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Author: ondbookshelf

Blogging my way through my extensive to be read pile of books.

About ondbookshelf

Blogging my way through my extensive to be read pile of books.

Published on Leave a comment on The Audacity of Sara Grayson
The Audacity of Sara Grayson Book Cover The Audacity of Sara Grayson
Joani Elliott
Fiction
Post Hill Press
May 25, 2021
Advance reader copy
384
Free from publisher

What happens when the world’s greatest literary icon dies before she finishes the final book in her best-selling series?

And what happens when she leaves that book in the hands of her unstable, neurotic daughter, who swears she’s not a real writer?

Sara Grayson is a thirty-two-year-old greeting card writer about to land the toughest assignment of her life. Three weeks after the death of her mother—a world-famous suspense novelist—Sara learns that her mother’s dying wish is for her to write the final book in her bestselling series.

Sara has lived alone with her dog, Gatsby, ever since her husband walked out with their Pro Double Waffle Maker and her last shred of confidence. She can’t fathom writing a book for thirty million fans—not when last week’s big win was resetting the microwave clock.

But in a bold move that surprises even herself, Sara takes it on. Against an impossible deadline and a publisher intent on sabotaging her every move, Sara discovers that stepping into her mother’s shoes means stumbling on family secrets she was never meant to find—secrets that threaten her mother’s legacy and the very book she’s trying to create.

Lots of things to love about this book. First let's talk about the cover. A woman with bunny slippers and a book, sign me up to read this please. Second, it's a book about writing a book, another yes please. Third, while it may look like a fluffy read without a lot of substance, it actually had a lot more serious stuff to offer along with the humorous parts. It's really a story about coming to accept that you may be capable of more than you think. Sara's mother obviously knows this when she leaves her to write the fifth volume in a highly successful book series upon her sudden death from cancer. Sara doesn't believe that she is up to the task, and worries about the repercussions from all the series adoring fans who are clamoring to know how the story will end. Some of her publishers are not even on board with Sara's qualifications, causing a rift among the people she needs to please before the book goes anywhere near the readers. Also, Sara believes that with the timeline that her mother worked under, that book five would have already been penned before she got sick, so where is it? A little bit of intrigue, a little humor, a great sibling relationship, and a coming of age story, make this a satisfying read. And of course there are secrets about her mother's life revealed along the way, that add to the narrative. I do wish that we got to see what was in the box, just to see if I was correct in my prediction, but all in all that didn't effect the well constructed ending.

A book about books and the publishing industry, with a character who discovers a lot about herself along the way, make for an enjoyable read. You will be hard pressed not to root for Sara in her book journey!

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Published on 1 Comment on Other People’s Children
Other People's Children Book Cover Other People's Children
R.J. Hoffmann
Fiction
Simon and Schuster
April 6, 2021
Hardcover
384
Purchased

Gail and Jon Durbin moved to the Chicago suburbs to set up house as soon as Gail got pregnant. But then she miscarried—once, twice, three times. Determined to expand their family, the Durbins turn to adoption. When several adoptions fall through, Gail’s desire for a child overwhelms her.

Carli is a pregnant teenager from a blue-collar town nearby, with dreams of going to college and getting out of her mother’s home. When she makes the gut-wrenching decision to give her baby up for adoption, she chooses the Durbins. But Carli’s mother, Marla, has other plans for her grandbaby.

In Other People’s Children, three mothers make excruciating choices to protect their families and their dreams—choices that put them at decided odds against one another. You will root for each one of them and wonder just how far you’d go in the same situation. This riveting debut is a thoughtful exploration of love and family, and a heart-pounding page-turner you’ll find impossible to put down.

