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Published on Leave a comment on The Night Swim
The Night Swim Book Cover The Night Swim
Megan Goldin
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
August 4, 2020
Hardcover
352
Purchased

After the first season of her true crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall is now a household name―and the last hope for thousands of people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating, but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered, and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody seems to want to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?

My review:

The biggest question I asked myself when I finished this novel was what took me so long to pick it up? Despite seeing rave reviews, I was skeptical. First, while I really enjoy thrillers, they usually are fun while I'm reading, but nothing stands out to make it a favorite. Second, this one deals with a true crime podcaster, neither of which (podcasts or true crime) are my thing. After consuming this book, I can see why it was a hit with readers. I was completely immersed in both parts of the story (the rape trial of the town's golden boy, and the supposed drowning death of Jenny twenty five years prior). The podcast portion is from the current rape trial, and the congruent story is of our main protagonist who decides to help a girl find out what really happened to her sister. It was fast moving, engaging, well characterized, and one part of the ending I never saw coming! I've read both other books by this author, and they definitely fall into my 'great fun while I'm reading' category, but in my opinion, this one was definitely the best.

A propulsive novel with small town vibes (where everybody knows everything, but won't say), this is a thriller not to be missed.

Published on Leave a comment on Someone Else’s Shoes
Someone Else's Shoes Book Cover Someone Else's Shoes
Jojo Moyes
Fiction
Pamela Dorman Books
February 7, 2023
Hardcover
449
Purchased

Who are you when you are forced to walk in someone else’s shoes?

Nisha Cantor lives the globetrotting life of the seriously wealthy, until her husband announces a divorce and cuts her off. Nisha is determined to hang onto her glamorous life. But in the meantime, she must scramble to cope--she doesn’t even have the shoes she was, until a moment ago, standing in.

That’s because Sam Kemp – in the bleakest point of her life – has accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag. But Sam hardly has time to worry about a lost gym bag--she’s struggling to keep herself and her family afloat. When she tries on Nisha’s six-inch high Christian Louboutin red crocodile shoes, the resulting jolt of confidence makes her realize something must change—and that thing is herself.

My review:

I really enjoy this author's writing style. It's not something that is going to win any literary awards, but I like the flow and cadence, and always feel fully invested in the plot and characters. While I would put this book in the contemporary fiction genre, she has also done a great job with historical and romance titles. Her characters are always relatable, and the books have multiple combinations of poignant moments. This particular book is something that has certainly been plotted in other books, but it is essentially how one small thing can set off a string of events leading to the betterment of those involved. Nisha is an uppity self serving woman whose husband has just cut off her funding. Sam is a woman struggling to make something of her life. When Sam mistakenly picks up the wrong bag (Nisha's) at the gym, things take off from there. Both woman grow as the book progresses, and both are left feeling much better about themselves in the process. There is a bit of a mystery surrounding the Louboutin shoes that adds to the plot. I found myself really intrigued and genuinely interested in how things would all pan out.

I think if you are a fan of this author's previous works, you will enjoy this one. It's the same style we've come to enjoy. Me Before You will always remain her number 1 for me (I still think it holds the title of book that made you cry the most), but I really liked this one for the growth of the characters.

Published on Leave a comment on All the Broken Places
All the Broken Places Book Cover All the Broken Places
John Boyne
Fiction
Pamela Dorman Books
November 29, 2022
Hardcover/Audio
400
Purchased

Ninety-one-year-old Gretel Fernsby has lived in the same well-to-do mansion block in London for decades. She lives a quiet, comfortable life, despite her deeply disturbing, dark past. She doesn't talk about her escape from Nazi Germany at age 12. She doesn't talk about the grim post-war years in France with her mother. Most of all, she doesn't talk about her father, who was the commandant of one of the Reich's most notorious extermination camps. Then, a new family moves into the apartment below her. In spite of herself, Gretel can't help but begin a friendship with the little boy, Henry, though his presence brings back memories she would rather forget. One night, she witnesses a disturbing, violent argument between Henry's beautiful mother and his arrogant father, one that threatens Gretel's hard-won, self-contained existence. All The Broken Places moves back and forth in time between Gretel's girlhood in Germany to present-day London as a woman whose life has been haunted by the past. Now, Gretel faces a similar crossroads to one she encountered long ago. Back then, she denied her own complicity, but now, faced with a chance to interrogate her guilt, grief and remorse, she can choose to save a young boy. If she does, she will be forced to reveal the secrets she has spent a lifetime protecting. This time, she can make a different choice than before -- whatever the cost to herself....

