OnDBookshelf

Title: The Gates of Evangeline
Author: Hester Young
Published: September 1, 2015 by G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 416
Source: Publisher via She Reads book club
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

When New York journalist and recently bereaved mother Charlotte “Charlie” Cates begins to experience vivid dreams about children she’s sure that she’s lost her mind. Yet these are not the nightmares of a grieving parent, she soon realizes. They are messages and warnings that will help Charlie and the children she sees, if only she can make sense of them.

After a little boy in a boat appears in Charlie’s dreams asking for her help, Charlie finds herself entangled in a thirty-year-old missing-child case that has never ceased to haunt Louisiana’s prestigious Deveau family. Armed with an invitation to Evangeline, the family’s sprawling estate, Charlie heads south, where new friendships and an unlikely romance bring healing. But as she uncovers long-buried secrets of love, money, betrayal, and murder, the facts begin to implicate those she most wants to trust—and her visions reveal an evil closer than she could’ve imagined.

My review:

Color me surprised that I liked this book! This book is my example of how the book blogging world has opened my eyes to appreciate books that I never would have picked up before. This book is considered to be a "gothic mystery", and when I read that there were paranormal visions involved, I filed it under "not my type of book". Then I started reading reviews from bloggers who I trusted, who had led me to lots of great reads, and then this book was picked as one of the She Reads blog network books of winter. Ok, I caved and picked it up. And just like Mikey (in the Life cereal commercials of old), I liked it, I really liked it! It's filled with a little bit of everything. There are the dream visions that the main character sees (truth be told, I still didn't like this part, but I understand how it fits into the story, and it wasn't a huge part of the book, so I'm letting it go). There was a wonderful old Southern manor, and the whole southern culture of the elite and old established families. There was the mystery of what happened to the Deveau baby thirty years ago. There was the great family interactions, especially those with the dying matriarch. There was romance, although that was tempered with deep distrust, which made it all the more interesting. Dead bodies, cover-ups, a mother grieving for her dead son, family secrets, police work, all come together to build a page turner of a novel. The writing was superb, there are plot twists and turns along the way, and best of all this is the first in a trilogy (which I did not know until doing a bit more research about the book).

If you are like me, this will not necessarily be something you would pick up without a recommendation. Consider this your recommendation, I'm looking forward to seeing what Ms. Young comes up with next.

 

Title: The Secret Wisdom of the Earth
Author: Christopher Scotton
Published: January 5, 2016 by Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 496
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

After seeing the death of his younger brother in a terrible home accident, fourteen-year-old Kevin and his grieving mother are sent for the summer to live with Kevin's grandfather. In this peeled-paint coal town deep in Appalachia, Kevin quickly falls in with a half-wild hollow kid named Buzzy Fink who schools him in the mysteries and magnificence of the woods. The events of this fateful summer will affect the entire town of Medgar, Kentucky.

Medgar is beset by a massive mountaintop removal operation that is blowing up the hills and back filling the hollows. Kevin's grandfather and others in town attempt to rally the citizens against the "company" and its powerful owner to stop the plunder of their mountain heritage. When Buzzy witnesses a brutal hate crime, a sequence is set in play that tests Buzzy and Kevin to their absolute limits in an epic struggle for survival in the Kentucky mountains.

Redemptive and emotionally resonant, THE SECRET WISDOM OF THE EARTH is narrated by an adult Kevin looking back on the summer when he sloughed the coverings of a boy and took his first faltering steps as a man. His story is one with a rich cast of characters and an ambitious effort to reclaim a once great community.

My review:

When I first started reading this book, I knew that it was likely going to be a 5 star review from me. The writing was exquisite, the characters were wonderful, the story sucked me in, and I was crying before I'd reached the halfway point! Unfortunately, while the writing remained stellar, shortly after the middle, it took a turn for the worse. Pops, Kevin, and Buzzy take off for a two week trek to an old camp up in the mountains. It turns into a huge adventure story that lasts almost until the end of the book, and despite the writing, I was bored stiff. I should note that adventure stories are not my thing, because I don't want to keep anyone who enjoys them from reading this book. It really was lovely, but I just can't give it a higher rating because of having to slog through 100+ pages of an adventure that seemed almost unbelievable at times. I very much enjoyed the sub plots about the hate crime that occurs in the town, and the fight to stop mountaintop removal. These were both very informative of that time, and very well done.

If you don't mind adventure stories, please pick this one up, I'm sure you will love it. For the rest of you, once they take off for the mountains, I would suggest skimming through this part. Your read will be all the better for it.