Let me start this review by saying that THIS BOOK is the reason my husband and I adopted our daughters from China! Obviously there are so many adoptions that go according to plan, and I don't think that I, or this book, is speaking to try and sway someone from choosing this method of creating a family. I just know that in our case, this would probably have happened, and I can 100% say that I would have been Gail! While I did have sympathy for Carli, her mother was the wicked witch of the west personified! Ugh! I think this book was very well written in that you were supposed to feel for each of the three mother's equally, but given my situation, I found it hard to do. If you do not have as close of a connection to adoption as I did, this book will give you many things to ponder with regards to what makes a mother. Some of the scenarios did get a little far fetched, but I think it was like a snowball rolling down hill, one thing led to another as the plot picked up speed. This was well written, with alternating chapters from the three mothers, and the plot moved very quickly once the baby was born. I wasn't entirely on board with all parts of the ending, but I felt that it was handled sensitively and didn't make me want to hurl the book across the room 🙂

A believable take on the ups and downs of the adoption process, this one will definitely make you wonder what you would do if dropped into any of these women's lives.

Published on Leave a comment on The Good Sister
The Good Sister Book Cover The Good Sister
Sally Hepworth
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
April 13, 2021
Hardcover/Audio
320
Purchased/Audio gifted from libro.fm

From the outside, everyone might think Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be: Rose is the responsible one and Fern is the quirky one. But the sisters are devoted to one another and Rose has always been Fern's protector from the time they were small.

Fern needed protecting because their mother was a true sociopath who hid her true nature from the world, and only Rose could see it. Fern always saw the good in everyone. Years ago, Fern did something very, very bad. And Rose has never told a soul. When Fern decides to help her sister achieve her heart's desire of having a baby, Rose realizes with growing horror that Fern might make choices that can only have a terrible outcome. What Rose doesn't realize is that Fern is growing more and more aware of the secrets Rose, herself, is keeping. And that their mother might have the last word after all.

My review:

I've been reading this author since her first book The Secrets of Midwives debuted. She never disappoints, and with this novel (her sixth) she has clearly outdone herself! The story of two sisters, this book delves deeply into the concept of what you see from the outside may not be the whole truth. Rose has always been super protective of her sister Fern, who suffers from a disability that we are never given a name to, but causes her to have certain tendencies probably most closely linked to forms of autism. I absolutely loved the way Hepworth crafted Fern, especially as the novel progresses and we see her emerge as perhaps not as hapless as her sister thinks. Also, Fern works in a library, so bonus points for that from us bibliophiles 🙂 Rose was also well crafted, and I loved the unique way we were given her story as diary entries. Given that this contains lots of twists in the plot, I'm afraid that I have to be very vague in discussing that aspect of the book. Suffice it to say, that I had no idea what to expect, and I powered through this in two days, I couldn't wait to see how it all played out.

A fantastic character study of two sisters and the lengths they go to help each other. Told in a unique format, with an ending I couldn't have predicted, this is one not to miss!

Published on Leave a comment on It Had to Be You
It Had to Be You Book Cover It Had to Be You
Georgia Clark
Fiction
Atria/Emily Bestler Books
May 4, 2021
E-book
384
Publisher via NetGalley

For the past twenty years, Liv and Eliot Goldenhorn have run In Love in New York, Brooklyn’s beloved wedding-planning business. When Eliot dies unexpectedly, he even more unexpectedly leaves half of the business to his younger, blonder girlfriend, Savannah. Liv and Savannah are not a match made in heaven, to say the least. But what starts as a personal and professional nightmare transforms into something even savvy, cynical Liv Goldenhorn couldn’t begin to imagine.

It Had to Be You cleverly unites Liv, Savannah, and couples as diverse and unique as New York City itself, in a joyous Love-Actually-style braided narrative. The result is a smart, modern love story that truly speaks to our times. Second chances, secret romance, and steamy soul mates are front and center in this sexy, tender, and utterly charming rom-com.

