvey's books have been, and she really knows how to make you feel you are transported into these characters' lives!

What worked for me:
The continuing story of the mother, Ansley. This is a great character and I can relate to many aspects of her life. I loved her interactions with the many people in her life, and the way she is always trying to fix everything for everyone (in typical mother fashion).
Oldest daughter Caroline, who is one of my favorite literary characters ever! The first story was centered around her, and herein lies my bias for all further books.....I just want more one liners from this feisty gal! She gets a few zingers in that made my heart soar, but alas she is not the focus this time around (much to her chagrin I am sure 🙂 ).
The storyline involving the elderly mother/grandmother. Very touching, and very well played out!
Coffee Kyle! Such a minor character, but I was thrilled to see him have some cameos in this second installment.

What didn't work (for ME, this is a case of it's not you, it's me!):
Ansley and Jack's relationship. Come on already, you are old enough to just make up your dang minds, time's a wastin'. Their relationship in this one reminds me too much of a young adult novel where the protagonists aren't old enough to know what they want.
Sloane....UGH! I really only need one explanation for why she drove me nuts, I HATE romance novels! Her relationship with her husband was so off putting to me, she's about as far away from a feminist as I can imagine. I got it, he's the love of your life and you even changed your life track because of something he wanted. Nope, just nope, not for me!

In summary, four things that worked and two that didn't still adds up to a really good read, especially when you add in wonderfully written characters! And if you are not as sensitive to romance as I am, and you aren't still stuck on your "favorite sister", you will absolutely want to grab a copy of this one and continue the saga.

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Published on 2 Comments on Not That I Could Tell
Not That I Could Tell Book Cover Not That I Could Tell
Jessica Strawser
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
March 27, 2018
Hardcover
336
Free from publisher

An innocent night of fun takes a shocking turn in Not That I Could Tell, the next page-turner from Jessica Strawser. When a group of neighborhood women gathers, wine in hand, around a fire pit where their backyards meet one Saturday night, most of them are just ecstatic to have discovered that their baby monitors reach that far. It’s a rare kid-free night, and they’re giddy with it. They drink too much, and the conversation turns personal. By Monday morning, one of them is gone. Everyone knows something about everyone else in the quirky small Ohio town of Yellow Springs, but no one can make sense of the disappearance. Kristin was a sociable twin mom, college administrator, and doctor’s wife who didn’t seem all that bothered by her impending divorce—and the investigation turns up more questions than answers, with her husband, Paul, at the center. For her closest neighbor, Clara, the incident triggers memories she thought she’d put behind her—and when she’s unable to extract herself from the widening circle of scrutiny, her own suspicions quickly grow. But the neighborhood’s newest addition, Izzy, is determined not to jump to any conclusions—especially since she’s dealing with a crisis of her own. As the police investigation goes from a media circus to a cold case, the neighbors are forced to reexamine what’s going on behind their own closed doors—and to ask how well anyone really knows anyone else.

My review:

This is the sophomore novel by Jessica Strawser, and it does not disappoint! Her first novel was absolutely riveting for me (Almost Missed You reviewed here), until the end when I wanted to throw it across the room! However, because I loved 99.9% of that one, I was excited to see what she had come up with next. I really liked this one....even the end!! 🙂 It's the story of a neighborhood, where one of the residents has up and vanished along with her twin children. The neighbors feel it is their responsibility to their friend to figure out what happened. Was her life something other than what it seemed? Did her soon to be ex-husband have anything to do with it? Are they still alive, or did something criminal happen to them? During the course of the novel, we learn a bit about the woman (through short vignettes scattered throughout the chapters), the neighbors themselves, how the investigation effects the town, and  the ex-husband (should we feel sorry for him or what?). The writing was crisp, the story moved at a quick pace, the characters were interesting and I love a good neighborhood story! So far Ms. Strawser is batting 995 out of a thousand (ugh, that last chapter of the first book......have I convinced you to read it to find out my beef?), so I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

An excellent page turner about a neighborhood in crisis (think the neighborhood in Truly Madly Guilty, only I enjoyed this one more). With a satisfying ending (although I remain concerned about the safety of one of the women), this one is highly recommended.

4

Published on 4 Comments on The Broken Girls
The Broken Girls Book Cover The Broken Girls
Simone St. James
Boarding schools
Berkley
March 20, 2018
E-book
336
Publisher via NetGalley

Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming--until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . . Vermont, 2014. As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case. When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past--and a voice that won't be silenced. . . .

My review:

When I read the synopsis of this one, I knew I wanted to read it. It takes place at a boarding school (these stories always attract me), in Vermont (where I grew up), and involves a mystery surrounding a young student's death. Sign me up! The only thing I did not pick up on was that there would be a ghost involved (one of my immediate turn offs). Kudos to the author, because despite my intense dislike of books containing ghosts, I wanted to keep reading this one regardless. Yes, the other parts of the book are that good! I loved the way the characters were drawn, the good ones and the bad. The setting was just creepy enough so you could read it without being terrorized, and I loved the references to places that actually existed from my past. The mystery was well written, and its outcome, with a few details that were a bit too convenient, was satisfactory. I particularly appreciated that the writing took you where you needed to go without a lot of unnecessary fluff thrown in. Was the ghost necessary? I'm sure many would say it was an integral part of the plot, and added that much more to the story. The jury is out for me, so I'm going to let you read it and decide 🙂

While I personally could have done without the ghost parts (for which I did remove a star), this is a great book that will keep you turning pages, not only to discover the who-dunnit, but to find out how all the characters lives turn out.

