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Month: October 2020

Published on Leave a comment on Don’t Look For Me
Don't Look for Me Book Cover Don't Look for Me
Wendy Walker
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
September 15, 2020
Hardcover
352
Purchased

One night, Molly Clarke walked away from her life. The car abandoned miles from home. The note found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family that couldn't be put back together. It happens all the time. Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over. She doesn't want to be found. Or at least, that's the story. But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?

The night Molly disappeared began with a storm, running out of gas, and a man in a truck offering her a ride to town. With him is a little girl who reminds her of the daughter she lost years ago. It feels like a sign. And Molly is overcome with the desire to be home, with her family—no matter how broken it is. She accepts the ride. But when the doors are locked shut, Molly begins to suspect she has made a terrible mistake.

When a new lead comes in after the search has ended, Molly's daughter, Nicole, begins to wonder. Nothing about her mother's disappearance makes sense.

Nicole returns to the small, desolate town where her mother was last seen to find the truth. The locals are kind and eager to help. The innkeeper. The bartender. Even the police. Until secrets begin to reveal themselves and she comes closer to the truth about that night—and the danger surrounding her.

My review:

Of course I had to share a thriller on the day before Halloween. However, this is not just any thriller, this one earned 5 stars from me! I can count on one hand the number of times I've given that rating to a thriller, I usually really enjoy them, but they don't knock my socks off. This one did just that! Told from two perspectives, we have that of Molly, who runs out of gas on her way home from her son's football game, and her daughter Nicole, who won't give up the search for her mother even after a 'don't look for me' note is found. Molly is seen as the perfect type to want to walk away from her life. She accidentally kills her younger daughter, and neither she nor the rest of the family have ever gotten over it. Does her feeling of shame and being blamed cause her to want a new life away from it all? While both narrators were important to the story, the Molly parts were what completely set me on edge. I don't read a lot of scary stories, but this was sooooo creepy and edge of your seat good! Lots of going back and forth on which of the secondary characters were good guys or bad, keeps this book moving at a quick pace. And I absolutely never saw the major twist coming, but it was a good one!

If you are someone who wants your creepy reads to have a more realistic vibe (as opposed to ghosts, vampires, and that sort), I highly recommend picking this one up. It will keep you on your toes, and probably keep you reading beyond your usual timeframe. And public service announcement.....NEVER run out of gas!!

Published on Leave a comment on House of Correction
House of Correction Book Cover House of Correction
Nicci French
Fiction
William Morrow
October 27, 2020
Advanced reader copy
528
Free from publisher

Tabitha is not a murderer.

When a body is discovered in Okeham, England, Tabitha is shocked to find herself being placed in handcuffs. It must be a mistake. She’d only recently moved back to her childhood hometown, not even getting a chance to reacquaint herself with the neighbors. How could she possibly be a murder suspect?

She knows she’s not.

As Tabitha is shepherded through the system, her entire life is picked apart and scrutinized —her history of depression and medications, her decision to move back to a town she supposedly hated . . . and of course, her past relationship with the victim, her former teacher. But most unsettling, Tabitha’s own memories of that day are a complete blur.

She thinks she’s not.

From the isolation of the correctional facility, Tabitha dissects every piece of evidence, every testimony she can get her hands on, matching them against her own recollections. But as dark, long-buried memories from her childhood come to light, Tabatha begins to question if she knows what kind of person she is after all. The world is convinced she’s a killer. Tabatha needs to prove them all wrong.

But what if she’s only lying to herself?

My review:

This husband/wife writing duo has a slew of books in their resumé, but this is the first I've read. I don't think it will be the last, because I really enjoyed not only the plot, but the writing style. The words just flow together to propel the story along. I would find myself sitting down to read a few pages, and a hundred pages would fly by! This was basically two simultaneous stories, on the one hand we have incarcerated Tabitha heading up her own defense of a murder charge (from prison no less), while also trying to figure out who the real murderer is (thus providing the easiest route to her innocence). Tabitha was a great character. At times I found myself thinking 'no no, don't do that', while in the next moment I would be cheering her on 'you go girl'! As is my usual custom when a mystery is a good one, I didn't figure this one out until the very end, but that didn't keep me from trying through all 500 pages! Never has there been a better case for CCTV cameras to be installed everywhere 🙂

Another story about people being judged without concrete proof, and fabulous readability make this a court case whodunnit well worth the read. I think I've found a new author duo!