 

Title: What Was Mine
Author: Helen Klein Ross
Published: January 5, 2016 by Gallery Books
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher (via She Reads blog network)
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

Lucy Wakefield is a seemingly ordinary woman who does something extraordinary in a desperate moment: she takes a baby girl from a shopping cart and raises her as her own. It’s a secret she manages to keep for over two decades—from her daughter, the babysitter who helped raise her, family, coworkers, and friends.

When Lucy’s now-grown daughter Mia discovers the devastating truth of her origins, she is overwhelmed by confusion and anger and determines not to speak again to the mother who raised her. She reaches out to her birth mother for a tearful reunion, and Lucy is forced to flee to China to avoid prosecution. What follows is a ripple effect that alters the lives of many and challenges our understanding of the very meaning of motherhood.

Author Helen Klein Ross, whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, weaves a powerful story of upheaval and resilience told from the alternating perspectives of Lucy, Mia, Mia’s birth mother, and others intimately involved in the kidnapping. What Was Mine is a compelling tale of motherhood and loss, of grief and hope, and the life-shattering effects of a single, irrevocable moment.

My review:

This is a tough one for me to review because while this book had some very positive things going for it, it never really grabbed me. I should disclose that I am an adoptive mother (the legal way), so I'm not sure if that has bearing on my take or not. First the positives.....I loved the idea behind this book. Who cannot imagine the horror of discovering your child was missing, while at the same time starting to understand the motive of the abductor? This reminded me of a Jodi Picoult novel in that it was told in different perspectives, and you grew to understand the various character's motivations. I also enjoyed the teenage character of Mia, I thought she was well portrayed, and her reactions were spot on. It's a very quick read, and one that you definitely want to get to the end to find out what happens. What I didn't enjoy was the two mothers. I didn't like either of them! I felt that they both tended to let their work get in the way of parenting. The biological mother becomes kind of a kook in the end (which may, but probably wasn't just because of her trauma), and the adoptive mom freaks out when the truth comes out (well, duh). Also, while I liked the differing perspectives, it felt a bit too much like a police record of the account. A lot was a retelling of the past, which may have had something to do with it. In other words, I liked this book, but I didn't love it.

Bottom line, this book is getting rave reviews from many sources, so I think it may have just been me that couldn't entirely warm up to the story. It's definitely worth a look, don't take my word for it.

This book is one of the She Reads blog network books of winter selections. Click the link to find out more.

Title: The Sound of Glass
Author: Karen White
Published: May 12, 2015 by NAL
Pages: 432
Source: Own copy
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

It has been two years since the death of Merritt Heyward’s husband, Cal, when she receives unexpected news—Cal’s family home in Beaufort, South Carolina, bequeathed by Cal’s reclusive grandmother, now belongs to Merritt.

Charting the course of an uncertain life—and feeling guilt from her husband’s tragic death—Merritt travels from her home in Maine to Beaufort, where the secrets of Cal’s unspoken-of past reside among the pluff mud and jasmine of the ancestral Heyward home on the Bluff. This unknown legacy, now Merritt’s, will change and define her as she navigates her new life—a new life complicated by the arrival of her too young stepmother and ten-year-old half-brother.

Soon, in this house of strangers, Merritt is forced into unraveling the Heyward family past as she faces her own fears and finds the healing she needs in the salt air of the Low Country.

My review:

I recently listened to another Karen White book on audio, and while I did enjoy it, I found this one to be so much more substantial! White is a wonderful storyteller, who creates visions in her books that you feel that you could just step into. You are absorbed into the story and carried along with the characters. This book was not all southern sweetness though. It starts with a horrific plane crash that one character spends a lifetime reliving. It also speaks to the issue of domestic violence, in this case the type that is handed down from generation to generation. Along with what you are probably thinking is all doom and gloom, there are many bright spots of beauty within the pages. From the beautiful wind chimes and the amazingly real dioramas created by the matriarch of Heyward house, to the life prophecies and advice in her Journal of Truths written by Merritt's stepmother. There were many great characters in this book, one of my favorites being Merritt's ten year old stepbrother. There is a mystery mired within the pages, which was fulfilling once it was revealed, but lordy it took forever to get to 🙂 I especially liked that while there was romance, it was not a focus of the book.

A truly good read, with a great emphasis on domestic violence, and an overall theme of forgiveness.