To say that I am super picky about rom-com books would be an understatement. Whenever I start one (and I inevitably do, because gosh the covers are almost always so darn cute) I question why I'm doing so? This book is why I do it! They don't come along often, but this one had the perfect ingredients to be a winner. The cast was one of the most diverse I've seen in this type of story. The best part was that it felt natural, not like the author was trying to inject diversity for diversity sake. All of the romances felt real, no enemies to lovers (a trope I hate), and they were dealing, for the most part with real life problems (first world problems, but it is a rom com after all). I will say that there are a lot of characters to keep track of, sometimes that bothers me, but in this case I thought it gave the perfect blend to see a wonderful cross section of life in the 21st century in a city like New York. I loved the wedding planner aspect, the wide spectrum of ages amongst the characters, the questioning of when a relationship is right, and just generally finding your path in life. Let's also not forget to talk about the obvious in the newer rom coms I've read, the smut (or steam as some would call it) level. Sorry, not sorry, but I hate it! I do not need an anatomy lesson on making love. I can provide my own details in my imagination without the author giving me every minute detail. This book was the perfect level for me. It happened within a sentence or two, not four pages of graphic uncomfortableness. The ending was perfect, with every character getting their closure. It may have been a bit too cheesy, but here again, we're talking rom com (have I said that enough yet?).

I loved this light hearted, wonderfully diverse, look at the lives of several characters involved with a wedding planning company. It had all the qualities of what I'm looking for in this genre (including an adorable cover) and I would highly recommend as long as you aren't someone who is daunted by a large cast of characters.

Published on Leave a comment on That Summer
That Summer Book Cover That Summer
Jennifer Weiner
Fiction
Atria Books
May 11, 2021
Advance reader copy
432
Free from publisher

Daisy Shoemaker can’t sleep. With a thriving cooking business, full schedule of volunteer work, and a beautiful home in the Philadelphia suburbs, she should be content. But her teenage daughter can be a handful; her husband can be distant, her work can feel trivial, and she has lots of acquaintances, but no real friends. Still, Daisy knows she’s got it good. So why is she up all night?

While Daisy tries to identify the root of her dissatisfaction, she’s also receiving misdirected emails meant for a woman named Diana Starling, whose email address is just one punctuation mark away from her own. While Daisy’s driving carpools, Diana is chairing meetings. While Daisy’s making dinner, Diana’s making plans to reorganize corporations. Diana’s glamorous, sophisticated, single-lady life is miles away from Daisy’s simpler existence. When an apology leads to an invitation, the two women meet and become friends. But, as they get closer, we learn that their connection was not completely accidental. Who IS this other woman, and what does she want with Daisy?

From the manicured Main Line of Philadelphia to the wild landscape of the Outer Cape, written with Jennifer Weiner’s signature wit and sharp observations, THAT SUMMER is a story about surviving our pasts, confronting our futures, and the sustaining bonds of friendship.

I'll be the first to admit that while I love this author, I was not a fan of Big Summer (last year's release). After reading that book, I was afraid that another of my favorite contemporary writers was abandoning ship and heading for thriller writing (here's looking at you Lisa Jewell and Joshlyn Jackson). I breathed a sigh of relief after reading this one, because while it does have a mysterious vibe, it's quintessential Weiner, and I am very happy about that! Very much like a lot of her previous novels, this one tackles a timely subject (in this case the #MeToo movement). That may be the main plot point of the book, but there is always so much more to delight within the context of the story. The characters and settings are always spot on, and I always feel invested in what happens, to the point of inhaling the story within a couple of days. Weiner always has such great representation for plus size women, and I am here for that. She also does a great job of giving you all sides to a controversial topic, so you as the reader, while you may have an opinion, can be open to all sides of the issue and those effected by it. I was satisfied with the ending of this one, and so happy to add another enjoyable Weiner to my shelf.

This one will be big for the beach this summer, as it has all the great qualities this author is known for.....a gripping ripped from the headlines plot, fabulously written characters and settings, and an unputdownable vibe. Also, does this cover not scream summer read?

