History, humor, and heart. These are just some of the bounty of July's new novels.
Dragonfly, by Leila Meacham. At the height of World War II, a group of young Americans receive a mysterious summons from their government, asking if they willing to fight for their country. While they are from very different backgrounds, each heeds the call for their own personal reasons. The group, code name Dragonfly, bond immediately. This is war, however, and the stakes in the cat-and-mouse game they're playing are incredibly high. One or more of them will have to pay the ultimate price... For fans of Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, most definitely.
The Chelsea Girls, by Fiona Davis. Hazel and Maxine meet as USO performers in Italy at the end of World War II, one a sheltered daughter of a renowned theater family, the other facing discrimination owing to a German-born grandfather. Following the war, Hazel pens a Broadway-bound play based on her experiences during the war, and Maxine comes from Hollywood to star...but a secret will threaten to tear their friendship apart. Davis has been developing quite a fan-base with novels like The Dollhouse and The Address--this latest is sure to be in demand.
You've Been Volunteered, by Laurie Gelman. Gelman's debut, Class Mom (2017), introduced snarky 40-something mom Jen Dixon whose appointment to kindergarten class mom put her smack in the middle of PTA drama with hilarious results. In this follow-up, Jen's son Max is now in third grade and Jen is once again catapulted into the role of class mom, even as her family life gets pulled in a dozen different directions. If your perfect summer read is a laugh-out-loud speed read, this is for you!
The Lager Queen of Minnesota, by J. Ryan Stradal. I adored Stradal's 2015 debut, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, and I've been anxiously awaiting her new novel, inspired by true events in Stradal's own family. Once upon a time, Helen Blotz inherited the family farm, which alienated her sister Edith. Helen used the proceeds from the sale of the farm to invest in her husband's family soda business, helping to turn it into the hottest brewery in Minnesota. Two generations later, the brewery's success is waning, though Edith's granddaughter's brewpub may bring family together again. Stradal's characters are deftly drawn and are deeply memorable. Have I mentioned I can't wait?
Showing posts with label beach reads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beach reads. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Meg's Picks: June 2019, part 1
I have to say, sometimes the length of time I have to hold back on these lists is crazy-making! I've had some of these titles on order for months, and I am so excited I finally get to share now that they're on the near horizon.
After the End, by Clare Mackintosh. Latest by Mackintosh (Let Me Lie, etc.) is an emotional page-turner about impossible choices, and the different paths that life can take. Based loosely on her own experiences, this departure from her normal mystery-thrillers follows the journey of couple Max and Pip Adams as they must make heart-rending decision regarding the care of their terminally ill son. Make sure you bring your tissues!
Recursion, by Blake Crouch. Crouch, author of Dark Matter and the Wayward Pines trilogy, follow Dark Matter's Barry Sutton as he investigates a technology that was originally created in order to preserve our most beloved memories, and which now is also being used to implant false memories, shredding reality and ruining lives. I'm recommending this for fans of Andy Weir (The Martian) and Michael Crichton.
The First Mistake, by Sandie Jones. Author of 2018 reader favorite The Other Woman, Jones brings readers a new novel of domestic suspense. Alice is happily remarried to Nathan after the death of her first husband, and grateful for her good friend Beth. But she's growing suspicious about Nathan's long stretches away on business. Then she starts to wonder about just how reliable Beth is, after all. Deftly paced suspense with a roller-coaster's worth of twists and turns--if it's not on your list, it should be!
The Islanders, by Meg Mitchell Moore. Moore (The Admissions, etc.) follows the lives of three strangers who connect one summer on Block Island. Anthony's second novel has been a flop, and he's retreated to house-sit and hopefully jump-start the work on his comeback novel. Island bakery owner Joy is trying to juggle keeping her small business solvent while single-parenting her teenage daughter. And Lu is supposed to be riding herd on her young sons, but is more and more absorbed by a side-project she's keeping a secret from everyone including her husband. Moore is a reliably engaging storyteller, so you won't want to miss this.
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Reading Ahead: June 2019, part 4
Reconnecting seems to be a popular theme with summer reads this year--as evidenced by these three titles, all coming out in just a few weeks!
Mrs. Everything, by Jennifer Weiner. Growing up as young girls in the 1950s, Jo and Bethie Kaufman may be sisters, but that's about all they have in common. Jo is a tomboy and Bethie is the "pretty one" who loves to dress up. When their father dies unexpectedly, the Kaufman women have to learn to take care of themselves and one another in a time when women had few options. As time moves forward, the sisters grow apart and together again as they find their way in a changing world. Inspiring and insightful reading material from Weiner for your summer reading.
The Summer of Sunshine and Margot, by Susan Mallery. Twin sisters Sunshine and Margot grew up with a mother who spent more time with her boyfriends than raising them. Different but very close, the two stumble along as they raise themselves and help each other through work disasters and heartbreaks. Their heart-tugging journeys toward happily-ever-after are helped along once Margot is hired by a Hollywood Golden Age star who treats the twins as though they were her own daughters. Light and fast, but lively and feel-good from reader favorite Mallery.
Lost and Found, by Danielle Steel. We all wonder what might have been, about the ones that got away. In Steel's latest, Maddie Allen sets off on a cross-country road trip to reconnect with three very different men, each of whom she might have married once and didn't, after a forced pause from her busy career gives her the opportunity to look back...and ahead.
Mrs. Everything, by Jennifer Weiner. Growing up as young girls in the 1950s, Jo and Bethie Kaufman may be sisters, but that's about all they have in common. Jo is a tomboy and Bethie is the "pretty one" who loves to dress up. When their father dies unexpectedly, the Kaufman women have to learn to take care of themselves and one another in a time when women had few options. As time moves forward, the sisters grow apart and together again as they find their way in a changing world. Inspiring and insightful reading material from Weiner for your summer reading.
The Summer of Sunshine and Margot, by Susan Mallery. Twin sisters Sunshine and Margot grew up with a mother who spent more time with her boyfriends than raising them. Different but very close, the two stumble along as they raise themselves and help each other through work disasters and heartbreaks. Their heart-tugging journeys toward happily-ever-after are helped along once Margot is hired by a Hollywood Golden Age star who treats the twins as though they were her own daughters. Light and fast, but lively and feel-good from reader favorite Mallery.
Lost and Found, by Danielle Steel. We all wonder what might have been, about the ones that got away. In Steel's latest, Maddie Allen sets off on a cross-country road trip to reconnect with three very different men, each of whom she might have married once and didn't, after a forced pause from her busy career gives her the opportunity to look back...and ahead.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Reading Ahead: June 2019, part 3
There are certain authors that readers automatically associate with summer--characters we love, engaging story lines, settings that evoke all things summer. If that's right up your alley, here are a few titles to be on the lookout for this season.
The Bookshop on the Shore, by Jenny Colgan. Eager to escape the noisy crowds of London and provide a better life for her young son, single mum Zoe accepts help from a friend who finds her a job in a bookshop in the Scottish Highlands, where she'll be working for shop owner Nina (Colgan fans will remember Nina from The Bookshop on the Corner, 2016). A second job as an au pair for three motherless children will provide housing for Zoe and young Hari. While this all looks grand on paper, the reality is a bit more chaotic than Zoe had anticipated: the family's castle, while grand, is crumbling. The widower is in over his head after his three children have been kicked out of school, leaving them to run run wild and unsupervised. Is Zoe up to the challenge?
The Friends We Keep, by Jane Green. Evvie, Maggie, and Topher were the best of friends during their years at university, but time has dragged them apart over the decades that followed. Time also has a way of growing secrets, making them harder to hide, making the truth more painful once it comes to light. And when these three finally reunite at their 30th college reunion, they are hoping to reconnect after years of failing to keep in touch. The secrets that come out threaten to tear them apart all over again, making this a touching story of friendship and forgiveness.
Summer of '69, by Elin Hilderbrand. The four Levin siblings have spent every summer of their childhood at their grandmother's house on Nantucket, but 1969 is the year that everything changed: Blair, 24, is married and pregnant, and her husband Angus has requested she stay home in Boston with him this summer. Anti-war activist Kirby has been arrested twice during demonstrations and chooses friends and a job on Martha's Vineyard over family time on Nantucket this year. Tiger has been deployed to Vietnam, sending letters home to Jessie, 13 and alone on Nantucket with Nonny this summer. Hilderbrand has an excellent touch both with the cultural upheaval of the time, but also with the complications of family relationships.
The Bookshop on the Shore, by Jenny Colgan. Eager to escape the noisy crowds of London and provide a better life for her young son, single mum Zoe accepts help from a friend who finds her a job in a bookshop in the Scottish Highlands, where she'll be working for shop owner Nina (Colgan fans will remember Nina from The Bookshop on the Corner, 2016). A second job as an au pair for three motherless children will provide housing for Zoe and young Hari. While this all looks grand on paper, the reality is a bit more chaotic than Zoe had anticipated: the family's castle, while grand, is crumbling. The widower is in over his head after his three children have been kicked out of school, leaving them to run run wild and unsupervised. Is Zoe up to the challenge?
The Friends We Keep, by Jane Green. Evvie, Maggie, and Topher were the best of friends during their years at university, but time has dragged them apart over the decades that followed. Time also has a way of growing secrets, making them harder to hide, making the truth more painful once it comes to light. And when these three finally reunite at their 30th college reunion, they are hoping to reconnect after years of failing to keep in touch. The secrets that come out threaten to tear them apart all over again, making this a touching story of friendship and forgiveness.
Summer of '69, by Elin Hilderbrand. The four Levin siblings have spent every summer of their childhood at their grandmother's house on Nantucket, but 1969 is the year that everything changed: Blair, 24, is married and pregnant, and her husband Angus has requested she stay home in Boston with him this summer. Anti-war activist Kirby has been arrested twice during demonstrations and chooses friends and a job on Martha's Vineyard over family time on Nantucket this year. Tiger has been deployed to Vietnam, sending letters home to Jessie, 13 and alone on Nantucket with Nonny this summer. Hilderbrand has an excellent touch both with the cultural upheaval of the time, but also with the complications of family relationships.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Reading Ahead: May 2019, part 3
Summer is not far off, no matter what the temperatures outside may be like. Just look at the books on the horizon!
The Rosie Result, by Graeme Simsion. This third installment in Simsion's extremely popular Don Tillman trilogy (after The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect) finds Don and Rosie up against a new challenge: their eleven-year-old son, Hudson, who is having issues at school. Don's very familiar with being socially awkward, and figures he's the best person to help Hudson learn to fit in better. Of course, that may not go quite as smoothly as Don might have planned...
Sunset Beach, by Mary Kay Andrews. Drue Campbell isn't doing so well, adrift without a job, but insult is added to injury when her estranged father reappears in her life after a twenty year absence. And that reappearance? Is at her mother's funeral. Oh, and he's now married to Drue's arch-nemesis from middle school, and they're offering her a job. Out of options, she begrudgingly takes the position, only to find herself unwittingly investigating a possible case of corruption in her father's law firm. Andrews is great for a fast page-turner that will make you laugh--perfect for an early summer read.
