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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.

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Published on 1 Comment on The Glass Hotel
The Glass Hotel Book Cover The Glass Hotel
Emily St. John Mandel
Fiction
Knopf Publishing Group
March 24, 2020
Hardcover
320
Purchased

From the award-winning author of Station Eleven, a captivating novel of money, beauty, white-collar crime, ghosts, and moral compromise in which a woman disappears from a container ship off the coast of Mauritania and a massive Ponzi scheme implodes in New York, dragging countless fortunes with it. Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star glass and cedar palace on an island in British Columbia. Jonathan Alkaitis works in finance and owns the hotel. When he passes Vincent his card with a tip, it's the beginning of their life together. That same day, Vincent's half-brother, Paul, scrawls a note on the windowed wall of the hotel: "Why don't you swallow broken glass." Leon Prevant, a shipping executive for a company called Neptune-Avramidis, sees the note from the hotel bar and is shaken to his core. Thirteen years later Vincent mysteriously disappears from the deck of a Neptune-Avramidis ship. Weaving together the lives of these characters, The Glass Hotel moves between the ship, the skyscrapers of Manhattan, and the wilderness of northern Vancouver Island, painting a breathtaking picture of greed and guilt, fantasy and delusion, art and the ghosts of our pasts.

My review:

2.5 stars (rounded up for the writing)

I've been finding myself reading a lot of novels lately that have been written by authors whose previous book I loved. I'm always a bit nervous going in because maybe I've set the bar too high? I'm happy to report that most have hit the mark or exceeded it......until this one (sigh). I was a big fan of Station Eleven, and with this book I'm still a fan of Mandel's writing! She has a way of transporting the reader into a dreamy, ethereal setting like few authors can. So this one gets high marks for the writing, but the plot and characters fell short for me. A lot of the problems I had with this one have more to do with me than what other readers will likely experience. The book almost felt at times like a series of short stories with interconnected characters. I'm not a fan of short stories, I've tried them a million times and now I just avoid them. There were a lot of ghost references, particularly in the ending, and that is another miss for me. The part that I did enjoy was the Ponzi scheme and watching that play out (imagine my surprise that this part of the book was what a lot of high praise reviewers didn't like). I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, particularly Vincent. There were some that I wanted more of (like Paul) and some I could have done without completely.

In summary, don't take my word on this book! It's gotten high praise from lots of reviewers, and the writing is well worth the read. If I could have gotten over the short story-ish style and the ghosts, I'm sure my rating would have been higher.

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Published on 2 Comments on The Holdout
The Holdout Book Cover The Holdout
Graham Moore
African Americans
Random House
2020
Hardcover
336
Purchased

In this twisty tale, young juror Maya Seale is convinced that African American high school teacher Bobby Nock is innocent of killing the wealthy white female student with whom he appears to have been involved and persuades her fellow jurors likewise. Ten years later, a true-crime docuseries reassembles the jurors, and Maya, now a defense attorney, must prove her own innocence when one of them is found dead in Maya's room.

My review:

In doing a bit of research into this book before writing my review, I discovered that the idea for it was formed when the author served on a jury in 2008. His jury found the defendant guilty, but he always wondered what if they were wrong? Learning that makes the book even more interesting. One woman on a jury convinces the others to acquit a man of murder. A decade later the jury is brought back together to film a documentary and one juror claims to have information that proves they gave the wrong verdict. Before he reveals that information, tragedy strikes and the woman is accused of his murder. I loved the way this book was structured. We had the current timeline interspersed with chapters from each of the jurors during the trial ten years earlier. I thought this was a brilliant way to tell the story of the trial through various viewpoints! I wouldn't necessarily call this a true crime novel or a mystery thriller, it definitely had aspects of both and there were slight twists and turns to have you guessing all along the way. It's an interesting look at the judicial system, and what it means to serve on a jury in a high profile case. Good writing, a strong plot, and believable characters all set the stage for this to be a winner. It does get a bit far fetched toward the end, but I was already down the rabbit hole by that point so I went along for the rest of the ride.