My review:

If you haven't read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, I highly recommend it (but have tissues ready for the ending!). This book looks at the life of Bruno's sister in the years directly following her escape from Germany, and when she is in her old age living in an apartment building in London. There she meets a young boy who she is befriended by. I loved both the past and present timelines in this book (not often the case with me when it comes to historical fiction). Gretel is written in such a way that you cannot help but fall in love with her and want to give her teenage self a hug. She is carrying enormous guilt over her past life. How much of that is she really responsible for is one of the moral dilemma's the reader must ponder. The other is how involved should she get when her young friend may be in danger from his family? Past and present collide when Gretel decides to take a stand to help her rectify past mistakes. I was completely captivated by this novel, as I am with pretty much anything this author produces. The writing is exquisite, without being overly wordy, and his characters are so well brought to life. I couldn't get enough of Gretel's story, and went through a whole range of emotions with her.

Another absolutely breathtaking read from one of the finest authors of this generation (in my opinion). This man can pen a story, and I highly recommend you read any of his works if you haven't already!

Published on Leave a comment on The Lost Ticket
The Lost Ticket Book Cover The Lost Ticket
Freya Sampson
Fiction
Penguin
August 30, 2022
Paperback
369
Purchased

When Libby Nicholls arrives in London, brokenhearted and with her life in tatters, the first person she meets on the bus is elderly Frank. He tells her about the time in 1962 that he met a girl on the number 88 bus with beautiful red hair just like hers. They made plans for a date at the National Gallery art museum, but Frank lost the bus ticket with her number on it. For the past sixty years, he’s ridden the same bus trying to find her, but with no luck.

Libby is inspired to action and, with the help of an unlikely companion, she papers the bus route with posters advertising their search. Libby begins to open her guarded heart to new friendships and a budding romance, as her tightly controlled world expands. But with Frank’s dementia progressing quickly, their chance of finding the girl on the 88 bus is slipping away.

More than anything, Libby wants Frank to see his lost love one more time. But their quest also shows Libby just how important it is to embrace her own chances for happiness—before it’s too late—in a beautifully uplifting novel about how a shared common experience among strangers can transform lives in the most marvelous ways.

My review:

I am very picky about my romance books. They have to have substance to them, preferably topics more important than the romance part. This one fit the bill nicely, and it certainly didn't hurt that one of the main protagonists was a little old man (a definite buzz word for me). Talk about a romance, this man has been riding a London bus for sixty years to find the girl who got away. Enter into the picture two unlikely heroes who try to help Frank find his long lost girl, who also may develop feelings for each other along the way (sort of a subset romance which fits my description above). I just loved all the characters in this one! The idea for the plot was a brilliant one, and of course I love books set in London (I listened to this one, and give me a narrator with an English accent any day!). Without giving anything away, I was also super impressed with the ending. Everything was not done up in a nice bow as is often the case with romances I'm not as enamored with.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a clever plot, great characters (did I mention the little old man?), and just such a sweet story of strangers helping strangers. This one was such a breath of fresh air!

Published on Leave a comment on The House of Eve
The House of Eve Book Cover The House of Eve
Sadeqa Johnson
Fiction
Simon & Schuster
February 7, 2023
Advance Reader Copy
384
Free from publisher

1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, in spite of having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising a daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his par­ents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done. With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives.

My review:

This author is adept at taking a piece of history and framing a novel around it. I very much enjoyed her look at slavery in The Yellow Wife, and this book takes on the institutions (let's call it like it was) that existed for wayward girls faced with pregnancy back in the mid 20th century. The book is told from two women's perspectives. Both Ruby and Eleanor are young black women looking to better themselves through education when unplanned pregnancies leave both in a bind. The aftermath for each woman turns out very differently, but the thread of motherhood runs deep within the plot. The eye opening look at the homes that young girls go to while waiting out their pregnancies shines a grave light on the adoption policies of the 1940's and 50's. Also highlighted is the taboo around adoption itself, and why so many people of my generation grow up never knowing they have been adopted! The pacing in this novel is well done, and the characters very well portrayed. My one tiny complaint would be that I never really connected with either character (particularly Eleanor, who was whiny at times). You suspect fairly early on how Ruby and Eleanor's stories will intersect, but you would only be partly right. The ending was very satisfying (although pretty implausible), and I would love to see a sequel.

This is a well written book exploring not only the theme of motherhood, but also race, class, and education. I'm excited to see what this author tackles next!