Queen Bee, by Dorothea Benton Frank. Frank is another author that readers automatically associate with summer books, and they won't be disappointed here. Beekeeper Holly lives a quiet life on Sullivan's Island, tending her hives and working at the library. Holly calls her demanding hypochondriac mother The Queen Bee--Holly's sister Leslie married and moved away just to be free of the family drama. But when Leslie's marriage implodes and she moves back to the island, Holly's quiet life is upended and chaos reigns on all sides. Will she ever find a way back to peace?
The Rosie Result, by Graeme Simsion. This third installment in Simsion's extremely popular Don Tillman trilogy (after The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect) finds Don and Rosie up against a new challenge: their eleven-year-old son, Hudson, who is having issues at school. Don's very familiar with being socially awkward, and figures he's the best person to help Hudson learn to fit in better. Of course, that may not go quite as smoothly as Don might have planned...
Sunset Beach, by Mary Kay Andrews. Drue Campbell isn't doing so well, adrift without a job, but insult is added to injury when her estranged father reappears in her life after a twenty year absence. And that reappearance? Is at her mother's funeral. Oh, and he's now married to Drue's arch-nemesis from middle school, and they're offering her a job. Out of options, she begrudgingly takes the position, only to find herself unwittingly investigating a possible case of corruption in her father's law firm. Andrews is great for a fast page-turner that will make you laugh--perfect for an early summer read.
Queen Bee, by Dorothea Benton Frank. Frank is another author that readers automatically associate with summer books, and they won't be disappointed here. Beekeeper Holly lives a quiet life on Sullivan's Island, tending her hives and working at the library. Holly calls her demanding hypochondriac mother The Queen Bee--Holly's sister Leslie married and moved away just to be free of the family drama. But when Leslie's marriage implodes and she moves back to the island, Holly's quiet life is upended and chaos reigns on all sides. Will she ever find a way back to peace?
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
What I've Been Reading: August 2018
It has been a busy reading month for me! I'm glad I use Goodreads.com to track what I read, though, because when it comes time to write up one of these posts, my memory is NOT what it used to be!
The Wife, by Meg Wolitzer. World-famous novelist Joe Castleman and his wife, Joan, have kept a secret from the world for decades. The novel opens as the couple travels to Helsinki for Joe to receive a prestigious award. Joan, who has spent their entire relationship stifling her own career to fan the flames of Joe's writing, and his ego, has finally had enough. A story of the choices we make and the repercussions far down the road, this was a compelling and captivating read. I love readers who can surprise me, and Wolitzer had surprises aplenty in store for me here. Very highly recommended.
How to Keep a Secret, by Sarah Morgan. Three generations of women brought together by crisis finally have to deal with the secrets they've kept from one another. Matriarch Nancy has been holding onto the family home despite dire financial straits, and that's just the beginning of what she hasn't told either of her daughters. Lauren's perfect life turns out to be more facade than fact, and when she must head back to her roots for both herself and her daughter Mack, the stark reality of their plight hits home. Lauren's sister Jenna keeps a trademark smile plastered on her face, but look a little deeper and she's hiding something from those she loves most. A fast, intriguing read--I very much enjoyed it.
The Bookshop of Yesterdays, by Amy Meyerson. Miranda Brooks spent her childhood exploring the stacks of her Uncle Billy's bookstore, following clues in his ubiquitous scavenger hunts through the shelves and volumes. Until she's twelve, and mysterious falling out between her mother and Billy causes her uncle to disappear from her life. She doesn't hear from him again until sixteen years later, when he dies and leaves one final scavenger hunt for Miranda to follow. The journey toward solving his final puzzle leads Miranda to speak to people from Billy's past, and in the process, uncover the secret that tore her family apart years ago. Part mystery, part bibliophile's delight, this was excellent.
The Sun Does Shine, by Anthony Ray Hinton. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Hinton knew this was a case of mistaken identity and had an alibi, but a combination of a lack of funds to pay for his defense and a different system of justice for a poor black man in rural Alabama lost Hinton everything--he received a death sentence. Full of despair and refusing to speak for his first three years of incarceration, Hinton eventually came to the decision to not only live on Death Row, but thrive. A story of a man who fought for his life and for his freedom, fiercely believing that the truth would ultimately set him free, which did indeed happen in 2015, with the help of civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson. Intense and deeply thought-provoking.
Whistle in the Dark, by Emma Healey. While on holiday together, Jen's teenage daughter Lana goes missing. When she's finally found four days later, she's bruised, bloodied, exhausted, and all but mute. She cannot, or will not, tell her parents, doctors, or police where she was or what happened while she was missing. In the weeks that follow, Jen becomes increasingly worried about her daughter, the child who has always been plagued by dark demons. Without telling her daughter, or the rest of her family, where she is going, Jen sets out to retrace Lana's steps during her disappearance, with a result she hadn't imagined.
The Other Mother, by Carol Goodman. In the months following the birth of little Chloe, her mother Daphne has suffered from dark moods and intrusive thoughts. It seems natural for her to bond immediately with another mother, Laurel, from their new moms group. After all, Laurel also has a daughter named Chloe. And Daphne and Laurel even look a little bit alike. Outwardly, Laurel is sarcastic and confident, but it turns out that she's also suffering from postpartum symptoms. But becoming friends with Laurel will come at a shocking price, and everyone's secrets will out. Don't blink while you read this--it is packed full of so many twists!
The Lost For Words Bookshop, by Stephanie Butland. Loveday Cardew prefers books to most people. While she has tattooed her favorite opening lines on her skin, there are so many things she refuses to share with others. And then the secondhand bookstore where she works, her second home, begins to funnel things to her she'd never thought to see: a poet, a lover, and three donations of books which may expose her secret past once and for all. I am a sucker for fiction written with bibliophiles in mind, and this has to be one of my favorites to date. Fans of books like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry or Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore should check this one out.
Pieces of Her, by Karin Slaughter. Andrea isn't sure of a lot of things. Like what she wants to do with her life. But she is certain she knows her mother, Laura. At least, she thinks she does until violence erupts in the mall while she's out to lunch with her mom and her mother turns out to be someone very different from the mild-mannered speech therapist Andrea has always known. And as Laura's past as someone other than Laura resurfaces, Andrea must flee, both to stay safe, but also to uncover Laura's past and make sense of the sudden shift in her reality. Meticulously plotted and fast-paced, this was a great stand-alone title from Slaughter.
A Noise Downstairs, by Linwood Barclay. When an ordinary evening drive nearly kills college professor Paul Davis, it's devastating. Months later, he's still struggling with recovery. There's the depression, the PTSD, the occasional memory lapses. In an attempt to cheer him, his wife Charlotte brings home a present: an antique typewriter. This present, however, seems possessed, haunting Paul with phantom typing noises only he can here. Is it communicating a message meant for him? Is he cracking up completely? Or is there something eminently more sinister at work here? Full of plot twists and red herrings aplenty, I have to say I think that this is one of Barclay's best in recent years. Highly recommended.
Not a Poster Child, by Francine Falk-Allen. You're not dreaming. I really did read two memoirs in one month. Weird, right? While polio is back in the news due to the anti-vaccination movement after over a half-century fading into near-obscurity in this country, it has never been forgotten by those who still experience its effects. Francine Falk-Allen was only three when she contracted polio and temporarily lost the ability to stand or walk. Here she recounts her experiences with hospitals, treatments, braces, and her determination to be a "normie". And later, as an adult, how she found balance and fulfillment in multiple ways. An eye-opening account of living with a physical disability, both funny and thoughtful.
The Wife, by Meg Wolitzer. World-famous novelist Joe Castleman and his wife, Joan, have kept a secret from the world for decades. The novel opens as the couple travels to Helsinki for Joe to receive a prestigious award. Joan, who has spent their entire relationship stifling her own career to fan the flames of Joe's writing, and his ego, has finally had enough. A story of the choices we make and the repercussions far down the road, this was a compelling and captivating read. I love readers who can surprise me, and Wolitzer had surprises aplenty in store for me here. Very highly recommended.
How to Keep a Secret, by Sarah Morgan. Three generations of women brought together by crisis finally have to deal with the secrets they've kept from one another. Matriarch Nancy has been holding onto the family home despite dire financial straits, and that's just the beginning of what she hasn't told either of her daughters. Lauren's perfect life turns out to be more facade than fact, and when she must head back to her roots for both herself and her daughter Mack, the stark reality of their plight hits home. Lauren's sister Jenna keeps a trademark smile plastered on her face, but look a little deeper and she's hiding something from those she loves most. A fast, intriguing read--I very much enjoyed it.
The Bookshop of Yesterdays, by Amy Meyerson. Miranda Brooks spent her childhood exploring the stacks of her Uncle Billy's bookstore, following clues in his ubiquitous scavenger hunts through the shelves and volumes. Until she's twelve, and mysterious falling out between her mother and Billy causes her uncle to disappear from her life. She doesn't hear from him again until sixteen years later, when he dies and leaves one final scavenger hunt for Miranda to follow. The journey toward solving his final puzzle leads Miranda to speak to people from Billy's past, and in the process, uncover the secret that tore her family apart years ago. Part mystery, part bibliophile's delight, this was excellent.
The Sun Does Shine, by Anthony Ray Hinton. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Hinton knew this was a case of mistaken identity and had an alibi, but a combination of a lack of funds to pay for his defense and a different system of justice for a poor black man in rural Alabama lost Hinton everything--he received a death sentence. Full of despair and refusing to speak for his first three years of incarceration, Hinton eventually came to the decision to not only live on Death Row, but thrive. A story of a man who fought for his life and for his freedom, fiercely believing that the truth would ultimately set him free, which did indeed happen in 2015, with the help of civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson. Intense and deeply thought-provoking.
Whistle in the Dark, by Emma Healey. While on holiday together, Jen's teenage daughter Lana goes missing. When she's finally found four days later, she's bruised, bloodied, exhausted, and all but mute. She cannot, or will not, tell her parents, doctors, or police where she was or what happened while she was missing. In the weeks that follow, Jen becomes increasingly worried about her daughter, the child who has always been plagued by dark demons. Without telling her daughter, or the rest of her family, where she is going, Jen sets out to retrace Lana's steps during her disappearance, with a result she hadn't imagined.
The Other Mother, by Carol Goodman. In the months following the birth of little Chloe, her mother Daphne has suffered from dark moods and intrusive thoughts. It seems natural for her to bond immediately with another mother, Laurel, from their new moms group. After all, Laurel also has a daughter named Chloe. And Daphne and Laurel even look a little bit alike. Outwardly, Laurel is sarcastic and confident, but it turns out that she's also suffering from postpartum symptoms. But becoming friends with Laurel will come at a shocking price, and everyone's secrets will out. Don't blink while you read this--it is packed full of so many twists!