I loved this crime drama/ mystery thriller/ courtroom saga, and the structure of the book was a true highlight. Definitely pick this one up if you are in the mood for an interesting look at the jury system and who decides guilt or innocence.

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Published on 2 Comments on If You Want to Make God Laugh
If You Want to Make God Laugh Book Cover If You Want to Make God Laugh
Bianca Marais
Fiction
G.P. Putnam's Sons
2019
Hardcover
448
Purchased

In a squatter camp on the outskirts of Johannesburg, seventeen-year-old Zodwa lives in desperate poverty, under the shadowy threat of a civil war and a growing AIDS epidemic. Eight months pregnant, Zodwa carefully guards secrets that jeopardize her life.

Across the country, wealthy socialite Ruth appears to have everything her heart desires, but it's what she can't have that leads to her breakdown. Meanwhile, in Zaire, a disgraced former nun, Delilah, grapples with a past that refuses to stay buried. When these personal crises send both middle-aged women back to their rural hometown to lick their wounds, the discovery of an abandoned newborn baby upends everything, challenging their lifelong beliefs about race, motherhood, and the power of the past.

As the mystery surrounding the infant grows, the complicated lives of Zodwa, Ruth, and Delilah become inextricably linked. What follows is a mesmerizing look at family and identity that asks: How far will the human heart go to protect itself and the ones it loves?

My review:

I really enjoyed this author's debut novel Hum If You Don't Know the Words, so was excited to see how her follow up would be. As you know, second books can sometimes be a let down after being hyped after the success of the debut. Well not in this case! In fact while the writing style was stellar in both books, I think I liked the plot of this one even more! It's hard to review this one without giving too much away, but suffice it to say it's a story about three women in South Africa during the time of Mandela's election, and a baby that ties their stories all together. The book is written in alternating chapters from the viewpoint of each of the three women, and their characters were believable, relatable, and uplifting. While I didn't always agree with their actions, their thought processes were written to make sense for their personality and circumstance. I bought into these characters and story hook, line, and sinker 🙂 Their lives and decisions were not always easy or maybe even correct, but I was rooting for them at every turn! I thought the ending was satisfying as not everything turned out rosy (if it had it would have bordered on the unbelievable), but gave me hope when I closed the cover.

An incredible story of survival and what constitutes family, I would tell you not to miss this one!

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Published on 1 Comment on The Jetsetters
The Jetsetters Book Cover The Jetsetters
Amanda Eyre Ward
Fiction
Ballantine Books
2020
Hardcover
352
Purchased

"When seventy-year-old Charlotte Perkins submits a sexy essay to the "Become a Jetsetter" contest, she dreams of reuniting her estranged children: Lee, an almost-famous actress; Cord, a handsome Manhattan venture capitalist who can't seem to find a bride; and Regan, a harried mother who took it all wrong when Charlotte bought her a Weight Watchers gift certificate for her birthday. Charlotte yearns for the years when her children were young and she was a single mother who meant everything to them. When she wins the cruise, the family packs all their baggage--literal and figurative--and spends ten days traveling from sun-drenched Athens through glorious Rome to tapas-laden Barcelona on an over-the-top cruise ship, the Splendido Marveloso. As lovers new and old join the adventure, long-buried secrets are revealed, and the Perkins family is forced to confront the defining choices in their lives. Can four lost adults find the peace they've been seeking by reconciling their childhood aches and coming back to each other? In the vein of The Nest and The Vacationers, Ward has created a delicious and intelligent novel about the courage it takes to reveal our true selves, the pleasures and perils of family, and how we navigate the seas of adulthood to cruise--we can only hope--toward joy"--

My review:

If I'm being honest, I think my expectations for this book were set a little too high. I loved a previous novel by this author (The Same Sky) and was looking for more of the same. Sadly, while this kept me entertained while reading, its not going to leave much of a lasting impression. It's a typical family saga where the grown children all have secrets that come out when they embark on a cruise with their mother. None of the main characters were very likable, and sometimes this is done on purpose (think The Nest, which I adored!), but I think in the case of this book we were supposed to like them. My favorite character was actually the boyfriend of the son, and he has a very minor role. The thing that kept me interested and reading this book is that I have been on several cruises, and the descriptions of cruise life were fun to revisit. I also have been on a cruise where we stopped at many of the same ports as this family does. It was fun to pick out some of the landmarks talked about.