Published on Leave a comment on Meredith, Alone
Meredith, Alone Book Cover Meredith, Alone
Claire Alexander
Grand Central Publishing
November 1, 2022
Hardcover
368
Purchased

Meredith Maggs hasn't left her house in 1,214 days. But she insists she isn't alone. She has a full-time remote job and her rescue cat Fred. Her best friend Sadie visits with her two children. There's her online support group, her jigsaw puzzles and favorite recipes, her beloved Emily Dickinson, the internet, the grocery delivery man. Also keeping her company are treacherous memories of an unstable childhood, the estrangement from her sister, and a traumatic event that had sent her reeling. But something's about to change. Whether Meredith likes it or not, the world is coming to her door. Does she have the courage to overcome what's been keeping her inside all this time?

My review:

When a download of this audiobook was given to me I decided to take a chance, even though I hadn't read too much about it. I'm so glad that I did since this ended up being my last 5 star read of 2022! All I could think while reading was that it reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant, also a book that I loved. I think the other thing that bonded me to Meredith was that she really didn't mind not having left her home in almost three years. I was literally that person during the pandemic! Just to be clear, this book is not set during the pandemic (some people still don't want to read books set in that time), but as the book plays out the reader sees just what has caused Meredith to want to remain in her home. I loved how the main character was so normal in her everyday pursuits, and how the author starts slowly peeling back her past so we see a completer picture of the character. The supporting characters were all wonderful, and kudos to the author for not giving me the schmaltzy romance ending that I feared was coming.

I loved the character of Meredith, and the supporting cast who are there for her no matter whether she socializes with them outside of her home. A great representation of a different form of mental health that we don't often read about. I would love to hear about Meredith's life after the book ends, and that's when you know a character will stay with you.

2

Published on 2 Comments on The Marriage Portrait
The Marriage Portrait Book Cover The Marriage Portrait
Maggie O'Farrell
Fiction
Knopf
September 6, 2022
Hardcover
355
Purchased

Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf. Having barely left girlhood behind, Lucrezia must now enter an unfamiliar court whose customs are opaque and where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her new husband himself, Alfonso. Is he the playful sophisticate he appeared to be before their wedding, the aesthete happiest in the company of artists and musicians, or the ruthless politician before whom even his formidable sisters seem to tremble? As Lucrezia sits in constricting finery for a painting intended to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court’s eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferranese dynasty. Until then, for all of her rank and nobility, the new duchess’s future hangs entirely in the balance.

My review:

She got me again!! I went into this novel almost completely blind save for the fact that I loved Hamnet, her previous novel. I am not one to enjoy novels set before the 20th century, that is until Maggie O'Farrell came along. The novel starts with a historical note:

In 1560, fifteen-year-old Lucrezia di Cosimo de’ Medici left Florence to begin her married life with Alfonso II d’Este Duke of Ferrara.
Less then a year later, she would be dead.
The official cause of death was given as ‘putrid fever’, but it was rummoured that she had been murdered by her husband.

Wait.....WHAT? The novel follows Lucrezia, a spitfire of a girl who loves nothing more than painting and is not thrilled with the idea of having to take her sister's place in marriage. You can't help but fall in love with Lucrezia, while at the same time dread her fate. The writing is absolutely exquisite (as was the case with Hamnet), and I loved the glimpses we get into the arduous task of creating those Renaissance paintings we revere. We get to see it not only from how the artists create the work, but the hours of sitting for the portrait. After reading this book, you will understand why the women are never smiling in most of those paintings, ugh...what a life they had! You will root for Lucrezia, who surmises her fate and tries to figure a way out. The ending is superb, no more can be said (if you know, you know).

I highly recommend this historical fiction, and coming from someone who is fairly picky about this genre, that's high praise. It's almost like a historical thriller as we draw near to Lucrezia's fate!

Published on Leave a comment on Spare
Spare Book Cover Spare
Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
Biography & Autobiography
Random House
January 10, 2023
Hardcover/Audio
410
Purchased

It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last.

Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.

At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn’t find true love.

Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple’s cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . .

For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

My review:

First and foremost, if you have no intention of reading this book, please scroll on by! I'm involved in several on-line book communities, and it has been SO tiresome when people just want to discuss the book, and people chime in and announce they have no intention of reading such crap (you don't throw your family under the bus, they are just looking for attention, Meghan must have put him up to it, blah blah blah!!). If you don't want to read it.......great, have at the millions of other choices there are out there, but let those of us who actually have read it, be able to discuss it. Sorry for the rant, but the vitriol out there has been unmerciful!