The Lost For Words Bookshop, by Stephanie Butland. Loveday Cardew prefers books to most people. While she has tattooed her favorite opening lines on her skin, there are so many things she refuses to share with others. And then the secondhand bookstore where she works, her second home, begins to funnel things to her she'd never thought to see: a poet, a lover, and three donations of books which may expose her secret past once and for all. I am a sucker for fiction written with bibliophiles in mind, and this has to be one of my favorites to date. Fans of books like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry or Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore should check this one out.
Pieces of Her, by Karin Slaughter. Andrea isn't sure of a lot of things. Like what she wants to do with her life. But she is certain she knows her mother, Laura. At least, she thinks she does until violence erupts in the mall while she's out to lunch with her mom and her mother turns out to be someone very different from the mild-mannered speech therapist Andrea has always known. And as Laura's past as someone other than Laura resurfaces, Andrea must flee, both to stay safe, but also to uncover Laura's past and make sense of the sudden shift in her reality. Meticulously plotted and fast-paced, this was a great stand-alone title from Slaughter.
A Noise Downstairs, by Linwood Barclay. When an ordinary evening drive nearly kills college professor Paul Davis, it's devastating. Months later, he's still struggling with recovery. There's the depression, the PTSD, the occasional memory lapses. In an attempt to cheer him, his wife Charlotte brings home a present: an antique typewriter. This present, however, seems possessed, haunting Paul with phantom typing noises only he can here. Is it communicating a message meant for him? Is he cracking up completely? Or is there something eminently more sinister at work here? Full of plot twists and red herrings aplenty, I have to say I think that this is one of Barclay's best in recent years. Highly recommended.
Not a Poster Child, by Francine Falk-Allen. You're not dreaming. I really did read two memoirs in one month. Weird, right? While polio is back in the news due to the anti-vaccination movement after over a half-century fading into near-obscurity in this country, it has never been forgotten by those who still experience its effects. Francine Falk-Allen was only three when she contracted polio and temporarily lost the ability to stand or walk. Here she recounts her experiences with hospitals, treatments, braces, and her determination to be a "normie". And later, as an adult, how she found balance and fulfillment in multiple ways. An eye-opening account of living with a physical disability, both funny and thoughtful.
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Meg's Picks: August 2018, part 2
Love a good suspense novel that has a character's plot come back to haunt them? Here are two excellent choices being published in just a few short weeks!
The Drama Teacher, by Koren Zailckas. It's 2008 and Gracie (or whatever other alias she chooses to use) is struggling to maintain her middle-class lifestyle while her husband hunts for a new job out of town. Gracie, you see, was raised to survive by lying, stealing and grifting. So when times are tough for her and her two kids, and her husband is mostly absent, old instincts kick in. In short order, she ingratiates herself to a wealthy woman, fakes her teaching credentials, and gets herself hired as a drama teacher at a prep school, gaining entry for her kids in the process. But even the longest con has to end sometime, and when Gracie's past begins to haunt her new life, the result will be gloriously messy. This should make for excellent poolside reading.
Sweet Little Lies, by Caz Frear. Detective Cat Kinsella is investigating the murder of a housewife, but the case links to her past in ways she couldn't imagine. Eighteen years ago, Cat's family became friendly with a girl named Maryanne while on holiday, and when Maryanne disappeared, Cat's father lied to the investigators. Could her estranged father, who owns a nearby pub, be involved in this case as well? Big buzz for fans of Tana French and Clare Mackintosh.
The Drama Teacher, by Koren Zailckas. It's 2008 and Gracie (or whatever other alias she chooses to use) is struggling to maintain her middle-class lifestyle while her husband hunts for a new job out of town. Gracie, you see, was raised to survive by lying, stealing and grifting. So when times are tough for her and her two kids, and her husband is mostly absent, old instincts kick in. In short order, she ingratiates herself to a wealthy woman, fakes her teaching credentials, and gets herself hired as a drama teacher at a prep school, gaining entry for her kids in the process. But even the longest con has to end sometime, and when Gracie's past begins to haunt her new life, the result will be gloriously messy. This should make for excellent poolside reading.
Sweet Little Lies, by Caz Frear. Detective Cat Kinsella is investigating the murder of a housewife, but the case links to her past in ways she couldn't imagine. Eighteen years ago, Cat's family became friendly with a girl named Maryanne while on holiday, and when Maryanne disappeared, Cat's father lied to the investigators. Could her estranged father, who owns a nearby pub, be involved in this case as well? Big buzz for fans of Tana French and Clare Mackintosh.
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
What I've Been Reading: June 2018
Sometimes I'm lucky enough to get a really good run of fast, compelling reads that I whip through each of them in just a few days. It's rare that I get an entire month full of just such books, but when it does? Well, then I get what follows.
A Summer in Sonoma, by Robyn Carr. Originally published in 2010 and re-released this summer, this tale of four friends who help each other through crises is classic Carr. Cassie has terrible taste in men, until she becomes friends with a guy who helped he when she was in trouble. Too bad he's completely unsuitable... Beth, a doctor whose body is betraying her for a second time, is trying to go it alone. Good friends don't let that sort of thing happen, though. Marty's husband is taking her for granted, and Marty has reached her breaking point. And Julie, married and a mother just out of high school, is struggling to keep her family together. Friends are always there to help one another through...at least when Robyn Carr is writing, anyway. Excellent easy beach reading.
Close Enough to Touch, by Colleen Oakley. After ten years in solitude, tragedy finally forces Jubilee Jenkins out her front door and into the world. She's not an ordinary librarian. She's a woman with an extremely rare allergy--the touch of another human could kill her. Eric Keegan has troubles of his own. He's left behind his ex-wife and daughter while he takes a temporary work assignment hours away, but he's trying to raise his adopted son, the child of his deceased best friend. Endearing and heartfelt, this tale of two people who want what's just out of reach is a compelling read. Highly recommended, especially for fans of JoJo Moyes and Liane Moriarty.
The Female Persuasion, by Meg Wolitzer. Wolitzer (The Uncoupling, The Interestings, etc.) is a favorite of mine, so when I got my copy of her latest novel, I couldn't stop myself from reading it in the span of two days. Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman trying to make the best of an unfortunate situation when she meets feminist icon Faith Frank after a presentation at her university. This chance encounter draws Greer into a life she'd never dared imagine for herself, and further from her high school boyfriend, Cory, whose own life has derailed due to family tragedy. With overarching themes of honesty, loyalty, and admiration, this was a powerful, character-driven story. Excellent. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
White Houses, by Amy Bloom. Bloom (Lucky Us, Away, etc.) is one of my favorite writers--her style is spare, the books seeming deceptively short, but each word is so artfully chosen that a reader is immersed with just a few short phrases. Here, she explores the openly secret relationship between prominent female reporter Lorena "Hick" Hickock and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. After taking a job with the administration and moving into the White House, Hick is not only close to Eleanor, but she also develops an admiring understanding with Franklin, whose own lovers are also an open secret. Fascinating, beautiful, and told with a deft hand. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
The Favorite Sister, by Jessica Knoll. Knoll's 2016 debut, Luckiest Girl Alive, was a staff favorite here at the library, so we've been eager to see how her sophomore effort holds up. The good news? It's just as scathing and savagely funny as her first. The cast and crew of reality TV show Goal Diggers are gearing up for a fifth season, and while some of their onscreen alliances are scripted, they're even more cut-throat in their personal lives. Every one of them has secrets, and some are worth dying...or killing...to keep. Fan favorite Brett is perfectly at ease on camera, but her personal life is a disaster that's getting worse on the daily. Her sister and business partner Kelly, a single mom, is hopeful she'll get cast in the new season and finally move out of her sister's shadow. Stephanie, the veteran, had a bestselling debut novel, but her second and third have been lackluster, and she's desperate for her memoir to hit big to reestablish her relevance and her brand. But is that going to be her downfall? Bold, wry, and witty, this is a tale that highlights just what it takes, and what it can cost, to be successful. Also available in Audio.
The Mars Room, by Rachel Kushner. Kushner's gritty latest finds Romy Hall in 2003, serving two consecutive life sentences in Stanville Women's Correctional Facility deep in California's Central Valley. She's been severed from the outside world, from the San Francisco of her youth and from her young son, Jackson. Inside, there is a new world to learn and navigate, that of hustling to survive, the absurdities of institutional living, and casual violence. While not for the faint of heart, this is a novel full of brilliantly diverse stories interwoven into a mesmerizing tale. Also available in Audio.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark, by Michelle McNamara. The Golden State Killer was an elusive rapist turned murderer who terrorized California in the late 1970s and early 1980s before, it seems, going dormant, leaving over fifty unsolved cases and ten dead in his wake. Thirty years later, true crime journalist Michelle McNamara, creator of TrueCrimeDiary.com, pored over police reports and interviewed victims and neighbors, determined to identify the unknown perpetrator. This is her work, culled in parts from her notes, unfinished at the time of her untimely death. Note: this helped reignite interest in these cases, and the GSK was caught in April 2018. Compulsively readable and fascinating. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman. Eleanor Oliphant has a flat and a job. She struggles with appropriate social interactions and her weeks are governed by a schedule that includes weekly phone calls with her mother and weekends dulled by vodka. It's only when she meets new coworker Raymond, and they together help Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, that Eleanor's careful routines begin to change. It's only as each of these lonely souls open up to one another that Eleanor finally begins to work out that she's only been existing, and that connecting with others is part of really living. Funny and thoughtful and absolutely perfect--I highly recommend it, and the audiobook is particularly exceptional. Oh, and this has been optioned for film with Reese Witherspoon attached to produce, so expect Eleanor Oliphant to be a household name in the future. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
How to Walk Away, by Katherine Center. For those who love heartfelt novels about overcoming obstacles, like Me Before You, Center's new novel is an absolute must-read. I can't tell you the last time I so much wanted to see a character come out on top after adversity. Margaret Jacobsen is on the cusp of all of her happily-ever-afters. She's got her dream job lined up. She's getting engaged. Then in an instant, Margaret must learn to start over. Nothing can ever be the same, but as the old falls away, new relationships are built. Old hurts can be healed, but some things must be let go before we can move on. I loved this book and these characters and I recommend it very, very highly.