Title: The Edge of Lost
Author: Kristina McMorris
Published: November 24, 2015 by Kensington
Pages: 340
Source: Publisher via SheReads blog network
Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads

On a cold night in October 1937, searchlights cut through the darkness around Alcatraz. A prison guard’s only daughter—one of the youngest civilians who lives on the island—has gone missing. Tending the warden’s greenhouse, convicted bank robber Tommy Capello waits anxiously. Only he knows the truth about the little girl’s whereabouts, and that both of their lives depend on the search’s outcome.

Almost two decades earlier and thousands of miles away, a young boy named Shanley Keagan ekes out a living as an aspiring vaudevillian in Dublin pubs. Talented and shrewd, Shan dreams of shedding his dingy existence and finding his real father in America. The chance finally comes to cross the Atlantic, but when tragedy strikes, Shan must summon all his ingenuity to forge a new life in a volatile and foreign world.

Skillfully weaving these two stories, Kristina McMorris delivers a compelling novel that moves from Ireland to New York to San Francisco Bay. As her finely crafted characters discover the true nature of loyalty, sacrifice, and betrayal, they are forced to confront the lies we tell—and believe—in order to survive.

My review:

What a wonderful read! At the very beginning we get a snippet of information from 1937 Alcatraz. Then the story jumps back many years and we follow the life of Shanley Keagan first in Dublin, then in America. It's obvious early on how the two stories will likely intersect, but it's how they come together that gives such a wonderful, completely immersible story. I loved Shan, and he was such a great character to root for. There were secondary characters that were also well drawn, some are likable, some not. The last third of the book is completely an edge of your seat, can't turn the pages fast enough, read. The only thing that niggled at me just a bit was at the end when a person from the past reappears in a slightly unbelievable way, but it by no means dampened my enthusiasm for this book! The main theme I got from this book was that sometimes good people get caught up in bad situations, and second chances are a necessary option.

I highly recommend this book, but be sure you have a good chunk of time laid out to read it, because you won't want to put this compelling story down.

This book is one of the Winter selections for the She Reads blog network. Click on the images in my sidebar to learn more about them.

Title: The Other Daughter
Author: Lauren Willig
Published: July 21, 2015 by St. Martin's Press
Pages: 304
Source: Own copy
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

Raised in a poor yet genteel household, Rachel Woodley is working in France as a governess when she receives news that her mother has died, suddenly. Grief-stricken, she returns to the small town in England where she was raised to clear out the cottage...and finds a cutting from a London society magazine, with a photograph of her supposedly deceased father dated all of three month before. He's an earl, respected and influential, and he is standing with another daughter-his legitimate daughter. Which makes Rachel...not legitimate. Everything she thought she knew about herself and her past-even her very name-is a lie.

Still reeling from the death of her mother, and furious at this betrayal, Rachel sets herself up in London under a new identity. There she insinuates herself into the party-going crowd of Bright Young Things, with a steely determination to unveil her father's perfidy and bring his-and her half-sister's-charmed world crashing down. Very soon, however, Rachel faces two unexpected snags: she finds she genuinely likes her half-sister, Olivia, whose situation isn't as simple it appears; and she might just be falling for her sister's fiancé...

My review:

I was attracted to this book because of the plot. Finding out your father is really not dead and is an earl with another daughter......oooh, I'm totally on board with how this one plays out. While I can't say that it's one of my favorite historical fiction novels, I did generally enjoy the story. The author had a great grasp for the historical elements of the roaring twenties, and her descriptions of the parties, clothing, and jazz era were spot on. I enjoyed the plotting of Rachel to uncover her father, especially her response once she meets him. I liked the development of the legitimate daughter Olivia, and the growing relationship between the two "sisters". Simon was another great character who probably could have been even more developed. I wish that some of the other minor characters had been a bit more fleshed out, they were kind of dropped into the story, but then never resolved before they dropped back out, particularly Cece. There was romance in the book, but it was not so significant as to take over, which I was grateful for. The story stood well enough on its own without having to add romance into it.

Overall a great story with an interesting plot. You will particularly like it if you enjoy that time period.

Title: Tiny Little Thing
Author: Beatriz Williams
Published: June 23, 2015 by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 368
Source: Purchased by me
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads

In the summer of 1966, Christina Hardcastle—“Tiny” to her illustrious family—stands on the brink of a breathtaking future. Of the three Schuyler sisters, she’s the one raised to marry a man destined for leadership, and with her elegance and impeccable style, she presents a perfect camera-ready image in the dawning age of television politics. Together she and her husband, Frank, make the ultimate power couple: intelligent, rich, and impossibly attractive. It seems nothing can stop Frank from rising to national office, and he’s got his sights set on a senate seat in November.