In summary, there is really nothing bad about this book, it's a light read that deals with some rather heavy topics (maybe that bothered me a bit as well?). I think if I had liked the characters more, I would have had a better experience, but that is such a subjective thing as not everyone reacts the same to various characters. It definitely was fun to relive the cruise experience!

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Published on 1 Comment on You and Me and Us
You and Me and Us Book Cover You and Me and Us
Alison Hammer
Fiction
HarperCollins
April 7, 2020
Advanced Reader Copy
432
Free from publisher

Alexis Gold knows how to put the “work” in working mom. It’s the “mom” part that she’s been struggling with lately. Since opening her own advertising agency three years ago, Alexis has all but given up on finding a good work/life balance. Instead, she’s handed over the household reins to her supportive, loving partner, Tommy. While he’s quick to say they divide and conquer, Alexis knows that Tommy does most of the heavy lifting—especially when it comes to their teenage daughter, CeCe.

Their world changes in an instant when Tommy receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, and Alexis realizes everything she’s worked relentlessly for doesn’t matter without him. So Alexis does what Tommy has done for her almost every day since they were twelve-year-old kids in Destin, Florida—she puts him first. And when the only thing Tommy wants is to spend one last summer together at “their” beach, she puts her career on hold to make it happen…even if it means putting her family within striking distance of Tommy’s ex, an actress CeCe idolizes.

But Alexis and Tommy aren’t the only ones whose lives have been turned inside out. In addition to dealing with the normal ups and downs that come with being a teenager, CeCe is also forced to confront her feelings about Tommy’s illness—and what will happen when the one person who’s always been there for her is gone. When the magic of first love brings a bright spot to her summer, CeCe is determined not to let her mother ruin that for her, too.

As CeCe’s behavior becomes more rebellious, Alexis realizes the only thing harder for her than losing Tommy will be convincing CeCe to give her one more chance.

You and Me and Us is a beautifully written novel that examines the unexpected ways loss teaches us how to love.

My review:

This book seemed like three stories combined into one. First there was the working Mom angle, where the protagonist works super long hours to prove her worth to her company often at the expense of her family. Then there was the dying spouse story to tug at your heartstrings. Thirdly we have the problem teenager story and all that it entails. That pretty much sums this one up. It was a good read, fairly fast paced and flowed well. While I never really got that invested in the characters, they were well written and parts of the book did pull me into their orbit. Despite the part of the ending that you know is coming, I felt a decision from Alexis seemed a bit sudden, but it did provide some closure to the book.

A fairly light (despite the subject matter) read that kept me entertained while reading, but not one that will probably stick with me long term. Consider this one if you need a break from some heavier material.

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Published on 2 Comments on Little Wonders
Little Wonders Book Cover Little Wonders
Kate Rorick
Fiction
HarperCollins
March 17, 2020
Paperback
384
Free from publisher

Her mommy meltdown is seen around the world!

When Quinn Barrett’s son refuses to wear his hand-crafted costume to the Little Wonders Preschool Happy Halloween Parade and Dance Party she loses it -- complete with stomping, screaming, and costume-destruction galore. Not her best day. And caught on viral video. Yep, “Halloween Mom” is now internet famous.

The posting culprit: tattooed, blue-haired, west-coast transplant Daisy McGulch, out of place in the posh New England town and unable to blend with the other perfect mommies of Little Wonders Preschool.

While she couldn’t care less about organic snacks (paleo-preferred) or the winter quarters of the Little Wonders chickens, she’s not about to admit she’s the one who accidently brought Quinn’s worst moment to the entire world—she’d be kicked out of town!