Now, if you've gotten this far, let's discuss and I'll give my thoughts. For those in the camp of why did he write this book, it is explained within the first few pages in the introduction. He basically is telling his story leading up to why he felt it was necessary to leave England (in a nutshell, he was protecting his family from what happened to his mother). The book starts off around the time of his mother's death, and I was moved to tears by his account of this time in his life. It definitely effected his entire life from that moment on. He then recounts his boarding school years (the only part I found kind of dull) and his years in the military. I was really surprised at how much of his time was spent in real danger, as opposed to his brother (who as the heir didn't do any combat). He doesn't hold back in discussing his drinking and drug use after the war (PTSD likely), and I felt he didn't make any excuses for the things he actually did. The major part of his narrative is surrounding all of the things reported by the media that he didn't do. I honestly thought he didn't throw as many people under the bus as he could have. He includes code names for the members of the monarchy staff who actually gave the press false information about him (and later Meghan) to make sure other family members were seen in a more positive light by the people. The person(s) who come off the worst are probably my least favorite of the Royals anyway, so I can't say I was surprised. I found the book to be compelling, honest, and am hopeful that by telling his truth it will help him heal from all that has been done to him by the press.

For a final side note, I listened to this book on audio, and would highly suggest that format (if you are an audiobook listener) as Harry narrates it himself. At the end of the audiobook, it tells the children's charities that proceeds from the book will be going to (take that, all you "he's only doing this for the money" people!).

I've never had any issues with Harry, and after reading this book, I still don't. I was happy to experience his side of the story, and hope the press (and all the mean people) can let him live his life with his family.

Published on Leave a comment on Just the Nicest Couple
Just the Nicest Couple Book Cover Just the Nicest Couple
Mary Kubica
Park Row Books
January 10, 2023
Advance reader copy
320
Free from publisher

Two couples, two close friends, one missing husband… Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found. Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.

My review:

I've read almost, if not all, of this author's works. You can always count on her for a solid thriller that will keep you engaged throughout. I say that last part because I think some thrillers rely too much on that final twist. I'm a reader that no matter how good the twist is, I need to be interested in the entire book, not just the last part. And if you can throw in some smaller hooks along the way, that makes it even better. This book did a nice job of keeping you guessing as we follow the wife of the man that is missing, and the husband of her friend (and possibly the last to see him alive). The characters are well fleshed out, although none of them are particularly likeable. I did think that Lilly was a bit wishy washy and could have maybe had a bit more of a backbone, but that's the girl power in me coming out 🙂 I liked the back and forth perspectives from the two characters and the fast flow to the story. While I had a couple glimpses of potential twists, I can't say that I really figured it out (no surprise there, I'm not very good at these things!).

A well written thriller that keeps you on your toes throughout. I don't think any of Kubica's books will ever top The Good Girl for me, but this one is definitely worth the read.

Published on Leave a comment on Best Books of 2022

At the end of each calendar year I like to look back at my reading. It's fun to see how it changes year to year in regards to amount read, content, and ratings. My overall total for 2022 was 290 books, with most of those consumed via audiobook. My overall rating slipped this year coming in at 3.3. While this was a bit disappointing, given the way I rate books, that means it falls slightly higher than good (which is a 3 star read for me), so that's fine (every book can't be stellar and still be enjoyable in the moment). These 10 books were my 5 star reads for the year. To receive a 5 star means not only was it a great read, but it is one that I will think about for years to come! Without further ado, here they are:

I typically only rank my top 5, but all of these are excellent reads. I always find it hard to pick my favorites, but here goes.

#5 Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus........I loved the protagonist in this one and the way she found a way to educate through cooking. I will think about her for a long time to come as the epitome of girl power in the era I grew up in.

#4 Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.........Who would have thought I would fall in love with an octopus, but Marcellus was one of the best (and most unique!) storytellers of all time. I loved that the other protagonist was an older woman, although her storyline did end up a bit predictable.

#3 The Appeal by Janice Hallett...........What a unique premise, and I loved it! We follow along as two students try to crack a years old murder case. We as readers go through the evidence in the case (emails, texts, newspaper articles, letters, etc.) as though we were on the case. Can you solve it? So fun!

#2 Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng...........A scary and thought provoking look at how our country could end up if the wrong people come to power! Brilliant writing and wonderful characters nearly gave this the top spot.

And my favorite book of 2022 (drum roll):

#1 The Measure by Nikki Erlick..........I was hooked from the very beginning thinking about what I would do if put in this situation, and then I was hooked on seeing what was to happen to the ten people we follow through the book. So many issues brought up in this one that I couldn't put it down! While the writing was not as on par with that of my #2 book, I just couldn't ignore the uniqueness of the plot!

Looking at this list, I think what stands out to me the most is that my top picks all had something that made them different than the average story. Maybe because of how many books I consume, this is something that appeals more to me now? Only time will tell.

If you've made it through this far, I hope some of these books will interest you, or have you already read them? What were some of your favorites of the year? Now onto 2023!