But as the season gets underway at the family estate on Cape Cod, three unwelcome visitors appear in Tiny’s perfect life: her volatile sister Pepper, an envelope containing incriminating photograph, and the intimidating figure of Frank’s cousin Vietnam-war hero Caspian, who knows more about Tiny’s rich inner life than anyone else. As she struggles to maintain the glossy façade on which the Hardcastle family’s ambitions are built, Tiny begins to suspect that Frank is hiding a reckless entanglement of his own…one that may unravel both her own ordered life and her husband’s promising career.

My review:

Let me start this review by admitting that I have mad love for Ms. Williams writing. I believe I stated in a previous review of her work that I would read the phone book if she re-wrote it 🙂 This book is the second in the trilogy of the Schuyler sisters (it is not necessary to read them all, each book stands on its own). This one is my favorite of the three (my review of Violet Grant is here, and Along the Infinite Sea will be reviewed soon). The other books are broken into two alternating stories (which are related over time), one in more present day and one historical. This one has two stories that are intertwined, but take place over a period of two years in the 1960's. I enjoyed the historical stories more than the present day in the other books, but in this one I was fascinated with Tiny's story of trying to be everything her mother wanted her to be. Tiny's husband is a rising political star and they are considered to be the "power couple" of their time. Of course there are secrets revealed that had me turning pages as fast as I could! I absolutely adored the time period for this book, Tiny was definitely my favorite Schuyler sister, and wait until you find out her husband's secrets......AHHHH!!

If you have not read Ms. Williams books yet, run to wherever it is that they have books on shelves and read one! You can thank me later 🙂

 

This post is a continuation of my post from yesterday which you can find here. I'm doing short reviews of all the audiobooks I've listened to since Thanksgiving. Let's get started with the rest of the group (listed in order of listening).

Title: Memory Man
Author: David Baldacci, Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy (narrators)
Published: April 21, 2015 by Hachette Audio
Length: 13 hours 17 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a harcover
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

My review:

I admit that this was my first foray into any of Baldacci's books. He was speaking at my local Indie bookstore, so I decided it was time to see what his popularity was all about. While the book was well written, and fast paced, it just wasn't really my kind of book. I'm not a fan of any of those crime shows on tv, and this book would be way more popular amongst those who love the mystery/crime genre. It was engaging enough that I wanted to find out "who dunnit", but I probably won't go out of my way to secure any more books of this type. Narrators were fine, I had no issue with them.

Title: The Lowland
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri, Sunil Malhotra (narrator)
Published: September 24, 2013 by Random House Audio
Length: 13 hours 4 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

It's easy to see why this was nominated and received so many awards. I have had this on my shelf for such a long time, and I'm so glad that the opportunity to listen to it came about. A fabulous story about two brothers and their family. Part takes place in India, and part in the US (Rhode Island). Beautifully written, with gorgeous dialog and descriptions of life in the poorer sections of India where unrest is ever present. The narrator was also part of my love for this book, with a soothing Indian accent that flowed effortlessly and was a joy to listen to. The only thing that caused me to bring it down to four stars is that I felt that it dragged just a bit in some places, and I wasn't as interested in all the revolution talk. Despite these minor qualms, it is well worth the read!

Title: We Are Not Ourselves
Author: Matthew Thomas, Mare Winningham (narrator)
Published: August 19, 2014 by Simon and Schuster Audio
Length: 20 hours 51 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a hardcover
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads

My review:

When a book is almost 21 hours long on audio, it's got to be good to receive the coveted 5 stars (only about 10% or less of my books get this in a given year). This book is not going to be fast paced, it's not going to be highly uplifting, and it's not going to make you laugh. It will make you think about many things....the will to better one's station in life, the effect of early Alzheimer's, the relationship between a son and each of his parents, the day to day struggles of a family. This character based novel is wonderfully crafted! My emotions for each of the family members changed many times throughout the course of the novel. Kudos to Mr. Thomas for all the accolades given to this book! I was thrilled with the narrator, I loved Mare Winningham back in her acting days (most notably St. Elmo's Fire!).

Title: The Beach Trees
Author: Karen White, Ki Gottberg and Gin Hammond (narrators)
Published: May 24, 2011 by Listen and Live Audio
Length: 15 hours 10 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperpack
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

My review:

Good story, even better setting. Two women, one in present time, and one telling her story from the past. I felt maybe this was a bit long, and I wasn't convinced about Monica's reasons for avoiding her family for so many years. I thought there was going to be more made of a certain romance, and although it was hinted at, I was very happy that this did not become a focus of the book. A solid read, but not one that I will probably remember down the road. Narration was good, I enjoyed the narrator of Aimee more than Julie.