But when Quinn and Daisy find themselves unlikely cohorts in the fight for Little Wonders Parents Association supremacy, they also discover they have more in common than they expected…but the internet is forever. Can Quinn live down her new reputation? And how far will Daisy go to keep the truth from coming to light?

My review:

3.5 stars

Well this was just what I needed amidst the chaos of the outside world right now (and I say outside since I'm mostly inside!). Let me start off by saying that this book contains totally first world problems of the preschool variety. If that doesn't offend you, then this book is a hoot! It's been some time since I had to deal with the school sign-up sheets, the parent associations, and the school parties, but not long enough that I don't remember the constant need to fulfill some obligation. Of course in my day there wasn't social media around to capture those mommy melt-down moments, but we all know they existed! This had many laugh out loud moments, especially the edited newsletters included at the end of most chapters. And of course there were the been there, done that experiences. I found the characters and kids relatable, although not in a completely fleshed out way. The pacing was perfect, and the writing propelled the reader into that world. A satisfying ending was the cherry on top.

All in all, this was just pure enjoyment. Not quite plausible, not very literary, but just plain entertaining! If you are looking for a light, funny take on an elite preschool and its parents, definitely pick this one up.

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Published on 1 Comment on Writers and Lovers
Writers & Lovers Book Cover Writers & Lovers
Lily King
Fiction
2020
Grove Press
320
Purchased

Blindsided by her mother's sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, moldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she's been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey's fight to fulfill her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink.

Writers & Lovers follows Casey--a smart and achingly vulnerable protagonist--in the last days of a long youth, a time when every element of her life comes to a crisis. Written with King's trademark humor, heart, and intelligence, Writers & Lovers is a transfixing novel that explores the terrifying and exhilarating leap between the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another.

My review:

I admit that I did not read this author's highly acclaimed novel Euphoria. For some reason the plot of that one didn't grab me like this one did. A book about a struggling writer choosing between two men in her life sounded pretty interesting. And it was! I really enjoyed the character of Casey, even though she made a lot of choices that maybe I would not have. I liked reading about her days. The trials and tribulations of working at a restaurant, trying to write despite having writer's block, her lingering grief over losing her mother, her estranged father, and the two men who enter her life forcing her to look closely at where she wants her life to go? Despite all that sounding like a depressing read, there were lots of uplifting moments to this novel. The two little boys of one of her lovers, the process of selling a manuscript, the sights and smells of her everyday existence, all of these combine to really immerse you into Casey's world. Despite most of her friends moving on to humdrum lives, Casey is clinging to her artistic side and hoping to break the mold. This novel is definitely more character driven than plot driven, and the writing is lovely, both things I gravitate toward when picking up a book. The ending was quite satisfying, not necessarily the way I might have chosen, but I'm not Casey, and was still rooting for her however her life played out.

I really enjoyed this literary fiction book about a down on her luck woman and her rise above the set pattern of her life. I may even go back and take another look at Euphoria 🙂

Published on Leave a comment on If I Never Met You
If I Never Met You Book Cover If I Never Met You
Mhairi McFarlane
William Morrow Paperbacks
March 24, 2020
Paperback
400
Free from publisher

When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility.

Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment—and jealousy—of their friends and colleagues. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend.

My review:

If you've been following my blog for awhile, you know that rom-coms are not really my go to genre. Especially those with the girl meets guy, hates on sight, then falls for him in the end.....ugh! However, that's not to say that I don't read them (especially after consuming books with heavy hitting themes), and occasionally find one that I like. Not love mind you, I haven't completely lost my mojo 🙂 This was one of those that I liked. Why you may ask? I felt awful for the main character and could see how she stumbled into the situation she found herself in. She was enjoyable, the office drama was fun, the writing was light and the pace moved along, and there was definitely growth of the characters. I loved that Laurie found a new independence and love for herself that she needed in order to fully move on from her failed relationship. The characters felt a bit more real to me than what I sometimes find in this genre. I wasn't a huge fan of the rushed ending, but the ending in these type of books is what always leaves me annoyed anyway, so don't mind my cynicism.