Published on Leave a comment on Hour of the Witch
Hour of the Witch Book Cover Hour of the Witch
Chris Bohjalian
Doubleday Books
May 4, 2021
E-book
416
Publisher via NetGalley

Boston, 1662. Mary Deerfield is twenty-four-years-old. Her skin is porcelain, her eyes delft blue, and in England she might have had many suitors. But here in the New World, amid this community of saints, Mary is the second wife of Thomas Deerfield, a man as cruel as he is powerful. When Thomas, prone to drunken rage, drives a three-tined fork into the back of Mary's hand, she resolves that she must divorce him to save her life. But in a world where every neighbor is watching for signs of the devil, a woman like Mary--a woman who harbors secret desires and finds it difficult to tolerate the brazen hypocrisy of so many men in the colony--soon finds herself the object of suspicion and rumor. When tainted objects are discovered buried in Mary's garden, when a boy she has treated with herbs and simples dies, and when their servant girl runs screaming in fright from her home, Mary must fight to not only escape her marriage, but also the gallows. A twisting, tightly plotted thriller from one of our greatest storytellers, Hour of the Witch is a timely and terrifying novel of socially sanctioned brutality and the original American witch hunt.

My review:

I will read anything this author writes, but I admit I was a bit nervous when I found out that it involved two things I'm not much of a fan of. It takes place in 1662 (not a preferred time period)and it's about witches (not a preferred subject). Because I trust Mr. Bohjalian I soldiered on, and was of course rewarded with a fantastic story! This one has a bit of everything to entertain the reader. There is the fact that the main protagonist is trying to obtain a divorce from her husband for cruelty, not something looked favorably upon in those times (the divorce that is, cruelty while not outwardly tolerated happens more often than not without punishment). There is a great trial that the reader gets a first hand seat for. Then there is the witchcraft claims against Mary, who knows she is being set up, but by who, and for what reason? All of this is wrapped up inside a story about a small coastal village outside Boston, with many interesting inhabitants who are only too willing to gossip about the goings on around them. The only downside for me was all the religion that I had to slog through, but I understand that it was of paramount importance during those times, and these were Puritans who had come over from London looking for religious freedom. The characters were so well formed, and the story flowed without a single slow spot. There were characters to love, as well as characters to loathe, and lots of places where I was holding my breath to see where the story would take me next.

Mr. Bohjalian has once again written a riveting, readable, and memorable novel. I don't know how he manages to bring a new subject to every book he writes, without the usual formulaic style that lots of prolific writers fall into. My favorite of his titles still remain Midwives and Close Your Eyes, but considering my trepidation when I read this synopsis, this one will be up there as a favorite as well.

Published on Leave a comment on The Newcomer
The Newcomer Book Cover The Newcomer
Mary Kay Andrews
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
May 4, 2021
Advance reader copy
448
Free from publisher

In trouble and on the run...

After she discovers her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her fashionable New York City townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain she knows who did it: Tanya’s ex; sleazy real estate entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. Even in the grip of grief and panic Letty heeds her late sister’s warnings: “If anything bad happens to me—it’s Evan. Promise me you’ll take Maya and run. Promise me.”

With a trunkful of emotional baggage...

So Letty grabs her sister’s Mercedes and hits the road with her wailing four-year-old niece Maya. Letty is determined to out-run Evan and the law, but run to where? Tanya, a woman with a past shrouded in secrets, left behind a “go-bag” of cash and a big honking diamond ring—but only one clue: a faded magazine story about a sleepy mom-and-pop motel in a Florida beach town with the improbable name of Treasure Island. She sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel.

The No Vacancy sign is flashing & the sharks are circling...

And that’s the good news. Because The Surf, as the regulars call it, is the winter home of a close-knit flock of retirees and snowbirds who regard this odd-duck newcomer with suspicion and down-right hostility. As Letty settles into the motel’s former storage room, she tries to heal Maya’s heartache and unravel the key to her sister’s shady past, all while dodging the attention of the owner’s dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Can Letty find romance as well as a room at the inn—or will Joe betray her secrets and put her behind bars? With danger closing in, it’s a race to find the truth and right the wrongs of the past.