Published on Leave a comment on Troubles in Paradise
Troubles in Paradise Book Cover Troubles in Paradise
Paradise #3
Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction
Little, Brown and Company
October 6, 2020
Hardcover
352
Purchased

After uprooting her life in the States, Irene Steele has just settled in at the villa on St. John where her husband Russ had been living a double life. But a visit from the FBI shakes her foundations, and Irene once again learns just how little she knew about the man she loved.

With help from their friends, Irene and her sons set up their lives while evidence mounts that the helicopter crash that killed Russ may not have been an accident. Meanwhile, the island watches this drama unfold -- including the driver of a Jeep with tinted windows who seems to be shadowing the Steele family.

As a storm gathers strength in the Atlantic, surprises are in store for the Steeles: help from a mysterious source, and a new beginning in the paradise that has become their home. At last all will be revealed about the secrets and lies that brought Irene and her sons to St. John -- and the truth that transformed them all.

My review:

First things first......be aware that this is book #3 in a trilogy! I would highly recommend reading the series in order. The author explains briefly the gist of what is happening at the beginning of this book, but I think the reading experience will be diminished if you have not followed the story from the start. Having said that, I do feel that this book was probably not necessary. The major reveal with what was going down with Russ is explained in a few paragraphs, probably could have tacked on another fifty pages to book two and called it a wrap. I did still enjoy the descriptions of St. John, and it was fun to "catch up" with the characters a year later (each book in the trilogy was published a year apart, so I began it back in 2018). I do really like Hilderbrand's writing style, I find myself taking very little time to devour her books no matter the length. My favorite part of this one is when a character from a former book makes an appearance (no spoilers!)! A satisfying ending was the icing on the cake for this series.

Although I wanted more from this book, I still enjoyed my time with these characters and the island of St. John. If you are torn with which series to read though, I would definitely recommend the Winter series over this one. Although if you live in a snowy cold climate, you may just want to escape to the islands and dream!

Published on Leave a comment on I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Book Cover I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
Erika L. Sánchez
Young Adult Fiction
Alfred A. Knopf
October 17, 2017
Hardcover
352
Purchased

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.

But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.

Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.

But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first kiss, first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?

My review:

I picked this book off my shelves for LatinX month. Despite the fact that it was a National Book Award finalist, I was hesitant because I'm not a big fan of young adult novels. They always seem geared on a relationship, and while I'm sure that appeals to many, I just feel like I'm being hit over the head with the obligatory romance. I'm not going to say that there wasn't a romance in this one (because there is), but it was not the focus of the novel, and for that I was grateful. What is the focus is the effect extremely strict parenting can have on a child. While I never really loved Julia's (in my terms) bratty teenage behavior, I got it, and understood why she was that way. Put together her repressive mother, her desire to go to college, and the death of her 'perfect' sister, and Julia is torn between what is right in her family and culture, and what is right for her. I got a good sense of the Mexican experience in this book. From the descriptions of the food, to Julia's visit with relatives in Mexico, along with her parents immigrant experience, the author does a nice job of weaving these pieces into the story seamlessly. I wasn't a huge fan of the mystery surrounding her sister, or the teen romance, but I did really like Julia's friends and especially her teacher who encourages her to reach for her dreams.

All in all this was a really solid young adult novel about a Mexican immigrant family, and a girl trying to assimilate into American culture, despite her family's wishes and norms.

Published on Leave a comment on The Big Door Prize
The Big Door Prize Book Cover The Big Door Prize
M. O. Walsh
FICTION
G.P. Putnam's Sons
September 8, 2020
Hardcover
384
Purchased

What would you do if you knew your life's potential? That's the question facing the residents of Deerfield, Louisiana, when the DNAMIX machine appears in their local grocery store. It's nothing to look at, really--it resembles a plain photo booth. But its promise is amazing: With just a quick swab of your cheek and two dollars, the device claims to use the science of DNA to tell you your life's potential. With enough credibility to make the townspeople curious, soon the former teachers, nurses, and shopkeepers of Deerfield are abruptly changing course to pursue their destinies as magicians, cowboys, and athletes--including the novel's main characters, Douglas Hubbard and his wife, Cherilyn, who both believed they were perfectly happy until they realized they could dream for more...

