By the very skin of my teeth, I finished my 100th book of 2018 on December 30th! I should note that a few of these (the first title and the last three) are all books I have in my personal collection and are not currently available in the Trumbull Library collection. Links for these go to Amazon instead of the regular Library catalog links.
Reunion at Red Paint Bay, by George Harrar. Simon Howe is a native resident of quiet Red Paint Bay, Maine, a place that advertises as "the friendliest town in Maine". He's the editor of the local paper, a stable husband and father. And then he starts to receive anonymous postcards, each increasingly menacing in tone, alluding to a pending threat not just to Simon, but to his family as well. It's a story of guilt, denial, and the secrets that haunt us, all with an unexpected twist ending. A fast read and something a bit off the beaten path, definitely more than your average psychological suspense novel. This title is also available to Trumbull residents via Overdrive.
Nine Perfect Strangers, by Liane Moriarty. Nine people gather at a remote health resort for a ten day retreat. Some are here to lose weight, or to jump start a life transition, or to deal with life's stressors. Most of the guests don't really seem to "need" a health resort, and yet, here they are at Tranquility House. The most intriguing person there, however, is the enigmatic guru who runs the place and who will test each of her guests to their limit, and possibly beyond, during the course of their stay. This was absolutely a page-turner, and if the story lines were not all of equal strength, I really didn't care. It was just what I needed it to be. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
Merry Ex-Mas, by Sheila Roberts. I was advised that I'd been a little grinchy this holiday season and should consider a holiday novel to get me in the proper spirit. While the advice might have been good, I'm not sure this particular title was the best choice for me. Three friends in picturesque Icicle Falls are dealing with some serious relationship issues. Ella, newly divorced, is still living with her ex-husband while they try and sell their house, which is super awkward. Bakery owner Cass is having to try and make her daughter's dream wedding happen, on a budget, while dealing with the holiday rush AND the presence of her ex and his trophy wife...in her house. And Charlene's ex-husband resurfaces wanting to kiss and make up after the ultimate betrayal, but does he have ulterior motives? It was okay, but not my favorite thing ever.
The Reckoning, by John Grisham. I haven't read Grisham in years and years, but the subject matter of this new novel really intrigued me. Clanton, Mississippi's favorite son Pete Banning returned from World War II a decorated hero, having survived hell during his years stationed in the Philippines. Then, not long after returning home, this family patriarch drives into town one cool autumn morning and commits an act that shocks and horrifies his family and his community. Regardless of who asks or how many times they ask him why, Pete refuses to give any explanation for his actions, resigned to taking his secret to his very grave. Tremendously fascinating. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
The Songbirds of Darling Bay Trilogy, by Rachael Herron. (The Darling Songbirds, The Songbird's Call, The Songbird Sisters) Sisters Adele, Molly and Lana Darling were once a country music sensation who poised to hit the big time when a family tragedy causes the band to break up...and their family ties to fracture. A decade later, Adele comes back to the town they'd called home as girls, feeling the need to leave Nashville behind and put down real roots. As she finds a place and a purpose, she gradually reaches out and pulls middle sister Molly back, too. Molly has ended a long stint working for a cruise line and is, essentially, without a place to go. And once she's back in Darling Bay and finding her life's work, it seems like only a matter of time before Lana makes her way home, too. In the end, the trilogy is obviously about family, but also about love and friendship, about letting go of the past and moving forward, starting over. I'm a huge fan of Herron's characters, who are very flawed and that much more endearing for it.
And that rounds out 2018! I'm going to try for another 100 in 2019, and will be tracking over on Goodreads.com. I hope you'll join me!
No comments:
Post a Comment