My review:

What a fun read! This book had a little bit of everything within its pages. At its core is the mystery of who, how and why was Letty's sister killed? However at the heart was the wonderful cast of characters who Letty ends up sharing a temporary home with at the Murmuring Surf Motel. Don't let the length of this one intimidate, it was very fast paced and didn't feel daunting or sluggish at all. As always with Mary Kay Andrews, her characters are lovable, witty, and get themselves into all sorts of situations. If you've been here for a while you know how I usually feel about contrived romances in my books, but I have to say that I enjoyed this one. I found all the characters endearing and memorable, as well as the setting and satisfying conclusion.

Honestly, if you've read this author before, you know I don't have to say much to convince you that this is going to be an enjoyable ride. Lots of moving parts to satisfy most every reader, whether you like mystery, personal growth, familial relationships, or romance. Definitely one to consider for the beach/pool bag this summer.

Published on Leave a comment on The Woman With the Blue Star
The Woman with the Blue Star Book Cover The Woman with the Blue Star
Pam Jenoff
Historical Fiction
Park Row Books
May 4, 2021
Advance readers copy
352
Free from publisher

1942. Sadie Gault is eighteen and living with her parents amid the horrors of the Kraków Ghetto during World War II. When the Nazis liquidate the ghetto, Sadie and her pregnant mother are forced to seek refuge in the perilous sewers beneath the city. One day Sadie looks up through a grate and sees a girl about her own age buying flowers.

Ella Stepanek is an affluent Polish girl living a life of relative ease with her stepmother, who has developed close alliances with the occupying Germans. Scorned by her friends and longing for her fiancé, who has gone off to war, Ella wanders Kraków restlessly. While on an errand in the market, she catches a glimpse of something moving beneath a grate in the street. Upon closer inspection, she realizes it’s a girl hiding.

Ella begins to aid Sadie and the two become close, but as the dangers of the war worsen, their lives are set on a collision course that will test them in the face of overwhelming odds. Inspired by harrowing true stories, The Woman with the Blue Star is an emotional testament to the power of friendship and the extraordinary strength of the human will to survive.

My review:

3.5 stars

Despite the plethora of World War II stories out in the world, this one did have something different that I hadn't encountered before. This is a historical fiction account of two Jewish families who lived within the sewer system of their city in order to escape almost certain deportment to concentration camps. The very idea of this was fascinating, but made for some extremely tense moments during reading. The ever present danger of being discovered was of course the main focus, but when the sewer starts to flood from excessive rain, I was on the edge of my seat! I loved the explorations that the younger members of the families made to find different avenues to navigate underneath the city, but also to map out a way to escape if necessary. The story mainly focuses on two young women, one who lives in the sewer, and the other who discovers her there beneath a grate, and tries to help her. I was really enjoying this one, until the obligatory romances had to come into play. Ugh, just not my thing, and a great way to bring a bit of my enthusiasm down 🙁 Nevertheless, I did really enjoy the tension packed ending, and the epilogue was absolutely lovely! The writing in this one was straight forward and I never felt that the story dragged. The friendship that develops between Sadie and Ella was poignant and very believable.

As with most World War II novels, I always learn something new, and this one was no exception. While I could have done without the romance, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the story and would definitely recommend, especially for fans of WWII historical fiction and stories about unlikely friendships.

Published on Leave a comment on Good Company
Good Company Book Cover Good Company
Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
Fiction
Ecco
April 6, 2021
Hardcover
320
Purchased

Flora Mancini has been happily married for more than twenty years. But everything she thought she knew about herself, her marriage, and her relationship with her best friend, Margot, is upended when she stumbles upon an envelope containing her husband’s wedding ring—the one he claimed he lost one summer when their daughter, Ruby, was five.

Flora and Julian struggled for years, scraping together just enough acting work to raise Ruby in Manhattan and keep Julian’s small theater company—Good Company—afloat. A move to Los Angeles brought their first real career successes, a chance to breathe easier, and a reunion with Margot, now a bona fide television star. But has their new life been built on lies? What happened that summer all those years ago? And what happens now?

With Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s signature tenderness, humor, and insight, Good Company tells a bighearted story of the lifelong relationships that both wound and heal us.