Written with linguistic grace and a sense of wonder, The Big Door Prize sparkles with keen observations about what it might mean to stay true to oneself while honoring the bonds of marriage, friendship, and community, and how the glimmer of possibility can pull these bonds apart, bring them back together, and make second chances possible, even under the strangest of circumstances.

My review: I read this author's debut novel, and just didn't get the hype it received (My Sunshine Away). As I mentioned in that review, I did really like the writing style, so was anxious to try another book. I am happy to say that the content of this one was much more to my liking. It's basically a story about a small town, with a great cast of characters, who we follow once they learn what their destiny is supposed to be. Some are believers in what the DNAMIX machine in the local supermarket spits out, some are skeptics, but all are changed by what is written on the tiny scrap of paper. While everyone else is getting exciting predictions of magicians, cowboys, and even royalty, poor Douglas gets a prediction of exactly what he is already doing. Is that a good thing, or not? We follow all the residents as they navigate their mundane lives with their newfound knowledge, and what this means for them and their relationships. Once again in this novel, the writing is stellar. The buildup of the town and characters was very engaging, and the book kept me interested from start to finish. I loved that this was a story that I have never encountered before, and with all the books I read, that is a high compliment!

A novel about people's potential, and how knowing that can impact your dreams and decisions. What would you do if you knew you were destined for something else?

Published on Leave a comment on Invisible Girl
Invisible Girl Book Cover Invisible Girl
Lisa Jewell
Fiction
Atria Books
October 13, 2020
Advanced reader copy
368
Free from publisher

Owen Pick’s life is falling apart.

In his thirties, a virgin, and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a geography teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct, which he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel—involuntary celibate—forums, where he meets the charismatic, mysterious, and sinister Bryn.

Across the street from Owen lives the Fours family, headed by mom Cate, a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist. But the Fours family have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He’s a bit creepy and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night.

Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection with him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then, on Valentine’s night, Saffyre Maddox disappears—and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick.

My review:

I've enjoyed many books from this author in the past. Every time I write a review I feel that I have to mention my very favorite, The House We Grew Up In. That book was published before the author started down the mystery/thriller pathway, but I feel it's important to point to that book to understand the way Jewell can develop her characters. That favorite was most definitely a character study of a novel, but thankfully that ability to make characters come alive on the page has not left once she switched genres. That is also not to say that I liked all the characters in this particular book. I think there will be a lot of opinions on Owen, not all of them positive, but I'm in the Team Owen camp! I felt bad that he was cast as the creepy person on the block, and therefore was the obvious fall guy when a teenage girl goes missing. This book teaches a valuable lesson about how your impression of a person doesn't always correspond to what is going on  behind closed doors. While Owen was my favorite character, I was rather ambivalent about Cate, and not really a Saffyre fan. As usual for this genre, there are lots of secrets going on with the main three who narrate the story (Owen, Cate, and Saffyre), as well as lots of the supporting characters. This one is not fast paced in the beginning, the author takes her time setting the stage, but it picks up dramatically in the last third when we can't wait to see how things really unfolded the night Saffyre went missing. I think a line from the press release sums this book up nicely:

A story of secrets and injustices, Invisible Girl evaluates how we look in the wrong places for the 'bad people' while the real predators walk among us in plain sight.

A solid read for the mystery/thriller fan. I loved the character development and central message to the story. However, I would be remiss if I didn't (once again) put in a plug for my favorite Jewell novel, The House We Grew Up In 🙂

Published on Leave a comment on His Only Wife
His Only Wife Book Cover His Only Wife
Peace Adzo Medie
Fiction
Algonquin
September 1, 2020
Hardcover
288
Purchased

Afi Tekple is a young seamstress whose life is narrowing rapidly. She lives in a small town in Ghana with her widowed mother, spending much of her time in her uncle Pious’s house with his many wives and children. Then one day she is offered a life-changing opportunity—a proposal of marriage from the wealthy family of Elikem Ganyo, a man she doesn’t truly know. She acquiesces, but soon realizes that Elikem is not quite the catch he seemed. He sends a stand-in to his own wedding, and only weeks after Afi is married and installed in a plush apartment in the capital city of Accra does she meet her new husband. It turns out that he is in love with another woman, whom his family disapproves of; Afi is supposed to win him back on their behalf. But it is Accra that eventually wins Afi’s heart and gives her a life of independence that she never could have imagined for herself.