Shelter in Place, by Nora Roberts. In the span of eight minutes, the normal evening at the Down East Mall in Portland, Maine is shattered. That's how long it takes from the first shot fired to the last of three rampaging teen shooters to be taken down. The survivors, in their grief and shock, do their best to cope in the aftermath. For the young waiter on break, it is the impetus to enroll in the police academy. For the first person to call 9-1-1, it becomes a wellspring of creative inspiration as she uses art to work through her grief. But for one individual, the evening was unfinished. For the mastermind behind the three shooters, the survivors are simply new targets. And those who remain must work to stop it before they're in the cross-hairs. A little different for Roberts, but excellent reading. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
The Outsider, by Stephen King. King, who has shifted in recent outings to more suspense with a supernatural twist (what I'm saying here is, if you think his work is too scary for you, try the new stuff), brings readers a new fight between good and evil. When a crime is committed in a small community, people are shocked and appalled. When the apparent perpetrator turns out to be well-loved teacher and Little League coach Terry Maitland, there is outrage and fury. Before his day in court can happen, however, Maitland is killed--but the investigation has only just begun. Because there's no way Maitland could have done it, not only because it was so uncharacteristic, but because he was in a different part of the state, on television, with witnesses, at the time the crime was committed. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Don't let the page-length put you off, because this is a fast, gripping read. Just a helpful hint from your friendly librarian, though--if you haven't read King's recent Bill Hodges trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, End of Watch), you might want to read that first, as one of the key characters in said trilogy makes an important appearance in The Outsider.
Waking Gods, by Sylvain Neuvel. Second in Neuvel's spellbindingly unique Themis Files, following his debut, Sleeping Giants (2016). As a girl, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried in the earth. As an adult, she has devoted her life to the study of the hand, and of the other pieces that fit together with it. Why was this giant robot disassembled, the pieces scattered across the planet? With every answer comes more questions. The situation grows dire when a second robot appears on Earth, only to attack. Then, more robots, each appearing in highly populated areas. If their intent is malicious, can they be stopped? No sophomore slump here, this is both action-packed suspense and thought-provoking philosophy wrapped up in an incredibly fast read. I'd recommend this for fans of Andy Weir's The Martian or Ernest Cline's Ready Player One.
Have a safe and happy 4th!
A Summer in Sonoma, by Robyn Carr. Originally published in 2010 and re-released this summer, this tale of four friends who help each other through crises is classic Carr. Cassie has terrible taste in men, until she becomes friends with a guy who helped he when she was in trouble. Too bad he's completely unsuitable... Beth, a doctor whose body is betraying her for a second time, is trying to go it alone. Good friends don't let that sort of thing happen, though. Marty's husband is taking her for granted, and Marty has reached her breaking point. And Julie, married and a mother just out of high school, is struggling to keep her family together. Friends are always there to help one another through...at least when Robyn Carr is writing, anyway. Excellent easy beach reading.
Close Enough to Touch, by Colleen Oakley. After ten years in solitude, tragedy finally forces Jubilee Jenkins out her front door and into the world. She's not an ordinary librarian. She's a woman with an extremely rare allergy--the touch of another human could kill her. Eric Keegan has troubles of his own. He's left behind his ex-wife and daughter while he takes a temporary work assignment hours away, but he's trying to raise his adopted son, the child of his deceased best friend. Endearing and heartfelt, this tale of two people who want what's just out of reach is a compelling read. Highly recommended, especially for fans of JoJo Moyes and Liane Moriarty.
The Female Persuasion, by Meg Wolitzer. Wolitzer (The Uncoupling, The Interestings, etc.) is a favorite of mine, so when I got my copy of her latest novel, I couldn't stop myself from reading it in the span of two days. Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman trying to make the best of an unfortunate situation when she meets feminist icon Faith Frank after a presentation at her university. This chance encounter draws Greer into a life she'd never dared imagine for herself, and further from her high school boyfriend, Cory, whose own life has derailed due to family tragedy. With overarching themes of honesty, loyalty, and admiration, this was a powerful, character-driven story. Excellent. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
White Houses, by Amy Bloom. Bloom (Lucky Us, Away, etc.) is one of my favorite writers--her style is spare, the books seeming deceptively short, but each word is so artfully chosen that a reader is immersed with just a few short phrases. Here, she explores the openly secret relationship between prominent female reporter Lorena "Hick" Hickock and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. After taking a job with the administration and moving into the White House, Hick is not only close to Eleanor, but she also develops an admiring understanding with Franklin, whose own lovers are also an open secret. Fascinating, beautiful, and told with a deft hand. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
The Favorite Sister, by Jessica Knoll. Knoll's 2016 debut, Luckiest Girl Alive, was a staff favorite here at the library, so we've been eager to see how her sophomore effort holds up. The good news? It's just as scathing and savagely funny as her first. The cast and crew of reality TV show Goal Diggers are gearing up for a fifth season, and while some of their onscreen alliances are scripted, they're even more cut-throat in their personal lives. Every one of them has secrets, and some are worth dying...or killing...to keep. Fan favorite Brett is perfectly at ease on camera, but her personal life is a disaster that's getting worse on the daily. Her sister and business partner Kelly, a single mom, is hopeful she'll get cast in the new season and finally move out of her sister's shadow. Stephanie, the veteran, had a bestselling debut novel, but her second and third have been lackluster, and she's desperate for her memoir to hit big to reestablish her relevance and her brand. But is that going to be her downfall? Bold, wry, and witty, this is a tale that highlights just what it takes, and what it can cost, to be successful. Also available in Audio.
The Mars Room, by Rachel Kushner. Kushner's gritty latest finds Romy Hall in 2003, serving two consecutive life sentences in Stanville Women's Correctional Facility deep in California's Central Valley. She's been severed from the outside world, from the San Francisco of her youth and from her young son, Jackson. Inside, there is a new world to learn and navigate, that of hustling to survive, the absurdities of institutional living, and casual violence. While not for the faint of heart, this is a novel full of brilliantly diverse stories interwoven into a mesmerizing tale. Also available in Audio.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark, by Michelle McNamara. The Golden State Killer was an elusive rapist turned murderer who terrorized California in the late 1970s and early 1980s before, it seems, going dormant, leaving over fifty unsolved cases and ten dead in his wake. Thirty years later, true crime journalist Michelle McNamara, creator of TrueCrimeDiary.com, pored over police reports and interviewed victims and neighbors, determined to identify the unknown perpetrator. This is her work, culled in parts from her notes, unfinished at the time of her untimely death. Note: this helped reignite interest in these cases, and the GSK was caught in April 2018. Compulsively readable and fascinating. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman. Eleanor Oliphant has a flat and a job. She struggles with appropriate social interactions and her weeks are governed by a schedule that includes weekly phone calls with her mother and weekends dulled by vodka. It's only when she meets new coworker Raymond, and they together help Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, that Eleanor's careful routines begin to change. It's only as each of these lonely souls open up to one another that Eleanor finally begins to work out that she's only been existing, and that connecting with others is part of really living. Funny and thoughtful and absolutely perfect--I highly recommend it, and the audiobook is particularly exceptional. Oh, and this has been optioned for film with Reese Witherspoon attached to produce, so expect Eleanor Oliphant to be a household name in the future. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
How to Walk Away, by Katherine Center. For those who love heartfelt novels about overcoming obstacles, like Me Before You, Center's new novel is an absolute must-read. I can't tell you the last time I so much wanted to see a character come out on top after adversity. Margaret Jacobsen is on the cusp of all of her happily-ever-afters. She's got her dream job lined up. She's getting engaged. Then in an instant, Margaret must learn to start over. Nothing can ever be the same, but as the old falls away, new relationships are built. Old hurts can be healed, but some things must be let go before we can move on. I loved this book and these characters and I recommend it very, very highly.
Shelter in Place, by Nora Roberts. In the span of eight minutes, the normal evening at the Down East Mall in Portland, Maine is shattered. That's how long it takes from the first shot fired to the last of three rampaging teen shooters to be taken down. The survivors, in their grief and shock, do their best to cope in the aftermath. For the young waiter on break, it is the impetus to enroll in the police academy. For the first person to call 9-1-1, it becomes a wellspring of creative inspiration as she uses art to work through her grief. But for one individual, the evening was unfinished. For the mastermind behind the three shooters, the survivors are simply new targets. And those who remain must work to stop it before they're in the cross-hairs. A little different for Roberts, but excellent reading. Also available in Large Print and Audio.
The Outsider, by Stephen King. King, who has shifted in recent outings to more suspense with a supernatural twist (what I'm saying here is, if you think his work is too scary for you, try the new stuff), brings readers a new fight between good and evil. When a crime is committed in a small community, people are shocked and appalled. When the apparent perpetrator turns out to be well-loved teacher and Little League coach Terry Maitland, there is outrage and fury. Before his day in court can happen, however, Maitland is killed--but the investigation has only just begun. Because there's no way Maitland could have done it, not only because it was so uncharacteristic, but because he was in a different part of the state, on television, with witnesses, at the time the crime was committed. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Don't let the page-length put you off, because this is a fast, gripping read. Just a helpful hint from your friendly librarian, though--if you haven't read King's recent Bill Hodges trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, End of Watch), you might want to read that first, as one of the key characters in said trilogy makes an important appearance in The Outsider.
Waking Gods, by Sylvain Neuvel. Second in Neuvel's spellbindingly unique Themis Files, following his debut, Sleeping Giants (2016). As a girl, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried in the earth. As an adult, she has devoted her life to the study of the hand, and of the other pieces that fit together with it. Why was this giant robot disassembled, the pieces scattered across the planet? With every answer comes more questions. The situation grows dire when a second robot appears on Earth, only to attack. Then, more robots, each appearing in highly populated areas. If their intent is malicious, can they be stopped? No sophomore slump here, this is both action-packed suspense and thought-provoking philosophy wrapped up in an incredibly fast read. I'd recommend this for fans of Andy Weir's The Martian or Ernest Cline's Ready Player One.
Have a safe and happy 4th!
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Meg's Picks: July 2018, part 3
It's that time again! School's out, summer reading is in and books are flying off the shelves here at the Trumbull Library. We have summer reading programs for adults and for kids, so stop on in to sign up! And of course we have some excellent displays full of titles perfect for a lazy summer afternoon or toting with you on vacation. Just remember, books and liquids are not friends!
Dear Mrs. Bird, by A.J. Pearce. In 1940s London, Emmeline Lake is doing her bit for the war effort by volunteering as a telephone operator for the Auxiliary Fire Services, but she dreams of being a war correspondent. When she sees a job advertisement for the London Evening Chronicle, Emmeline believes her time has come. The job, however, turns out to be as a typist for the paper's advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Undeterred, Emmeline vows to work hard, even as the exacting Mrs. Bird requires any letters containing "unpleasantness" be immediately discarded, unanswered. Unable to resist the pleas of women desperate for help, those unwilling to evacuate their children or who find themselves discarded by their men going off to war, Emmeline begins to answer these letters in secret. A novel by turns funny and touching about the strength of ordinary people in extraordinary times, this is perfect for fans of moving novels about World War II, like Lilac Girls or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
The Garden Party, by Grace Dane Mazur. The garden party is the rehearsal dinner where two very different families will meet for the first time. Adam Cohen, a poet from a very eccentric, scholarly family is marrying Eliza Barlow, the daughter of stuffy, proper Boston lawyers. The story takes place over the course of a day, with romance in the air and an extended cast that ensures hilarity and mishap at every turn. The event itself this lovely summer evening, of course, does not go according to plan, either. Elegant prose and deft storytelling make this an enchanting summer read.
