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Published on Leave a comment on Marple: Twelve New Mysteries
Marple: Twelve New Mysteries Book Cover Marple: Twelve New Mysteries
Agatha Christie, Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M. McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse, Ruth Ware,
Fiction
William Morrow
September 13, 2022
Hardcover
384
Free from publisher

A brand-new collection of short stories featuring the Queen of Mystery’s legendary detective Jane Marple, penned by twelve remarkable bestselling and acclaimed authors.

This collection of a dozen original short stories, all featuring Jane Marple, will introduce the character to a whole new generation. Each author reimagines Agatha Christie’s Marple through their own unique perspective while staying true to the hallmarks of a traditional mystery.

Naomi Alderman
Leigh Bardugo
Alyssa Cole
Lucy Foley
Elly Griffiths
Natalie Haynes
Jean Kwok
Val McDermid
Karen M. McManus
Dreda Say Mitchell
Kate Mosse
Ruth Ware

Miss Marple was first introduced to readers in a story Agatha Christie wrote for The Royal Magazine in 1927 and made her first appearance in a full-length novel in 1930’s The Murder at the Vicarage. It has been 45 years since Agatha Christie’s last Marple novel, Sleeping Murder, was published posthumously in 1976, and this collection of ingenious new stories by twelve Christie devotees will be a timely reminder why Jane Marple remains the most famous fictional female detective of all time.

My review:

Two things you should know about me prior to reading this book are that I've NEVER (gasp) read an Agatha Christie novel, and that I've never met a short story collection (with rare exception) that I've liked. I decided to try this book because it had many stories from authors I've read from before, and I thought it was a good chance to get my first dose of Agatha Christie's beloved Miss Marple. This book was really fun, and I flew through its pages, sectioning off 2 to 3 stories a day. I absolutely fell in love with Jane Marple! I do love a book with an older character, and she fit the bill perfectly. This was a perfect stepping off place to Christie's longer mysteries, in that there were not a ton of characters to keep track of due to the shortness of each story. I have a feeling it gets much harder when reading the full length novels. Between all of the collective stories, you definitely got a glimpse into the places and people Miss Marple interacts with, and the crossover from one author to the next, while not chronological in time, gave a more thorough understanding of our main character and her idiosyncrasies and habits.

A very well curated selection of mysteries by some present day authors, this book has me hooked on going back and reading some of the original works and having more fun with the excellent character of Miss Marple. A great job done by these authors, I hope Agatha (and Miss Marple) would agree.

Published on Leave a comment on The Godmothers
The Godmothers Book Cover The Godmothers
Monica McInerney
Fiction
Welbeck Publishing
September 6, 2022
Paperback
464
Free from publisher (Bookish First)

Eliza Miller grew up in Australia as the only daughter of a troubled young mother, but with the constant support of two watchful godmothers, Olivia and Maxie. Despite her tricky childhood, she always felt loved and secure. Until, just before her eighteenth birthday, a tragic event changed her life.

Thirteen years on, Eliza is deliberately living as safely as possible, avoiding close relationships and devoting herself to her job. Out of the blue, an enticing invitation from one of her godmothers prompts a leap into the unknown.

Within a fortnight, Eliza finds herself in the middle of a complicated family in Edinburgh. There’s no such thing as an ordinary day any more. Yet, amidst the chaos, Eliza begins to blossom. She finds herself not only hopeful about the future, but ready to explore her past, including the biggest mystery of all – who is her father?

Set in Australia, Scotland, Ireland and England, THE GODMOTHERS is a great big hug of a book that will fill your heart to bursting. It is a moving and perceptive story about love, lies, hope and sorrow, about the families we are born into and the families we make for ourselves.