My review:

This author's first book The Nest was a huge favorite of mine, so I was excited to delve into her sophomore novel. It had a lot of the same qualities as the first, such as a great cast of characters who were not always lovable, but it was also different enough to stand on its own. I really enjoyed that this was partially set in the theater world, specifically the local summer theater group in small towns. The story traverses the country from New York City to Los Angeles, with one of the main characters being an actress on a tv series, while another is a voice over actress for commercials. It was also a study of marriage, parenting, and friendship, following two couples and the daughter of one. The four adults have known each other since college, so there is a lot of history that comes into play. This is not a book with a ton of action, so if you are not a reader who appreciates characters who come with baggage and flaws, you may not enjoy it as much as I did. I thought the characters were written to be very real, and the dilemmas they faced were believable and made me pause to think how I would react in the same situations. Trigger warning if you are not a fan of cheating, that is one of the main plot points. The end had good resolution and was satisfying.

Definitely one I would recommend, particularly if you like books with more character study than plot. While I wouldn't say I liked it as much as The Nest, it will keep me coming back for more from this author.

Published on Leave a comment on The Happiest Girl in the World






The Happiest Girl in the World Book Cover




The Happiest Girl in the World





Alena Dillon




Fiction




William Morrow Paperbacks




April 20, 2021




Advanced reader copy




384




Free from publisher



For Sera Wheeler, the Olympics is the reason for everything. It’s why she trains thirty hours a week, starves herself to under 100 pounds, and pops Advil like Tic Tacs.

For her mother, Charlene, hungry for glory she never had, it’s why she rises before dawn to drive Sera to practice in a different state, and why the family scrimps, saves, and fractures. It’s why, when Sera’s best friend reports the gymnastics doctor to the authority who selects the Olympic Team, Sera denies what she knows about his treatments, thus preserving favor.

Their friendship shatters. But Sera protected her dream—didn’t she?

Sera doubles down, taping broken toes, numbing torn muscles, and pouring her family’s resources into the sport. Soon she isn’t training for the love of gymnastics. She’s training to make her disloyalty worthwhile. No matter the cost.

The Happiest Girl in the World explores the dark history behind an athlete who stands on the world stage, biting gold. It's about the silence required of the exceptional, a tarnished friendship, and the sacrifices a parent will make for a child, even as a family is torn apart. It’s about the price of greatness.

My review:

When I heard this author had a new book coming, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Much as she did in Mercy House, the author tackles subjects that have been newsworthy, and spins a fictional story around them. In this book, the subject is the sexual abuse scandal of the Team USA gymnastics doctor, prevalent in the news in early 2018. Not only do we read about the scandal, but we also get a close up glimpse of just what these athletes go through on a day to day basis, the ones who make it to the world stage, and those whose dreams are crushed before they ever get there. As a Mom of a daughter who spent years of her life as a competitive cheerleader, I could relate to many parts of this book (although thankfully not the grittier aspects). The endless practices, the money for competitions and traveling to out of state events, and yes, the overall rush of pride and happiness when her team came away with a win! Ultimately, a recurring knee injury had our family putting the breaks on her continuing in the sport, but the girls in this story power through injury after injury, practice after practice, in order to get the ultimate prize.......an Olympic berth. While we mostly follow one fictional girl and her family, I loved how the author kept it real with mentioning the actual Olympians, along with the correct timelines surrounding qualifiers, and Olympic events. The effect this has on the family is well documented, especially when in this case, one parent is more on board than the other. We even get the pandemic thrown in when those waiting to go to the 2020 Olympics find out they are put on hold! Having some armchair knowledge of gymnastics events would probably be helpful going into this book, but for the casual viewer of only Olympic events, you'll do just fine.

If you have never had any experience with sports at an elite level, or even if you have, I think this book will shock you in its boldness to tell it like it is in competitive sport such as gymnastics. It really exposes the lengths athletes go to in attempting to achieve the ultimate dream of winning. And when that dream is fulfilled, are they really the happiest girl in the world?