Title: A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty
Author: Joshilyn Jackson, Joshilyn Jackson (narrator)
Published: September 25, 2012 by Grand Central Publishing
Length: 12 hours 25 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperback
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

Wow, what a difference having the author narrate makes! I've met Ms. Jackson, and she is a spitfire, which is exactly what she brings to this great story! Three generations of women in Alabama with a boatload of secrets, the most notable of which rests with the woman who, due to a stroke, can no longer speak. I loved the Southern charm of this book, the characters were wonderful, and it was a delight to listen to. Quirky southern novel is what Jackson does best, and this one is my favorite of hers so far.

Title: If You Were Here
Author: Jen Lancaster, Jamie Heinlein (narrator)
Published: May 3, 2011 by Penguin Audio
Length: 8 hours 28 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

My review:

I loved the premise of this novel, and there were many, many laugh out loud moments while listening. However, the home repair gone wrong did start to get old toward the end of the book, and the ending felt rather flat after all the setup to get there. I love Jen Lancaster, but this is my first foray into her novels that are not based on her life. I could definitely see her humor infused into this, but I think the plot just got a bit carried away. Still a winner if you love home repair shows, and need some side splitting laughs. I had no issues with the narration.

Title: Flame Tree Road
Author: Shona Patel, Neil Shah (narrator)
Published: June 10, 2015 by Harlequin Audio
Length: 10 hours 27 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own paperback
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

Another book about India (see The Lowland above), and this one was just as engaging. I love reading about Indian culture, particularly of interest in this book was what happens to women who are widows. The story starts around a family, but then gravitates more to the elder son Biren. The scene descriptions were wonderful, and there were many heart breaking moments amidst the hope for a better future for the young girls of India. Lovely narration, this is a book not to be missed.

And there you have it, I've clearly been listening up a storm for the past couple months. I've discovered how much more I can read when I can listen while doing mundane tasks around the house 🙂

 

I've been traveling a lot since Thanksgiving, and have listened to a ton of audiobooks that I borrowed from my library's Overdrive service. I picked books that I already had on my tbr, so I'm excited to be able to clear some books off my overflowing shelves! Since I know I will never get around to reviewing each one separately, I'm going to do an abbreviated review here. Links to each book on Goodreads will be provided. So.......here we go (in the order that I listened to each):

Title: Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good
Author: Jan Karon, John McDonough (narrator)
Published: September 2, 2014 by Penguin Audio
Length: 17 hours 23 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

I really enjoyed this continuing story of Father Tim Cavanaugh in the fictional NC town of Mitford. The story flowed well, but was a tad long in places. I loved going back and catching up with all the characters in Mitford, but enough information was given that I think one could read it without reading the previous novels in the series. I loved this narrator, his portrayal of The Turkey Club men's meetings was particularly memorable. Well worth the listen, I'm excited to read the next in the series when my favorite character Dooley will be getting married!

Title: Some Luck
Author: Jane Smiley, Lorelei King (narrator)
Published: October 7, 2014 by Random House Audio
Length: 14 hours 48 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

My review:

Great family saga that is part of a trilogy. This part takes place over the years 1920-1953, each chapter encompasses a year in the lives of the Langdon family. This is not a fast moving story, but a realistic portrayal of a family in the midwest as they navigate life during this time period. I liked it, but it was a bit slow in places. If you like a lot of action or a defined plot, you will not find it in this series. I enjoyed some character stories more than others, but found it left me wanting to continue the series to follow their lives. The narration was good, although there were a lot of characters to voice so many of them did end up sounding the same.

Title: Life After Life
Author: Kate Atkinson, Fenella Woolgar (narrator)
Published: April 2, 2013 by Hachette Audio
Length: 15 hours 34 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

My review:

Absolutely beautiful writing, but this one was hard for me to follow, especially toward the end. This plot is not really in my wheelhouse, but I'm glad that I read it. The writing was wonderful. I think this would make a great bookclub selection as some people may get different aspects of the plot to help people such as me who were a bit confused 🙂 Liked the narration, lovely accent and very soothing voice.