2

Published on 2 Comments on The Flight Attendant
The Flight Attendant Book Cover The Flight Attendant
Chris Bohjalian
Fiction
Doubleday
March 13. 2018
Advanced Reader Copy
368
Free from publisher

Cassandra Bowden is no stranger to hungover mornings. She's a binge drinker, her job with the airline making it easy to find adventure, and the occasional blackouts seem to be inevitable. She lives with them, and the accompanying self-loathing. When she awakes in a Dubai hotel room, she tries to piece the previous night back together, already counting the minutes until she has to catch her crew shuttle to the airport. She quietly slides out of bed, careful not to aggravate her already pounding head, and looks at the man she spent the night with. She sees his dark hair. His utter stillness. And blood, a slick, still wet pool on the crisp white sheets. Afraid to call the police--she's a single woman alone in a hotel room far from home--Cassie begins to lie. She lies as she joins the other flight attendants and pilots in the van. She lies on the way to Paris as she works the first class cabin. She lies to the FBI agents in New York who meet her at the gate. Soon it's too late to come clean-or face the truth about what really happened back in Dubai. Could she have killed him? If not, who did?

My review:

3.5 stars

Make no mistake, Chris Bohjalian can tell a tale! The writing in this book was superb, and I can highly recommend this book on that alone. If you are interested in, or saavy about espionage and Russian spying, you will love the details and intense mystery surrounding the death of an American hedge fund manager found in a hotel room in Dubai. The suspect is not who you would think, but is a flight attendant, who literally ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or does she? There are a lot of moving parts to this one, and a lot of characters to keep track of. If you are used to reading these kinds of thrillers, you will lap it up, unfortunately I felt completely lost by the end and couldn't figure out who was working for whom. And while I had some sympathy for the main protagonist, I wasn't really her fan, although I certainly wanted to see how everything was going to play out. Too bad I didn't really get it when I found out. While this may not have been my favorite by this author, I will never stop reading his works. He is an author who always comes up with stories that are timely, fresh, and masterfully crafted.

Fans of spy thrillers will love this one. Everyone else should read it for the writing and the wonderful way Bohjalian can tell a story!

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Published on 1 Comment on Promise
Promise Book Cover Promise
Minrose Gwin
Fiction
William Morrow
February 27, 2018
Hardcover
400
Free from publisher

In the aftermath of a devastating tornado that rips through the town of Tupelo, Mississippi, at the height of the Great Depression, two women worlds apart—one black, one white; one a great-grandmother, the other a teenager—fight for their families’ survival in this lyrical and powerful novel.

A few minutes after 9 p.m. on Palm Sunday, April 5, 1936, a massive funnel cloud flashing a giant fireball and roaring like a runaway train careened into the thriving cotton-mill town of Tupelo, Mississippi, killing more than 200 people, not counting an unknown number of black citizens, one-third of Tupelo’s population, who were not included in the official casualty figures. When the tornado hits, Dovey, a local laundress, is flung by the terrifying winds into a nearby lake. Bruised and nearly drowned, she makes her way across Tupelo to find her small family—her hardworking husband, Virgil, her clever sixteen-year-old granddaughter, Dreama, and Promise, Dreama’s beautiful light-skinned three-month-old son. Slowly navigating the broken streets of Tupelo, Dovey stops at the house of the despised McNabb family. Inside, she discovers that the tornado has spared no one, including Jo, the McNabbs’ dutiful teenage daughter, who has suffered a terrible head wound. When Jo later discovers a baby in the wreckage, she is certain that she’s found her baby brother, Tommy, and vows to protect him. During the harrowing hours and days of the chaos that follows, Jo and Dovey will struggle to navigate a landscape of disaster and to battle both the demons and the history that link and haunt them. Drawing on historical events, Minrose Gwin beautifully imagines natural and human destruction in the deep South of the 1930s through the experiences of two remarkable women whose lives are indelibly connected by forces beyond their control. A story of loss, hope, despair, grit, courage, and race, Promise reminds us of the transformative power and promise that come from confronting our most troubled relations with one another.

My review:

What a beautifully written novel! The setting, characters and plot were so well constructed that I could have continued on with this story for many more pages (and years). We follow the stories of two main protagonists after a devastating tornado hits their Mississippi town in 1936.  A young white girl brought up in a house of privilege, and a black woman who takes in their laundry each week. The story is told in alternating chapters as they navigate what is left in their community and family. The descriptions of the ravaging effects of the tornado were gripping, and yet hope abounds that these characters will find the strength to go on make a better life for themselves. Despite the sad premise, and the no-holds barred details of death and destruction, I found myself unable to put this novel down. The exquisite way the author wrote this gave a hope and promise for those who survive.

A gorgeous exploration of love, loss, race, hope and promise in the midst of tragedy, from two of the best narrators I've seen in awhile. I highly recommend this one!