My review:

Talk about a riveting first line:

“Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.”

How could you not want to keep reading? As good as the first line is, I felt the rest of the novel followed suit. I will say that this will not be a hit for everyone, as not a lot happens plot wise. This is more of a character driven novel (my favorite), and one that shows the life progression of Afi. Afi starts out with not a lot going for her in life, but her beauty is useful to Elikem's family, who do not approve of the woman he is with, and want Afi to convince him he would be better off with her. You can't help but feel for this poor girl who is essentially being used as a pawn in the family's game. She starts off so meek and mild, but gradually Afi gets her bearings and actually falls in love with Elikem. I'm going to stop there, because saying a lot more would give too much of the little plot there is away. I thought the writing was great in this, sometimes character novels can be a bit wordy, but the author did a nice job keeping it succinct and to the point. The ending was totally satisfying, although it would have been fun to follow Afi a bit longer in her life.

I seem to have read a lot of books set in Ghana recently, and most of them have been solid reads, but a bit depressing. This one has a much more upbeat tone as we watch Afi spread her wings! Definitely one for your list.

Published on Leave a comment on The Talented Miss Farwell
The Talented Miss Farwell Book Cover The Talented Miss Farwell
Emily Gray Tedrowe
Fiction
William Morrow
September 29, 2020
Hardcover
352
Free from publisher

At the end of the 1990s, with the art market finally recovered from its disastrous collapse, Miss Rebecca Farwell has made a killing at Christie’s in New York City, selling a portion of her extraordinary art collection for a rumored 900 percent profit. Dressed in couture YSL, drinking the finest champagne at trendy Balthazar, Reba, as she’s known, is the picture of a wealthy art collector. To some, the elusive Miss Farwell is a shark with outstanding business acumen. To others, she’s a heartless capitalist whose only interest in art is how much she can make.

But a thousand miles from the Big Apple, in the small town of Pierson, Illinois, Miss Farwell is someone else entirely—a quiet single woman known as Becky who still lives in her family’s farmhouse, wears sensible shoes, and works tirelessly as the town’s treasurer and controller.

No one understands the ins and outs of Pierson’s accounts better than Becky; she’s the last one in the office every night, crunching the numbers. Somehow, her neighbors marvel, she always finds a way to get the struggling town just a little more money. What Pierson doesn’t see—and can never discover—is that much of that money is shifted into a separate account that she controls, “borrowed” funds used to finance her art habit. Though she quietly repays Pierson when she can, the business of art is cutthroat and unpredictable.

But as Reba Farwell’s deals get bigger and bigger, Becky Farwell’s debt to Pierson spirals out of control. How long can the talented Miss Farwell continue to pull off her double life?

My review:

Even though I've seen this one slotted in the mystery/thriller category, I would not call it that. I guess there are only so many genres to choose from, but I feel that people going into this one expecting thrills will not get what they were looking for. However, I did get what I was looking for, and if you've followed my blog, you'll know that I don't need a novel chock full of surprise twists to keep me entertained. I really enjoyed the slow buildup in this one as Miss Farwell gets herself further and further enmeshed in her schemes. I'll admit that it does drag down a bit when some background info on both the art world and finance are given, but those parts are definitely necessary to understand how the scheming works. As much as I wanted to not like her, Miss Farwell grew on me, as she would go out of her way to help others and has every intention to give everything back to the town. I was a huge fan of the ending, not too pollyannish, but with Becky making the most of herself as she did throughout the book.

As long as you don't go in expecting a mystery/thriller, this one is a fun exploration of obsessions and the old adage 'robbing Peter to pay Paul'. It just might make you want to attend your next town council meeting to check on the budget balancing!