Dear Mrs. Bird, by A.J. Pearce. In 1940s London, Emmeline Lake is doing her bit for the war effort by volunteering as a telephone operator for the Auxiliary Fire Services, but she dreams of being a war correspondent. When she sees a job advertisement for the London Evening Chronicle, Emmeline believes her time has come. The job, however, turns out to be as a typist for the paper's advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Undeterred, Emmeline vows to work hard, even as the exacting Mrs. Bird requires any letters containing "unpleasantness" be immediately discarded, unanswered. Unable to resist the pleas of women desperate for help, those unwilling to evacuate their children or who find themselves discarded by their men going off to war, Emmeline begins to answer these letters in secret. A novel by turns funny and touching about the strength of ordinary people in extraordinary times, this is perfect for fans of moving novels about World War II, like Lilac Girls or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
The Garden Party, by Grace Dane Mazur. The garden party is the rehearsal dinner where two very different families will meet for the first time. Adam Cohen, a poet from a very eccentric, scholarly family is marrying Eliza Barlow, the daughter of stuffy, proper Boston lawyers. The story takes place over the course of a day, with romance in the air and an extended cast that ensures hilarity and mishap at every turn. The event itself this lovely summer evening, of course, does not go according to plan, either. Elegant prose and deft storytelling make this an enchanting summer read.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Meg's Picks: July 2018, part 1
Anyone can read what's on the bestseller's list. But what about those breakout novels that no one saw coming? What about about the sleeper hits, or the genre novels, or the in-house favorites that your local librarian is raving about? These? These are some of those. Curious why they're on my radar and should be on yours? Read on!
All Your Perfects, by Colleen Hoover. Hoover is the bestselling author of It Ends With Us, and her new novel is the story of a troubled marriage...and the one long-forgotten promise that might be able to save it. Quinn and Graham are perfectly in love, but that is threatened by their most imperfect marriage. The memories and mistakes and secrets that have accumulated over the years are slowly tearing them apart. Is it possible to repair that which seems irreparable between two flawed people? If you like losing yourself in a character-driven story, this really should be on your list this summer. It is already on mine!
The Disappearing, by Lori Roy. Roy, who won an Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 2012 for Bent Road (the library's copy is being replaced!) returns to readers here with the tale of a small Southern town where the girls disappear and the boys run away. Lane Fielding fled her tiny Florida hometown after high school, setting out for NYC and vowing never to return home. Twenty years later, she's newly divorced with two teenage daughters and she's living with her parents, tending bar in the local dive. Home is just as unwelcoming as when she left, however, and when her older daughter suddenly vanishes, Lane's uneasy truce with the town is shattered. Has a long-dormant serial killer resurfaced to terrorize the town once more? Lane must dig deep within the past--her own as well as those of the town and her family--to find the answer and to save her daughter. If your ideal summer read is a page-turner guaranteed to send chills down your spine, you'd be wise to place your hold now.
All These Beautiful Strangers, by Elizabeth Klehfoth. Lies, deception and a secret society drive this addictive new psychological thriller. One summer day, Grace Fairchild, young wife of a local real estate mogul, vanishes from the family's vacation house, leaving behind her seven year old daughter Charlie...and a slew of unanswered questions. Ten years later, Charlie is still struggling in the shadow of her mother's disappearance and is trying to leave her past behind. She throws herself into her schoolwork, but finds herself tapped by the "As", the school's secret society. As a result, she's embroiled in a semester-long high-stakes scavenger hunt to prove she's worthy of membership, but a dark past and a dark present converge in such a way that Charlie may not survive to graduate. Juicy and clever, this may be one of the summer's biggest reads.
All Your Perfects, by Colleen Hoover. Hoover is the bestselling author of It Ends With Us, and her new novel is the story of a troubled marriage...and the one long-forgotten promise that might be able to save it. Quinn and Graham are perfectly in love, but that is threatened by their most imperfect marriage. The memories and mistakes and secrets that have accumulated over the years are slowly tearing them apart. Is it possible to repair that which seems irreparable between two flawed people? If you like losing yourself in a character-driven story, this really should be on your list this summer. It is already on mine!
The Disappearing, by Lori Roy. Roy, who won an Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 2012 for Bent Road (the library's copy is being replaced!) returns to readers here with the tale of a small Southern town where the girls disappear and the boys run away. Lane Fielding fled her tiny Florida hometown after high school, setting out for NYC and vowing never to return home. Twenty years later, she's newly divorced with two teenage daughters and she's living with her parents, tending bar in the local dive. Home is just as unwelcoming as when she left, however, and when her older daughter suddenly vanishes, Lane's uneasy truce with the town is shattered. Has a long-dormant serial killer resurfaced to terrorize the town once more? Lane must dig deep within the past--her own as well as those of the town and her family--to find the answer and to save her daughter. If your ideal summer read is a page-turner guaranteed to send chills down your spine, you'd be wise to place your hold now.
All These Beautiful Strangers, by Elizabeth Klehfoth. Lies, deception and a secret society drive this addictive new psychological thriller. One summer day, Grace Fairchild, young wife of a local real estate mogul, vanishes from the family's vacation house, leaving behind her seven year old daughter Charlie...and a slew of unanswered questions. Ten years later, Charlie is still struggling in the shadow of her mother's disappearance and is trying to leave her past behind. She throws herself into her schoolwork, but finds herself tapped by the "As", the school's secret society. As a result, she's embroiled in a semester-long high-stakes scavenger hunt to prove she's worthy of membership, but a dark past and a dark present converge in such a way that Charlie may not survive to graduate. Juicy and clever, this may be one of the summer's biggest reads.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Reading Ahead: July 2018, part 4
Want a summer read guaranteed to hit you right in the feels? Here are several that fit the bill.
When We Found Home, by Susan Mallery. Callie Smith doesn't love being alone, but at least it's safe. That why, after years of having no family, she finds out she has two siblings: privileged Malcolm and street-wise Keira. Wary but daring to hope anyway, Callie moves into the grand family estate with her siblings and their grandfather. Maybe this will be the beginning of a new, better chapter? But starting over can be complicated, even as the different personalities learn how to be a family, instead of alone.
Every Time You Go Away, by Beth Harbison. After the sudden death of her husband, Ben, Willa never really recovered, sinking into her grief and being an absent mother, at best, to her son Jamie. Years later, she decides it's time to return to the house where Ben died, to part with the house and its past and sell it. The house turns out to be a bigger, and more emotional, project than Willa could have imagined, and family and friends come together to help one another through it. Billed as Harbison's most emotional novel yet.
Cottage by the Sea, by Debbie Macomber. Following personal tragedy, Annie heads back to the one place that made her happy in the past: Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest. Thanks to the people she meets there, Annie begins to heal, to connect with her neighbors and her community, to begin to move forward. Then her tenuous happiness threatens to disappear, and Annie must choose whether or not to risk it all. Also available in Large Print.
The Good Fight, by Danielle Steel. Growing up the daughter and granddaughter of prominent Manhattan lawyers, Meredith McKenzie is headed for greatness. But she rebels against the traditional trappings her parents want for her. It's the 1960s and they expect her to be a debutante, be a conventional young lady, but instead Meredith becomes deeply involved in the civil rights movement and works to end the war in Vietnam. Set vividly against the events of the time, Meredith becomes part of the vanguard of a new generation of women, determined to break down boundaries. Also available in Large Print.
When We Found Home, by Susan Mallery. Callie Smith doesn't love being alone, but at least it's safe. That why, after years of having no family, she finds out she has two siblings: privileged Malcolm and street-wise Keira. Wary but daring to hope anyway, Callie moves into the grand family estate with her siblings and their grandfather. Maybe this will be the beginning of a new, better chapter? But starting over can be complicated, even as the different personalities learn how to be a family, instead of alone.
Every Time You Go Away, by Beth Harbison. After the sudden death of her husband, Ben, Willa never really recovered, sinking into her grief and being an absent mother, at best, to her son Jamie. Years later, she decides it's time to return to the house where Ben died, to part with the house and its past and sell it. The house turns out to be a bigger, and more emotional, project than Willa could have imagined, and family and friends come together to help one another through it. Billed as Harbison's most emotional novel yet.
Cottage by the Sea, by Debbie Macomber. Following personal tragedy, Annie heads back to the one place that made her happy in the past: Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest. Thanks to the people she meets there, Annie begins to heal, to connect with her neighbors and her community, to begin to move forward. Then her tenuous happiness threatens to disappear, and Annie must choose whether or not to risk it all. Also available in Large Print.
The Good Fight, by Danielle Steel. Growing up the daughter and granddaughter of prominent Manhattan lawyers, Meredith McKenzie is headed for greatness. But she rebels against the traditional trappings her parents want for her. It's the 1960s and they expect her to be a debutante, be a conventional young lady, but instead Meredith becomes deeply involved in the civil rights movement and works to end the war in Vietnam. Set vividly against the events of the time, Meredith becomes part of the vanguard of a new generation of women, determined to break down boundaries. Also available in Large Print.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Reading Ahead: July 2018, part 3
One of the best parts of summer, for me, is the opportunity to take one of those long, lazy afternoons and lose myself in a book. If you're looking for a story to lose yourself in this summer, try one of the following, due out next month.
Clock Dance, by Anne Tyler. In a novel of defining moments and transformation, Tyler (Ladder of Years, etc.) introduces readers to Willa Drake, whose life is captured in snapshots of pivotal moments: the disappearance of her mother, a newlywed, a young widow. What happens next is completely out of character, a leap of faith that takes her across the country to care for a family she's never met, surrounded by neighbors that look out for one another, impulse leading to solace. Tyler is a favorite for a reason. Also available in Large Print.
The Summer Wives, by Beatriz Williams. In 1951, Miranda is still a schoolgirl still mourning the loss of her father in WWII. When her mother marries Hugh Fisher, Miranda is suddenly thrust into a life of the moneyed elite, arriving unprepared at the Fisher summer home on Winthrop Island. World-weary new stepsister Isobel is eager to introduce Miranda into the arcane customs of the summer families on Winthrop, but Miranda is uneasy, preferring the company of Joseph Vargas, whose father is the island's lighthouse keeper. As the summer winds to a close, though, Miranda is caught up in a catastrophe that changes the island's cherished tranquility forever. When she returns to the island eighteen years later, everything is the same on the surface. What lurks beneath, though, are secrets that Miranda means to reveal, no matter the cost.
A Question of Trust, by Penny Vincenzi. 1950s London. Tom is a man on the rise, charismatic, bent on political reform. His wife, a former nurse, shares his vision. Then a woman from his past resurfaces--Diana seems to be everything he means to change in the world, but there's still a certain allure. The affair between them could destroy them both, and when Tom's child becomes ill, he will have to make choices that put his marriage and his political career in serious jeopardy. Classic Vincenzi.