My review:

3.5 stars

I had read a previous book by this author (Hello From The Gillespies) and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to pick up another. I was also completely enthralled by the characters in this one! I loved the godmothers, and their willingness to take on the bereft 17 year old daughter of their best friend. Learning the backstories of not only their friendship, but that of their troubled friend (Eliza's mother) added so much to the characterization of the book. The secrets that Eliza's godmothers hold about her mother, and who her father may be, keep the plot moving and and engaging. The addition of a pint size dynamo named Sullivan made me smile every time he was present! The everyday tasks of living give the story a realness, like you are walking along in their shoes. There are some anxiety issues discussed, as well as an LGBTQ aspect, both of which I always love to see represented in a book. 

Overall an immersive and interesting story about found family with a very satisfying conclusion. I'm excited to read more from this author as I've now had two winners!

Published on Leave a comment on I’ll Be You
I'll Be You Book Cover I'll Be You
Janelle Brown
Fiction
Random House
April 26, 2022
Hardcover
368
Purchased

As children, Sam and Elli were two halves of a perfect whole: gorgeous identical twins whose parents sometimes couldn’t even tell them apart. They fell asleep to the sound of each other’s breath at night, holding hands in the dark. And once Hollywood discovered them, they became B-list child TV stars, often inhabiting the same role.

But as adults, their lives have splintered. After leaving acting, Elli reinvented herself as the perfect homemaker: married to a real estate lawyer, living in a house just blocks from the beach. Meanwhile, Sam has never recovered from her failed Hollywood career, or from her addiction to the pills and booze that have propped her up for the last fifteen years.

Sam hasn't spoken to her sister since her destructive behavior finally drove a wedge between them. So when her father calls out of the blue, Sam is shocked to learn that Elli’s life has been in turmoil: her husband moved out, and Elli just adopted a two-year-old girl. Now she’s stopped answering her phone and checked in to a mysterious spa in Ojai. Is her sister just decompressing, or is she in trouble? Could she have possibly joined a cult? As Sam works to connect the dots left by Elli’s baffling disappearance, she realizes that the bond between her and her sister is more complicated than she ever knew.

My review:

This was a fresh take on the oft written trope of changing identities. In this case, the two parties involved happen to be identical twins, who have changed places many times since they were childhood actresses playing one character (think Mary Kate and Ashley Olson). Much as we know from reading the tabloids, being a star when one is a child can sometimes come with all sorts of hiccups later in life. Some of those are explored with these two sisters and their varying paths. What is interesting though, is that we discover that these manifestations may not always be as they seem. The character who appears to have it all together can really be hiding lots of trauma that sends them on a path you could never see coming, while the twin who appears to be a hot mess may just have to provide the way out. I thought the plot was very propulsive in this book, and I'm always interested in the study of identical twins, especially when they appear to be very different than what is seen on the surface. The cult aspect is also a fascinating sub plot, and I was actually invested in the very real lead up to the conclusion. Sometimes my interest can wane with these types of stories if I feel that characters are doing things so out on a limb as to not be believable. That was not the case here. The addition of the twins parents was also a very interesting character study in and of itself.

An engaging character study of identical child actors whose lives don't go according to plan once they are out of the Hollywood spotlight. Lots to unpack in this interesting novel.

Published on Leave a comment on Sugar and Salt
Sugar and Salt Book Cover Sugar and Salt
Bella Vista Chronicles #4
Susan Wiggs
William Morrow
July 26, 2022
Hardcover
384
Free from publisher

Jerome "Sugar" Barnes learned the art of baking in his grandma's bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street.

When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a newcomer moves in: Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas.

Margot isn't exactly on the run, but she needs a fresh start. She's taken care of herself her whole life, pulling herself up by her fingernails to recover from trauma, and her dream has been to open a restaurant somewhere far, far from Texas. The shared kitchen with Jerome Sugar's bakery is the perfect setup: a state-of-the-art kitchen and a vibrant neighborhood popular with tourists and locals.

Margot instantly takes to Jerome's grandmother, the lively, opinionated Ida, and the older woman proves to be a good mentor. Margot thinks Jerome is gorgeous, and despite their different backgrounds their attraction is powerful--even though Jerome worries that Margot will simply move on from him once she's found some peace and stability. But just as she starts to relax into a happy new future, Margot's past in Texas comes back to haunt her...