I recommend this as a light read to get your mind off all the heavy topics in our world today. This is pure escapism, but we all need a little dose of that once in a while right?

Published on Leave a comment on A Good Neighborhood
A Good Neighborhood Book Cover A Good Neighborhood
Therese Anne Fowler
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
February 4, 2020
Advanced Reader Copy
304
Publisher via BookExpo

In Oak Knoll, a verdant, tight-knit North Carolina neighborhood, professor of forestry and ecology Valerie Alston-Holt is raising her bright and talented biracial son. Xavier is headed to college in the fall, and after years of single parenting, Valerie is facing the prospect of an empty nest. All is well until the Whitmans move in next door―an apparently traditional family with new money, ambition, and a secretly troubled teenaged daughter.

Thanks to his thriving local business, Brad Whitman is something of a celebrity around town, and he's made a small fortune on his customer service and charm, while his wife, Julia, escaped her trailer park upbringing for the security of marriage and homemaking. Their new house is more than she ever imagined for herself, and who wouldn't want to live in Oak Knoll? With little in common except a property line, these two very different families quickly find themselves at odds: first, over an historic oak tree in Valerie's yard, and soon after, the blossoming romance between their two teenagers.

Told from multiple points of view, A Good Neighborhood asks big questions about life in America today―What does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don't see eye to eye?―as it explores the effects of class, race, and heartrending star-crossed love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.

My review:

Reading this book was like watching a car wreck. You knew it was going to break you, but you just couldn't look away! You know from the beginning of the book that something bad is going to happen in the fictional town of Oak Knoll NC, but that something will not be revealed until the end (may I suggest tissues). In a nutshell this book explores what happens to a good neighborhood when a pompous white guy destroys one of the houses to raise a McMansion. The destruction of a tree on his neighbor's property is just the tip of the iceberg for the problems that ensue. From racial and justice inequality, to purity vows, young love, and rags to riches complacency, this book packs a punch! Little by little pieces are revealed until the shattering conclusion that was predicted. The writing was skillful, the pacing was perfect, and the characters were very well formed. So well formed that I wanted to reach into the book and shake several of them and say "what are you doing?" I'm very thankful that there is an epilogue in this one, I don't know that my heart could have taken it if there wasn't.

Don't miss this one, it will most definitely be one of my top books of 2020!

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Published on 1 Comment on You Are Not Alone
You Are Not Alone Book Cover You Are Not Alone
Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen,
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
March 3, 2020
Hardcover
352
Purchased

You probably know someone like Shay Miller.
She wants to find love, but it eludes her.
She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end.
She wants to belong, but her life is so isolated.

You probably don’t know anyone like the Moore sisters.
They have an unbreakable circle of friends.
They live the most glamorous life.
They always get what they desire.

Shay thinks she wants their life.
But what they really want is hers.

My review:

Another twisty thriller from this great writing duo! Interestingly I've read both of these authors solo works, and while they are good reads, the combo of them together takes their books to the next level. I will say that their second book, An Anonymous Girl remains my favorite, but this one was still a page turner. I loved that the main character Shay was into statistics, and kept a notebook of random facts, some of which appear at the beginning of chapters. Some were really mind boggling! There were lots of women to keep track of in this one, which made it a bit confusing, but it all comes together in the end so don't get too mired in keeping them all straight. This is one of those books that I can't say too much without revealing spoilers, but it took me for quite the ride, and I had no idea what was happening (or why) throughout the whole thing! The only slight negative I will inject is that I thought Shay was a bit too naive and trusting to suddenly turn into a super sleuth. You know the saying "if it seems too good to be true?"......yeah, that was me yelling at Shay throughout the book!

If you are looking for a fast paced thriller that has so many twists you shouldn't even bother trying to figure out what is going on, this one is for you. Can't wait to see what these two think up next!