The Quiet Side of Passion, by Alexander McCall-Smith. The day-care gate is often a good place for parents to meet one another. So it is that Isabel, mother of two, meets Patricia, a single mother and musician. Patricia takes to Isabelle, but Isabel is wary, trying to be civil and supportive while keeping Patricia at arm's length. When she sees Patricia with a man, she is convinced that it is the biological father of Patricia's son, and her determination to get to the bottom of things turns everything on its head. What happens when you find you've misjudged all of the people in your life? Isabel is about to find out.
Clock Dance, by Anne Tyler. In a novel of defining moments and transformation, Tyler (Ladder of Years, etc.) introduces readers to Willa Drake, whose life is captured in snapshots of pivotal moments: the disappearance of her mother, a newlywed, a young widow. What happens next is completely out of character, a leap of faith that takes her across the country to care for a family she's never met, surrounded by neighbors that look out for one another, impulse leading to solace. Tyler is a favorite for a reason. Also available in Large Print.
The Summer Wives, by Beatriz Williams. In 1951, Miranda is still a schoolgirl still mourning the loss of her father in WWII. When her mother marries Hugh Fisher, Miranda is suddenly thrust into a life of the moneyed elite, arriving unprepared at the Fisher summer home on Winthrop Island. World-weary new stepsister Isobel is eager to introduce Miranda into the arcane customs of the summer families on Winthrop, but Miranda is uneasy, preferring the company of Joseph Vargas, whose father is the island's lighthouse keeper. As the summer winds to a close, though, Miranda is caught up in a catastrophe that changes the island's cherished tranquility forever. When she returns to the island eighteen years later, everything is the same on the surface. What lurks beneath, though, are secrets that Miranda means to reveal, no matter the cost.
A Question of Trust, by Penny Vincenzi. 1950s London. Tom is a man on the rise, charismatic, bent on political reform. His wife, a former nurse, shares his vision. Then a woman from his past resurfaces--Diana seems to be everything he means to change in the world, but there's still a certain allure. The affair between them could destroy them both, and when Tom's child becomes ill, he will have to make choices that put his marriage and his political career in serious jeopardy. Classic Vincenzi.
The Quiet Side of Passion, by Alexander McCall-Smith. The day-care gate is often a good place for parents to meet one another. So it is that Isabel, mother of two, meets Patricia, a single mother and musician. Patricia takes to Isabelle, but Isabel is wary, trying to be civil and supportive while keeping Patricia at arm's length. When she sees Patricia with a man, she is convinced that it is the biological father of Patricia's son, and her determination to get to the bottom of things turns everything on its head. What happens when you find you've misjudged all of the people in your life? Isabel is about to find out.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
What I've Been Reading: May 2018
I'm sort of shocked, looking back at this past month, at just how many books I managed to read! It's a mix, historical fiction, memoir, suspense, contemporary fiction. I typically read whatever strikes my fancy at any given moment, so it can vary wildly! There are so many this month, I'm shortening my reviews just a bit. Without any further ado...
Mrs., by Caitlyn Macy. Three women who don't quite fit the mold are thrown together by social happenstance--all three have children who attend the same elite NYC grammar school. Philippa is a woman with a shadowy past, Gwen is often mistaken for the family nanny, and Minnie is a newcomer, determined to find a way into the elite social circles. But when scandal strikes, nothing will ever be the same...for any of them. If you love a good, gossipy summer read, add this to your list.
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. While I'd read Jane Eyre in college, I decided to reread it for my May book club meeting. I'd forgotten how sad Jane's story was, orphaned young and ill-treated by her distant relatives before being sent away to a school where she'd make the best friends of her life. And later, the mysterious Mr. Rochester enters the scene, both enthralling and ominous. We got some excellent discussion from this classic!
Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee. A 2017 National Award Finalist, Pachinko follows the story of one Korean family from the early 1900s, from the poor daughter of a lame fisherman who falls for a wealthy stranger, and after finding that she is pregnant and he is already married, marries a sickly but kind pastor and emigrates with him to Japan. Their family struggles on, through war and lean times, into the 1980s, and new opportunities. Excellent, moving and very entertaining.
Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris. I love David Sedaris; his essays and stories make me laugh like no other. Tales here include his move to Paris and his valiant efforts to learn French, his experiences as a performance artist, and his disastrous year as a writing professor. I laughed til I cried.
Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen before setting foot in a classroom. She'd never been to see a doctor or a nurse; her father was deeply mistrustful of the medical establishment. It was years before she had an actual birth certificate, and no one in her family is sure, still, what her exact birthday is--the government was not to be trusted. And yet, after one of her older brothers goes off to college, Tara decides to try a different kind of life, one that ultimately leads to Harvard and Oxford. Completely fascinating--I could not put this down.
Never Too Late, by Robyn Carr. I borrowed this from Overdrive, as the library's print copy is being replaced. Clare Wilson is starting over. She's ending her marriage to a serial cheater, finding work that she enjoys, reconnecting with her family. But it takes a brush with death to make her take stock of what's most important. Carr is reliable for fast, easy, character-driven stories.
End of Watch, by Stephen King. Retired police detective Bill Hodges is in failing health, something his friends and his PI partner Holly have been suspecting for months. The thing that keeps him going, though, is a new series of supposed suicides that are just too strange and coincidental to sit right with him. It was the original MO of the murderous Mr. Mercedes, Brady Hartfield, who now sits in what appears to be a vegetative state in the brain injury ward of the local hospital. But, Bill wonders, what if Brady is much more alert and aware than he lets on? With the time on his clock running down, Bill sets out to prove his theory right, and stop Brady once and for all. I needed to read this before I went on to King's new book, The Outsider, and I'm really glad I did.
Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate. In the theme of Christina Baker Kline's The Orphan Train, Wingate's bestseller flips back and forth between past and present. In the past, it is 1939 and Rill Foss's parents have gone into town to the hospital for her mother to have a baby. And then she and her siblings find themselves wards in an orphan's home, slowly being sold off to wealthy families. In the present, Avery Stafford comes from a wealthy, influential family, though she's worried for her grandmother's failing memory. When she stumbles across a long-kept family secret, past meets present in a hurry. Slightly uneven, as the past story was more compelling, but still very readable and made even more enthralling as the events were based on a real "baby broker".
The Alienist, by Caleb Carr. While this has been on my reading bucket list for some time, it took the recent miniseries to get me to finally dig in. In 1896 New York City, criminal profiling is in its infancy. A reporter and a psychologist (an "alienist") team up for an unprecedented endeavor--creating a psychological profile of a serial killer in order to predict his next moves...and stop him. With a fast-paced plot and exquisite historical detail, this is a suspense novel like no other.
Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng. Three families. One, a childless couple waiting impatiently to adopt. Another, large and wealthy, well-established. And a third, a mother and daughter who move often and are only in town perhaps for a year while the mother, an artist, works on a new series of photographs. What none of them expect this year is that all three families will become hopelessly entwined and forever changed, that some will come out stronger, more sure, and others will find their trajectories altered irrevocably. I read this in a sitting, I just couldn't put it down.
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library, by Sue Halpern. I am so in love with this book, I cannot begin to tell you. Kit has run from her past, and hides in plain sight as a librarian in the failing mill town of Riverton, New Hampshire. She lives a small, solitary life and prefers it that way. The last thing she wants is to spend a summer shadowed by fifteen-year-old Sunny, who has been sentenced to a summer of community service at the library for trying to steal, of all things, a dictionary from a book store. Sunny, however, becomes the crack in the foundation of Kit's carefully constructed walls, and the summer is one of growth and change and challenges for both of them, each extricating herself from a past beyond her control. I never expected to love this book the way I do.
The Whispering Room, by Dean Koontz. Second in Koontz's new series featuring rogue FBI agent Jane Hawk follows Jane as she pursues the shadowy cabal of powerful, influential players who are at the helm of a mind-control conspiracy of terrifying proportions. They never banked on a woman driven by love and fear, a woman willing to go rogue to take them down.
Commonwealth, by Ann Patchett. One chance encounter, one uninvited guest at a family gathering, and the fates of two families are changed for generations. The Keating and the Cousins families would never have known one another until there are two divorces, a marriage, and suddenly all of the kids are spending summers in West Virginia together, and half of them are in California the rest of the year. Their bonds, lasting into adulthood, stem from a shared disillusionment of their parents and a strange sort of kinship in the wake of one tragic summer. While initially I had a little trouble with the timeline, once I figured it out, I was hooked. I adore Patchett's writing.
Mrs., by Caitlyn Macy. Three women who don't quite fit the mold are thrown together by social happenstance--all three have children who attend the same elite NYC grammar school. Philippa is a woman with a shadowy past, Gwen is often mistaken for the family nanny, and Minnie is a newcomer, determined to find a way into the elite social circles. But when scandal strikes, nothing will ever be the same...for any of them. If you love a good, gossipy summer read, add this to your list.
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. While I'd read Jane Eyre in college, I decided to reread it for my May book club meeting. I'd forgotten how sad Jane's story was, orphaned young and ill-treated by her distant relatives before being sent away to a school where she'd make the best friends of her life. And later, the mysterious Mr. Rochester enters the scene, both enthralling and ominous. We got some excellent discussion from this classic!
Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee. A 2017 National Award Finalist, Pachinko follows the story of one Korean family from the early 1900s, from the poor daughter of a lame fisherman who falls for a wealthy stranger, and after finding that she is pregnant and he is already married, marries a sickly but kind pastor and emigrates with him to Japan. Their family struggles on, through war and lean times, into the 1980s, and new opportunities. Excellent, moving and very entertaining.
Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris. I love David Sedaris; his essays and stories make me laugh like no other. Tales here include his move to Paris and his valiant efforts to learn French, his experiences as a performance artist, and his disastrous year as a writing professor. I laughed til I cried.
Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen before setting foot in a classroom. She'd never been to see a doctor or a nurse; her father was deeply mistrustful of the medical establishment. It was years before she had an actual birth certificate, and no one in her family is sure, still, what her exact birthday is--the government was not to be trusted. And yet, after one of her older brothers goes off to college, Tara decides to try a different kind of life, one that ultimately leads to Harvard and Oxford. Completely fascinating--I could not put this down.
Never Too Late, by Robyn Carr. I borrowed this from Overdrive, as the library's print copy is being replaced. Clare Wilson is starting over. She's ending her marriage to a serial cheater, finding work that she enjoys, reconnecting with her family. But it takes a brush with death to make her take stock of what's most important. Carr is reliable for fast, easy, character-driven stories.
End of Watch, by Stephen King. Retired police detective Bill Hodges is in failing health, something his friends and his PI partner Holly have been suspecting for months. The thing that keeps him going, though, is a new series of supposed suicides that are just too strange and coincidental to sit right with him. It was the original MO of the murderous Mr. Mercedes, Brady Hartfield, who now sits in what appears to be a vegetative state in the brain injury ward of the local hospital. But, Bill wonders, what if Brady is much more alert and aware than he lets on? With the time on his clock running down, Bill sets out to prove his theory right, and stop Brady once and for all. I needed to read this before I went on to King's new book, The Outsider, and I'm really glad I did.
Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate. In the theme of Christina Baker Kline's The Orphan Train, Wingate's bestseller flips back and forth between past and present. In the past, it is 1939 and Rill Foss's parents have gone into town to the hospital for her mother to have a baby. And then she and her siblings find themselves wards in an orphan's home, slowly being sold off to wealthy families. In the present, Avery Stafford comes from a wealthy, influential family, though she's worried for her grandmother's failing memory. When she stumbles across a long-kept family secret, past meets present in a hurry. Slightly uneven, as the past story was more compelling, but still very readable and made even more enthralling as the events were based on a real "baby broker".
The Alienist, by Caleb Carr. While this has been on my reading bucket list for some time, it took the recent miniseries to get me to finally dig in. In 1896 New York City, criminal profiling is in its infancy. A reporter and a psychologist (an "alienist") team up for an unprecedented endeavor--creating a psychological profile of a serial killer in order to predict his next moves...and stop him. With a fast-paced plot and exquisite historical detail, this is a suspense novel like no other.
Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng. Three families. One, a childless couple waiting impatiently to adopt. Another, large and wealthy, well-established. And a third, a mother and daughter who move often and are only in town perhaps for a year while the mother, an artist, works on a new series of photographs. What none of them expect this year is that all three families will become hopelessly entwined and forever changed, that some will come out stronger, more sure, and others will find their trajectories altered irrevocably. I read this in a sitting, I just couldn't put it down.
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library, by Sue Halpern. I am so in love with this book, I cannot begin to tell you. Kit has run from her past, and hides in plain sight as a librarian in the failing mill town of Riverton, New Hampshire. She lives a small, solitary life and prefers it that way. The last thing she wants is to spend a summer shadowed by fifteen-year-old Sunny, who has been sentenced to a summer of community service at the library for trying to steal, of all things, a dictionary from a book store. Sunny, however, becomes the crack in the foundation of Kit's carefully constructed walls, and the summer is one of growth and change and challenges for both of them, each extricating herself from a past beyond her control. I never expected to love this book the way I do.
The Whispering Room, by Dean Koontz. Second in Koontz's new series featuring rogue FBI agent Jane Hawk follows Jane as she pursues the shadowy cabal of powerful, influential players who are at the helm of a mind-control conspiracy of terrifying proportions. They never banked on a woman driven by love and fear, a woman willing to go rogue to take them down.
Commonwealth, by Ann Patchett. One chance encounter, one uninvited guest at a family gathering, and the fates of two families are changed for generations. The Keating and the Cousins families would never have known one another until there are two divorces, a marriage, and suddenly all of the kids are spending summers in West Virginia together, and half of them are in California the rest of the year. Their bonds, lasting into adulthood, stem from a shared disillusionment of their parents and a strange sort of kinship in the wake of one tragic summer. While initially I had a little trouble with the timeline, once I figured it out, I was hooked. I adore Patchett's writing.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Meg's Picks: June 2018, part 2
Are you a fan of those great beach reads, you know the ones? The ones full of secrets and lies, truths hidden so long that they couldn't possibly be exposed...until they are and everything comes crashing down in spectacular fashion? The dishy ones you can't possibly put down? Yeah, those ones. If you are, here are a few you won't want to miss, coming to the library next month!
Jar of Hearts, by Jennifer Hillier. Georgina "Geo" Shaw is a high-powered executive with a wealthy CEO fiance, but all of that comes crashing down when it's uncovered that 14 years ago, her then-boyfriend killed her best friend Angela...and that she helped him dispose of Angela's body. Her role, and her silence, get her up to five years of jail time. Told alternating between past and present, the story begins at the start of Geo's jail term, and with one mystery solved, it's only a matter of time before more truth is uncovered. If you're looking for a slick, sharp thriller with plenty of twists, this is for you.
You Were Made for This, by Michelle Sacks. If you liked A.J. Finn's The Woman in the Window, you'd do well to check out Sacks's buzzworthy debut. Merry and Sam seem like the perfect married couple, complete with adorable baby boy. Merry appears to be a devoted wife and mother, and Sam's pleased to see Merry as such a domestic goddess. Sam seems to be the quintessential breadwinner, but has encountered scandal at work. She doesn't seem to notice his erratic behavior, and he misses her discontent in the role he's made for her. No one notices, in fact, until Merry's childhood friend comes for a visit and immediately sees through Merry's facade. But each woman holds a piece to the other's secrets...who will be left standing when truths are revealed?
Social Creature, by Tara Isabella Burton. Small town girl Louise is managing to scrape by in New York City. Then she meets wealthy, off-kilter Lavinia, who introduces the country mouse to champagne, private box seats at the theater, and underground cabaret. The two become inseparable besties, until Lavinia's darker nature starts to show itself, and then it may be too late for Louise. There is a lot of good word-of-mouth going about this debut, sort of a modern day The Talented Mr. Ripley. Expect your friends to be talking this up before the summer's over.
Jar of Hearts, by Jennifer Hillier. Georgina "Geo" Shaw is a high-powered executive with a wealthy CEO fiance, but all of that comes crashing down when it's uncovered that 14 years ago, her then-boyfriend killed her best friend Angela...and that she helped him dispose of Angela's body. Her role, and her silence, get her up to five years of jail time. Told alternating between past and present, the story begins at the start of Geo's jail term, and with one mystery solved, it's only a matter of time before more truth is uncovered. If you're looking for a slick, sharp thriller with plenty of twists, this is for you.
You Were Made for This, by Michelle Sacks. If you liked A.J. Finn's The Woman in the Window, you'd do well to check out Sacks's buzzworthy debut. Merry and Sam seem like the perfect married couple, complete with adorable baby boy. Merry appears to be a devoted wife and mother, and Sam's pleased to see Merry as such a domestic goddess. Sam seems to be the quintessential breadwinner, but has encountered scandal at work. She doesn't seem to notice his erratic behavior, and he misses her discontent in the role he's made for her. No one notices, in fact, until Merry's childhood friend comes for a visit and immediately sees through Merry's facade. But each woman holds a piece to the other's secrets...who will be left standing when truths are revealed?
Social Creature, by Tara Isabella Burton. Small town girl Louise is managing to scrape by in New York City. Then she meets wealthy, off-kilter Lavinia, who introduces the country mouse to champagne, private box seats at the theater, and underground cabaret. The two become inseparable besties, until Lavinia's darker nature starts to show itself, and then it may be too late for Louise. There is a lot of good word-of-mouth going about this debut, sort of a modern day The Talented Mr. Ripley. Expect your friends to be talking this up before the summer's over.
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Reading Ahead: June 2018, part 5
From the heartwarming to the dishy, June's beach reads are sure to please even the pickiest reader!
The Perfect Couple, by Elin Hilderbrand. It wouldn't be summer without an entertaining new beach read from the Queen of Summer herself. Summer, aka Nantucket wedding season, has arrived and the Otis-Winbury wedding will be an affair to remember. The groom's family owns a posh oceanfront estate, after all, and are sparing no expense. But the big day may be memorable for all the wrong reasons after tragedy strikes: a body is found in the harbor just hours before the ceremony is scheduled to begin. Everyone, including the wedding party, is considered a suspect. As the police interview the families and friends, what becomes apparent is that nobody is what they seem...and no couple is perfect. Also available in Large Print.
Dreams of Falling, by Karen White. Lark fled her home of Georgetown, South Carolina nine years ago, humiliated and vowing never to return. When she discovers her mother has disappeared, however, she realizes she has no choice but to go back to the place she both loves and dreads, the place where her friends and family have never stopped missing her. When Lark's mother is found, she's injured and unconscious, found in the crumbling ruin of her ancestral plantation house. Lark digs for answers, but what she finds is startling--secrets buried more than fifty years, love, sacrifice, and betrayal. Also available in Large Print.
Between You and Me, by Susan Wiggs. When Philadelphia surgeon Reese Powell is called upon to treat an Amish boy severely injured in a farming accident, she never expects it to be more than a routine case. The attraction she feels for the boy's guardian, Caleb, is a surprise to both parties. Is there any hope of a future together when their worlds are so very different? Also available in Large Print.
The Perfect Couple, by Elin Hilderbrand. It wouldn't be summer without an entertaining new beach read from the Queen of Summer herself. Summer, aka Nantucket wedding season, has arrived and the Otis-Winbury wedding will be an affair to remember. The groom's family owns a posh oceanfront estate, after all, and are sparing no expense. But the big day may be memorable for all the wrong reasons after tragedy strikes: a body is found in the harbor just hours before the ceremony is scheduled to begin. Everyone, including the wedding party, is considered a suspect. As the police interview the families and friends, what becomes apparent is that nobody is what they seem...and no couple is perfect. Also available in Large Print.
Dreams of Falling, by Karen White. Lark fled her home of Georgetown, South Carolina nine years ago, humiliated and vowing never to return. When she discovers her mother has disappeared, however, she realizes she has no choice but to go back to the place she both loves and dreads, the place where her friends and family have never stopped missing her. When Lark's mother is found, she's injured and unconscious, found in the crumbling ruin of her ancestral plantation house. Lark digs for answers, but what she finds is startling--secrets buried more than fifty years, love, sacrifice, and betrayal. Also available in Large Print.
Between You and Me, by Susan Wiggs. When Philadelphia surgeon Reese Powell is called upon to treat an Amish boy severely injured in a farming accident, she never expects it to be more than a routine case. The attraction she feels for the boy's guardian, Caleb, is a surprise to both parties. Is there any hope of a future together when their worlds are so very different? Also available in Large Print.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Reading Ahead: June 2018, part 4
Beach reads are upon us, whatever the weather!
All We Ever Wanted, by Emily Giffin. A single photograph, snapped in the midst of drunken moments at a party, change everything for three people, uniting them in scandal and forcing them each to choose between their families and their deeply-held values. Nina is living a life beyond her wildest dreams, married to a rich man, mother to an Ivy League student. But has she strayed so far from her modest upbringing? Single dad Tom is working multiple jobs, trying to be a provider and good parent for his headstrong daughter, Lyla. So when she wins a scholarship to a prestigious private school, is it finally safe to ease up on the reins a little? And Lyla, with a strict father and a humble home life, is out of place amidst so much excess in her new environment. Thoughtful beach reading for Giffin fans here. Also available in Large Print.
How Hard Can It Be?, by Allison Pearson. Pearson picks up with Kate Reddy of I Don't Know How She Does It (2002) seven years after the first book closes. Kate is at a crossroads. She's facing her 50th birthday, her children have become impossible teenagers, her mother and her in-laws are in failing health. She's been years out of the workplace, but her husband's midlife crisis has her pining for her career. Several years out of practice, will she still be able to keep all of these balls in the air? Pearson is a gem.