My review:

A couple of observations before getting into my thoughts on the story. 1. I would have sought this book out for the cover alone. Give me a book that is going to be about baked goods, and I'm all in! 2. You do not have to read the other books in this series (I have not) to enjoy this one. Now onto the review......

This book was not at all what I was expecting going in. I thought based on the blurb and cover that it was going to be about two restaurant owners falling for each other. That was just a very small part of the story. This had a really dark story about Margot's past that took up a generous portion of the book. I honestly think it enhanced the read for me, I'm not the best consumer of fluffy predictable romance, and this added much more that I appreciated. I will say though, that it is not a light portion of the book, so you may want to check out other reviews to compare their thoughts to mine. Aside from Margot and Jerome's stories, we also get the story of Jerome's mother Ida and her long lost love Frank. We learn why they were kept apart, and while I found the reason interesting, their story did not resonate with me as much as Margot's. I was rooting hard for her to succeed in life!

While this book does have romance elements within, do not expect it to be as light and fluffy as the cake frosting on the gorgeous cover. I'm interested in now going back to read the previous books in this series, I'm hopeful they will be as interesting as this one.

Published on Leave a comment on When We Were Bright and Beautiful
When We Were Bright and Beautiful Book Cover When We Were Bright and Beautiful
Jillian Medoff
Fiction
Harper
July 5, 2022
Hardcover
352
Purchased

You can have everything, and still not have enough.

Cassie Quinn may only be twenty-three, but she knows a few things. One: money can't buy happiness, but it's certainly better to have it. Two: family matters most. Three: her younger brother Billy is not a rapist.

When Billy, a junior at Princeton, is arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie races home to Manhattan to join forces with her big brother Nate and their parents, Lawrence and Eleanor. The Quinns scramble to hire the best legal minds money can buy, but Billy fits the all-too-familiar sex-offender profile--white, athletic, and privileged--that makes headlines and sways juries.

Meanwhile, Cassie struggles to understand why Billy's ex Diana would go this far, even if the breakup was painful. And she knows how the end of first love can destroy someone: Her own years-long affair with a powerful, charismatic man left her shattered, and she's only recently regained her footing.

As reporters converge outside their Upper East Side landmark building, the Quinns gird themselves for a media-saturated trial, and Cassie vows she'll do whatever it takes to save Billy. But what if that means exposing her own darkest secrets to the world?

My review:

If you are at the point where you've exhausted all the summer beach reads and want something with more grit, you've come to the right book. In the shadow of the #metoo movement, this novel follows a wealthy Manhattan family whose son is accused of raping his ex-girlfriend. The story is told from the adopted sister Cassie and chronicles the events from the accusation, to the family coming together to stand by their brother/son, and ultimately to the trial. It's pretty dark in scope, especially with one of the twists that occurs late in the story, but it's a page turner because you just can't wait to find out if Billy is guilty. This has all the trappings of privilege, class, race, and appearance that you would expect, and none of the characters are particularly likable, which makes reading about them even more enticing. The bigger picture was that of loyalty to the family and how that plays out throughout the story. The writing was on point, there were not any slow parts even though the trial doesn't start until roughly 60% of the way in. I do love a good courtroom drama in a book, this one did a superb job of fulfilling that.

Definite trigger warning for sexual violence, and a pretty dark tale, but if those things are not a deterrent for you, this is a good family drama with a bonus trial that should be a satisfying read.

Published on Leave a comment on The It Girl
The It Girl Book Cover The It Girl
Ruth Ware
Fiction
Simon and Schuster
July 12, 2022
Hardcover
432
Purchased

April Coutts-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford.

Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead.

Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide…including a murder.