Title: Early Warning
Author: Jane Smiley, Lorelei King (narrator)
Published: April 28, 2015 by Random House Audio
Length: 18 hours 11 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

My review:

The next installment in the Langdon family trilogy. This book takes us from 1953-1986. My thoughts on this book are pretty similar to the first volume. I like some characters more than others, thankfully there is a family tree at the front of the book because as the years go by, the family expands and there are more people to keep track of. I was born in the late 50's so I enjoyed that a lot of this book brought up news events that I remember. At over 18 hours long, this is not a book for the faint of heart. This was narrated by the same person as the first book, so I appreciated that continuity.

Title: Royal Wedding
Author: Meg Cabot, Arielle DeLisle (narrator)
Published: June 2, 2015 by Blackstone Audiobooks
Length: 9 hours 21 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and paperback via publisher at BEA
Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads

My review:

What a delight to read this adult sequel to the young adult series The Princess Diaries. Princess Mia is all grown up and planning a wedding, along with all the other shenanigans that are going on while she leads her country of Genovia. I was completely captivated by this very humorous (without being too silly or slapstick) peek into Mia's days and nights leading up to her marriage to long time beau Michael. This was a royal hit in my book!! Great narration, I was completely on board with this funny tale!

Title: A Spool of Blue Thread
Author: Anne Tyler, Kimberly Farr (narrator)
Published: February 10, 2015 by Random House Audio
Length: 13 hours 23 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own the hardcover
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

Another lovely family saga, this time it's the Witshank family of Baltimore. Beautifully written characters, plenty of family drama, but yet this is not a fast paced novel, it meanders along with lovely writing, and wonderful exploration of the dynamics within a family unit. The book is divided into two major sections, and this was my only fault with it. The second half of the book was the story leading up to the one that we found in the beginning. I'm sure there was a valid reason why the author did this, but the juxtaposition wasn't my favorite, even though both sections were wonderful reads. I had no issues with the narration.

Title: Shopaholic to the Stars
Author: Sophie Kinsella, Clare Corbett (narrator)
Published: October 21, 2014 by Random House Audio
Length: 12 hours 37 minutes
Source: Overdrive (library) and own a paperback copy
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

My review:

Becky Brandon Bloomwood strikes again! I know that there have been a million books in this series, and they all follow the same general pattern, but yet I thoroughly enjoy them.....still. I don't know how Kinsella does it, but she manages to make me laugh out loud at Becky's antics and predicaments she gets herself into. The narrator was fabulous with her English accent (which I could listen to all day!), and I would laugh out loud every time she voiced Minnie. If you like the previous books in this series, you will not be disappointed in Becky's next caper.

 

Not a bad book in the lot! Stay tuned for my next grouping (hopefully) tomorrow 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: The Things We Keep
Author: Sally Hepworth
Published: January 19, 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

Anna Forster, in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease at only thirty-eight years old, knows that her family is doing what they believe to be best when they take her to Rosalind House, an assisted living facility. She also knows there's just one another resident her age, Luke. What she does not expect is the love that blossoms between her and Luke even as she resists her new life at Rosalind House. As her disease steals more and more of her memory, Anna fights to hold on to what she knows, including her relationship with Luke.

When Eve Bennett is suddenly thrust into the role of single mother she finds herself putting her culinary training to use at Rosalind house. When she meets Anna and Luke she is moved by the bond the pair has forged. But when a tragic incident leads Anna's and Luke's families to separate them, Eve finds herself questioning what she is willing to risk to help them.

My review:

I was excited to read this sophomore novel by Ms. Hepworth, her debut The Secrets of Midwives was a favorite of mine last year (review here). This was also a great read. The author knows how to keep the reader engaged and turning pages to find out what happens to her characters. There are two concurrent stories within this book, one being that of Anna (which actually progresses from an earlier time to the present) and Eve. While the focus of the story is on Anna, I have to say that for me, it was Eve (and her adorable daughter Clementine) who stole the book. While the love story between Anna and Luke was sweet and well written, I really never bought into it. I kept feeling that it was more born out of the circumstances that they were in, than any great love story. I also really liked the glimpses we got into the lives of the other residents of the facility, particularly Baldy and his growing connection with little Clem, and Laurie and Clara, whose love story had much greater resonance with me. The first person narrative of Anna amid the progression of her disease was very well depicted, but this novel was not as sad and gloomy as you might expect. There were several moments of happiness, as we followed and cheered for each of the characters to achieve milestones, and happiness.

A well depicted chronicle of the progression of early onset Alzheimer's. While I was not as invested in the love story as the author may have hoped, I found so many other parts of the book to satisfy me. Loved this quote, which sums up the title:

"In the end, you just remember the moments of joy.
When all is said and done, those are the things we keep."