When Life Gives You Lululemons, by Lauren Weisberger. Set in Greenwich, CT, Weisberger's latest finds Emily Charlton (fans may remember her as Miranda Priestly's assistant in The Devil Wears Prada) working as an image consultant...and desperate for a new client. Through a mutual friend, she lands Karolina: former supermodel, wife to a presidential hopeful...and just arrested for a DUI. From the ladies who lunch to the glorified sales-pitches called parties, no one one escapes unscathed in this beauty of a beach read.
All We Ever Wanted, by Emily Giffin. A single photograph, snapped in the midst of drunken moments at a party, change everything for three people, uniting them in scandal and forcing them each to choose between their families and their deeply-held values. Nina is living a life beyond her wildest dreams, married to a rich man, mother to an Ivy League student. But has she strayed so far from her modest upbringing? Single dad Tom is working multiple jobs, trying to be a provider and good parent for his headstrong daughter, Lyla. So when she wins a scholarship to a prestigious private school, is it finally safe to ease up on the reins a little? And Lyla, with a strict father and a humble home life, is out of place amidst so much excess in her new environment. Thoughtful beach reading for Giffin fans here. Also available in Large Print.
How Hard Can It Be?, by Allison Pearson. Pearson picks up with Kate Reddy of I Don't Know How She Does It (2002) seven years after the first book closes. Kate is at a crossroads. She's facing her 50th birthday, her children have become impossible teenagers, her mother and her in-laws are in failing health. She's been years out of the workplace, but her husband's midlife crisis has her pining for her career. Several years out of practice, will she still be able to keep all of these balls in the air? Pearson is a gem.
When Life Gives You Lululemons, by Lauren Weisberger. Set in Greenwich, CT, Weisberger's latest finds Emily Charlton (fans may remember her as Miranda Priestly's assistant in The Devil Wears Prada) working as an image consultant...and desperate for a new client. Through a mutual friend, she lands Karolina: former supermodel, wife to a presidential hopeful...and just arrested for a DUI. From the ladies who lunch to the glorified sales-pitches called parties, no one one escapes unscathed in this beauty of a beach read.
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Meg's Picks: May 2018, part 3
Want to to know what I think will be the "hot" summer reads this year? These two titles due out in just a few weeks absolutely fit the bill! If you'd like to read ahead of the curve, check out one of these!
The High Season, by Judy Blundell. This novel of subtle class warfare on the Long Island Shore is the perfect summer read. Whatever else is going on in Ruth's life, she has "the" house, a beach house in a small, quiet village on the shore. But this year, to afford to keep the house, she's going to have to rent it out, much to the disappointment of her teenage daughter, Jem. Even as they make way for the renters, their town is inundated with the Hampton set and change is coming for everyone, ready or not. Also available in Large Print.
The Perfect Mother, by Aimee Molloy. Already optioned for a film to star Scandal's Kerry Washington, this debut psychological thriller finds the May Mothers, a parenting group, getting together for an adults-only Fourth of July in a Brooklyn bar. But during this particular outing, something goes terribly wrong: one of the babies goes missing from his crib. Single-mom Winnie had been reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with her fellow May Mother's nanny. Now as the group and the NYPD work to find the missing baby, secrets will out, marriages are tested, and friendships will never be the same. If your brand of summer book keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is a sure thing.
The High Season, by Judy Blundell. This novel of subtle class warfare on the Long Island Shore is the perfect summer read. Whatever else is going on in Ruth's life, she has "the" house, a beach house in a small, quiet village on the shore. But this year, to afford to keep the house, she's going to have to rent it out, much to the disappointment of her teenage daughter, Jem. Even as they make way for the renters, their town is inundated with the Hampton set and change is coming for everyone, ready or not. Also available in Large Print.
The Perfect Mother, by Aimee Molloy. Already optioned for a film to star Scandal's Kerry Washington, this debut psychological thriller finds the May Mothers, a parenting group, getting together for an adults-only Fourth of July in a Brooklyn bar. But during this particular outing, something goes terribly wrong: one of the babies goes missing from his crib. Single-mom Winnie had been reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with her fellow May Mother's nanny. Now as the group and the NYPD work to find the missing baby, secrets will out, marriages are tested, and friendships will never be the same. If your brand of summer book keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is a sure thing.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Reading Ahead: May 2018, part 4
Revelations, secrets, and starting over are prevailing themes in this summer's slew of new fiction. Curious? Read on!
By Invitation Only, by Dorothea Benton Frank. Frank's latest is a tale of two families and the couple that brings them together. Fred Stiftel, son of hard-working Southern peach farmers, is engaged to Shelby Cambria, daughter of Chicago's moneyed elite. To say that each family is ill-at-ease in the other's backyard is an understatement. This is a story of limos and pickups, soirees and barbecues, where everyone has something to hide...and something to learn from the others. Frank's Southern tales are always great beach reading. Also available in Large Print.
Before and Again, by Barbara Delinsky. After an accident costs her everything (child, marriage, friends, privacy), Mackenzie Cooper leaves her life behind. She reinvents herself as Maggie Reid, moves to Vermont, and lives with the singular goal of staying under the radar. But when a local teen's hacking activity brings scrutiny, and the Feds, to their small town, the facade of Maggie Reid begins to unravel. Will she have to start over yet again?
The Other Lady Vanishes, by Amanda Quick. Adelaide Blake arrives in Burning Cove, California, desperate to start over after escaping from a private sanitarium. She finds employment at an herbal tea shop, catering to the movers and shakers of 1930s Hollywood, many of whom frequent the shop in search of tonics and hangover cures. In Burning Cover, Adelaide slowly learns, no one is who or what they seem. Behind the dazzle lie grifters, gangsters, and addicts. When Madame Zola, medium to the stars, arrives in town, Adelaide knows the con for what it is. Then the psychic is murdered, and Adelaide finds herself drawn deeper in the murky world of dupes and misdirection. Also available in Large Print.
By Invitation Only, by Dorothea Benton Frank. Frank's latest is a tale of two families and the couple that brings them together. Fred Stiftel, son of hard-working Southern peach farmers, is engaged to Shelby Cambria, daughter of Chicago's moneyed elite. To say that each family is ill-at-ease in the other's backyard is an understatement. This is a story of limos and pickups, soirees and barbecues, where everyone has something to hide...and something to learn from the others. Frank's Southern tales are always great beach reading. Also available in Large Print.
Before and Again, by Barbara Delinsky. After an accident costs her everything (child, marriage, friends, privacy), Mackenzie Cooper leaves her life behind. She reinvents herself as Maggie Reid, moves to Vermont, and lives with the singular goal of staying under the radar. But when a local teen's hacking activity brings scrutiny, and the Feds, to their small town, the facade of Maggie Reid begins to unravel. Will she have to start over yet again?
The Other Lady Vanishes, by Amanda Quick. Adelaide Blake arrives in Burning Cove, California, desperate to start over after escaping from a private sanitarium. She finds employment at an herbal tea shop, catering to the movers and shakers of 1930s Hollywood, many of whom frequent the shop in search of tonics and hangover cures. In Burning Cover, Adelaide slowly learns, no one is who or what they seem. Behind the dazzle lie grifters, gangsters, and addicts. When Madame Zola, medium to the stars, arrives in town, Adelaide knows the con for what it is. Then the psychic is murdered, and Adelaide finds herself drawn deeper in the murky world of dupes and misdirection. Also available in Large Print.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Reading Ahead: May 2018, part 3
Whatever the thermometer says these days, we have to believe that summer is coming. Right? Need extra proof? The first of the beach reads are beginning to roll out next month! Bring 'em on!
Beach House Reunion, by Mary Alice Monroe. In this new novel, Monroe brings readers back to the shores of her bestselling Beach House series, and to the stories of the historic Rutledge family of Charleston, South Carolina. Cara Rutledge returns to her home on the Isle of Palms, hoping for peace and comfort. What she finds, initially, are painful reminders of what she's lost even in the midst of familiarity. It is only here, among family and friends, that she can consider opening herself up to the possibilities of a new future. Meanwhile, her niece Linnea returns to the beach house after graduating college, full of anticipation and eager to find her own new purpose. Those looking for a beach read that lends itself to insight and comfort should add this to their beach bags.
The Endless Beach, by Jenny Colgan. I'm quite a fan of Colgan's stories of sassy heroines who reinvent themselves to entertaining effect. Here, Flora McKenzie has traded her glum life in London for the beautiful Scottish Isle of Mure. She's reunited with her family, she opens a charming seaside cafe...and her handsome former boss has followed her out of the city. Perhaps there's love on the horizon? Colgan's work is reliably witty and charming, perfect for a summer book.
The High Tide Club, by Mary Kay Andrews. Mysterious millionaire Josephine Bettendorf Warrick is ninety-nine years old when she summons young lawyer Brooke Trappnell to her 20,000 acre barrier island home. Why not call the prestigious Atlanta law firm she's used for years? Two reasons, as she explains to Brooke over several meetings: one, she wants someone to help ensure the safety of her land, to keep it from being spoiled by developers, and two, she wants to contact the descendants of her closest friends, all members of the High Tide Club, to make amends for wrongs decades in the past. What split the friends up? All will be revealed, if only Brooke can pull of the reunion. If your summer plans call for a pool-side page-turner, add this to the list.
Also available in Large Print.
Beach House Reunion, by Mary Alice Monroe. In this new novel, Monroe brings readers back to the shores of her bestselling Beach House series, and to the stories of the historic Rutledge family of Charleston, South Carolina. Cara Rutledge returns to her home on the Isle of Palms, hoping for peace and comfort. What she finds, initially, are painful reminders of what she's lost even in the midst of familiarity. It is only here, among family and friends, that she can consider opening herself up to the possibilities of a new future. Meanwhile, her niece Linnea returns to the beach house after graduating college, full of anticipation and eager to find her own new purpose. Those looking for a beach read that lends itself to insight and comfort should add this to their beach bags.
The Endless Beach, by Jenny Colgan. I'm quite a fan of Colgan's stories of sassy heroines who reinvent themselves to entertaining effect. Here, Flora McKenzie has traded her glum life in London for the beautiful Scottish Isle of Mure. She's reunited with her family, she opens a charming seaside cafe...and her handsome former boss has followed her out of the city. Perhaps there's love on the horizon? Colgan's work is reliably witty and charming, perfect for a summer book.
The High Tide Club, by Mary Kay Andrews. Mysterious millionaire Josephine Bettendorf Warrick is ninety-nine years old when she summons young lawyer Brooke Trappnell to her 20,000 acre barrier island home. Why not call the prestigious Atlanta law firm she's used for years? Two reasons, as she explains to Brooke over several meetings: one, she wants someone to help ensure the safety of her land, to keep it from being spoiled by developers, and two, she wants to contact the descendants of her closest friends, all members of the High Tide Club, to make amends for wrongs decades in the past. What split the friends up? All will be revealed, if only Brooke can pull of the reunion. If your summer plans call for a pool-side page-turner, add this to the list.
Also available in Large Print.
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