My review:

3.5 stars

This was an enjoyable and solid thriller that has some buzz worthy details, dark academia and murder. At the heart of the story is the woman whose testimony put an Oxford porter behind bars. Now there is a journalist who has theories ten years later (after the man has died in prison) that he may not have been responsible. All of this adds up to Hannah getting in touch with her old college friends to figure out what really happened the night April died. Did she jump to the wrong conclusion? I was invested in the story throughout. Ware does a good job of writing the back and forth past and present chapters, as well as keeping you guessing as to who dunnit? I did think it was a tad too long for a thriller, it seemed to take forever to find out the answers. It was fun going back to Hannah's college year with April (the It girl), who really did take a liking to her underprivileged roommate.

A good thriller that probably won't stick with me, but certainly kept me entertained while reading. My favorite of Ware's books is The Death of Mrs. Westaway, but that is not the favorite of most readers, I think that honor goes to The Turn of the Key. If you like this author's previous books, I think you will enjoy this one. If you've read from her before and not enjoyed her writing, this is probably not going to change your mind.

Published on Leave a comment on The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard Book Cover The Bodyguard
Katherine Center
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
July 19, 2022
Hardcover
320
Purchased

She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindgerten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.

My review:

3.5 stars

I'm a big fan of this author's romance books because they are what is commonly known as closed door. When I'm reading a romance I don't need to be reading (or worse yet, listening) to smutty sex scenes. I am perfectly capable of connecting the dots in the bedroom myself thank you. I have a list of romance authors who I will read repeat books from, and Katherine Center is definitely one of them! This story was really sweet. I loved the predicament Hannah found herself in while trying to do her job undercover. The rapport between Hannah and Jack was very well done, and I loved the characters. There were some issues dealt with that made this more than just a romance, which I'm always looking for. Both characters had growth throughout the story, and the ending was typical, but gratifying. It was super fun to have the female protagonist be a strong, formidable woman bodyguard. I think it would have added even more to the story had we been able to glimpse her really in action!

Loved the writing and characters, and even though the plot was maybe just a tad over the top, I was there for it all. Pick this one up if you want a sweet romance (with no sex scenes!).

Published on Leave a comment on The Displacements
The Displacements Book Cover The Displacements
Bruce Holsinger
Fiction
Penguin
July 5, 2022
Audiobook
448
Library loan

An adrenaline-fueled story of lives upended and transformed by an unprecedented catastrophe.

To all appearances, the Larsen-Hall family has everything: healthy children, a stable marriage, a lucrative career for Brantley, and the means for Daphne to pursue her art full-time. Their deluxe new Miami life has just clicked into place when Luna--the world's first category 6 hurricane--upends everything they have taken for granted.

When the storm makes landfall, it triggers a descent of another sort. Their home destroyed, two of its members missing, and finances abruptly cut off, the family finds everything they assumed about their lives now up for grabs. Swept into a mass rush of evacuees from across the American South, they are transported hundreds of miles to a FEMA megashelter where their new community includes an insurance-agent-turned-drug dealer, a group of vulnerable children, and a dedicated relief worker trying to keep the peace. Will "normal" ever return?

A suspenseful read plotted on a vast national tapestry, The Displacements thrillingly explores what happens when privilege is lost and resilience is tested in a swiftly changing world.

My review:

As someone who now lives on the southeast coast, this one hit close to home! I've stayed put through a category 1 hurricane, but I think that may have been enough for me. This story starts when a category 5 (or possibly an unknown entity 6) hurricane is bearing down on the family's multi million dollar home. In their hast to pack up and leave, the family mistakenly leaves the mother's purse behind, rendering the family without any funds in the middle of a disaster. The family is brought to a tent city FEMA camp, where they must stay while they attempt to get things sorted out. What follows is the effects of homelessness on this affluent family. Really engaging and well written, I was lost in the story of each of the family members. It felt very realistic, and I loved the story arc of what happens to the "haves" when they become "have nots". Lots of interesting turns in this one that kept the story churning forward to its satisfying conclusion.

A great family drama encapsulated within a natural catastrophe, this is one you won't want to miss. However, here's hoping all the hurricanes miss my area this season!

Published on Leave a comment on The Measure
The Measure Book Cover The Measure
Nikki Erlick
Fiction
William Morrow
June 28, 2022
Hardcover
368
Purchased

Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.

It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out.

But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live.

From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?

As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?

The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.

My review:

A new favorite of the year! This book was amazing and I flew through it waiting to see how it would play out for the people we follow. This has a huge moral dilemma at its core, would you open your box to see how long you had left to live? How would you live your life differently if you knew how long you had left? Obviously you need to suspend belief a bit in how these boxes all came to be in the possession of every person on the planet at the same time (bear with me, you believed in Santa didn't you?). I fleetingly thought about this, but it went completely out of my mind once I got caught up in the resulting stories. There is all sorts of commentary within these pages other than the personal question. There are political stories facing candidates for President, also how some countries dealt with their citizen's boxes. There are employment questions, do you get to ask how long someone has to live before hiring them? Support groups spring up for those who are "short stringers", begging the question who do you tell of your fate (if you chose to open your box)? Are people being discriminated against, what about those in hospitals? So many questions to mull over, making this such an engrossing story! There is a twist at the end that I never saw coming, and I definitely shed a few tears. This is a debut novel, and I couldn't tell by the writing style or cohesiveness of the story.

Interestingly when I linked this post to Goodreads, I read some reviews for this book that were not as complimentary as I have been. If you are on the fence, perhaps seek out more reviews than mine, because I'm giving this all the stars! It will definitely make my best books of the year list!

Published on Leave a comment on Vacationland
Vacationland Book Cover Vacationland
Meg Mitchell Moore
Fiction
William Morrow
June 14, 2022
Hardcover
384
Free from publisher

Louisa has come to her parents' house in Maine this summer with all three of her kids, a barely written book, and a trunkful of resentment. Left behind in Brooklyn is her husband, who has promised that after this final round of fundraising at his startup he will once again pick up his share of the household responsibilities. Louisa is hoping that the crisp breeze off Penobscot Bay will blow away the irritation she is feeling with her life choices and replace it with enthusiasm for both her family and her work.

But all isn't well in Maine. Louisa's father, a retired judge and pillar of the community, is suffering from Alzheimer's. Louisa's mother is alternately pretending everything is fine and not pretending at all. And one of Louisa's children happens upon a very confusing and heartfelt letter referring to something Louisa doesn't think her father could possibly have done.

Louisa's not the only one searching for something in Maine this summer. Kristie took the Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania with one small suitcase, $761, and a lot of baggage. She's got a past she's trying to outrun, a secret she's trying to unpack, and a new boyfriend who's so impossibly kind she can't figure out what she did to deserve him. But she can't keep her various lives from colliding forever.

As June turns to July turns to August, secrets will be unearthed, betrayals will come to light, and both Louisa and Kristie will ask themselves what they are owed and what they owe others.

My review:

I'm back with a review of another family story, which are some of my favorite tropes. This one takes place in Maine, which holds a special place in my memory since that is where my family would vacation every summer for two decades. I think the actual place this story is about may be fictional, but there is still the general vibe of coastal Maine (I especially remember how cold the ocean is up there, I live in SC now so it doesn't even compare!). As most family stories do, this one is loaded with lots of secrets that come to light over the course of three months, particularly ones revolving around the family patriarch who is in the grip of Alzheimers. I have enjoyed many of this author's previous works, I find her writing to be engrossing, and she does a great job developing her characters to make you feel fully immersed in the story. Since the book encompasses three generations, I think there is something for everyone to relate to. Whether it be young love, finding family, trying and failing to engage with your work, or dealing with the loss of a loved one in mind not body. I thought the ending was perhaps a bit cliche, and I did figure out the deal with Kristie very early on, but I still really enjoyed being with these characters.

If you are one to enjoy well written and characterized family stories, I think you should give this one a look. A bonus if you've ever been to coastal Maine.