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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 Lay Your Body Down
Lay Your Body Down Book Cover Lay Your Body Down
Amy Suiter Clarke
Fiction
William Morrow
June 27, 2023
Advance Reader Copy
352
Free from publisher

After Del Walker fled her small hometown and its cult-like church, she vowed to never return. The man she loved, Lars, left her to marry the local golden girl Eve, and their romance is now the focus of Eve’s viral blog espousing the pastor’s conservative philosophy about women and marriage. But six years later, Lars is suddenly killed, and she’s convinced it couldn’t have been an accident.

When Del returns to her hometown for the funeral, she discovers the now mega-church—and the insidious, patriarchal teachings of Pastor Rick Franklin—has grown not only in size but in influence. Eve was clearly discontent in her marriage, despite the carefully constructed “Noble Wife” positivity of her blog posts, and Del knows better than anyone just how far she will go to get what she wants. Del is determined to cut through the church’s lies and corruption to find out who killed Lars—even if it means confronting the religious trauma she’s spent years trying to bury.

My review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about a church with a preacher who may be misusing his power of the pulpit, leading to suspicious consequences. There is a lot to unpack with this one. The first is the issue of the main character, driven from her small town after being humiliated by the pastor for something she feels was not totally her fault. She also has to deal with the rejection of her former love (who's funeral starts the ball rolling on her investigation of the church) who without much explanation marries another church woman. Then there is the death of Lars, which is ruled accidental without the police department following any kind of investigative protocol. There is the look at marriages and what can happen when things don't go according to plan. Of course there is the widespread reach of Pastor Rick and Messiah church, which very much controls the entire town (its businesses and its people). I was totally invested in this story. It was dark and gritty without being scary or graphically violent. The characters were very well portrayed so you never felt they were not believable in their actions or their beliefs. There were lots of little twists and turns, and you never really knew who to trust. Just when I thought I had something figured out, it would veer in another direction, keeping me guessing until the end. There is lots of evidence of misogyny and the women are definitely kept in their place through the church's teachings. Of course greed also plays a part, as it does with any mega church misusing its power.

Definitely not an anti- religious book, only anti- cult type religions, this was an immersive whodunnit that kept me engaged until the end.

Published on Leave a comment on The Spectacular
The Spectacular Book Cover The Spectacular
Fiona Davis
Fiction
Dutton
June 13, 2023
Hardcover
369
Purchased

New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis transports us back to 1950s Manhattan and the glamorous Radio City Music Hall. . . .

New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion is over the moon to have been selected to be one of the Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall’s glamorous precision-dancing troupe. It’s an honor to perform in the world’s most spectacular theater, an art deco masterpiece. But with four shows a day as well as grueling rehearsals, not to mention exacting standards of perfection to live up to, Marion quickly realizes that the life of a Rockette has both extraordinary highs and devastating lows.

Then one night a bomb explodes in the theater. It’s only the latest in a string of explosions around the city orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the "Big Apple Bomber." They have been terrorizing the citizens of New York for sixteen years by planting bombs in popular, crowded spaces. With the public in an uproar over the lack of any real leads after a yearslong manhunt, the police, at Marion’s urging, turn in desperation to a radical new technique: psychological profiling.

As Marion finds herself pulled deeper into the investigation, she realizes that as much as she’s been training herself to blend in—performing in perfect unison with all the other identical Rockettes—if she hopes to catch the bomber, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. But she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.

My review:

I was very excited about this book. It's written by an author whose previous novels I have really enjoyed, I trust her to tell a well researched story about a New York City landmark, and who isn't fascinated by the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes? In dual timeline, we follow one of the dancers who was a Rockette in the 1950's, and also as she prepares to attend a commemorative gala dedicated to Radio City. Most of the book concentrates on the 1950's, and not only includes many anecdotes on life as a dancer, but also a mystery surrounding the city concerning a bomber who targets city landmarks and has yet to be caught. I loved the insider info about the Rockettes (who knew they aren't really attached during the iconic kick sequences?) and the look at what it meant to want a career, and not marriage and motherhood in that era. The investigation into the bomber was intriguing, particularly the use of psychological profiling (one of the first times this was ever used) to narrow down the suspects. I could have done without the obligatory romance, but that's a me thing (as anyone who reads my reviews knows!).

Well written and researched, I was transported back to life in 1950's NYC. This author has once again brought an iconic structure to life with wonderful characters and history of the place. I've been to Radio City Music Hall a few times in my life, so this book resonated with me even more having that experience. You will definitely learn things you probably never knew about both the theater, its dancers lives, and a little known crime event. I highly recommend if you enjoy historical fiction.

Published on Leave a comment on The Wishing Game
The Wishing Game Book Cover The Wishing Game
Meg Shaffer
Fiction
Ballantine Books
May 30, 2023
Hardcover
305
Purchased

Years ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel.

Make a wish. . . .

Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.

But be careful what you wish for. . . .

Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy.

For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.

. . . You might just get it.

My review:

This is one of those books that could be described as a warm hug (in book form). This story is loosely based on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but with books instead of chocolate. Such an absorbing tale, starting with the reclusive author and his illustrator down to the little boy looking for a forever home. The story starts with a bit of background on author Jack and protagonist Lucy. Interwoven with their stories we also get those of Hugo and Christopher. Once the game started on Clock Island, I wasn't sure if my interest would wane a bit, but instead I was fascinated with how the author came up with the game tasks. As the game progresses we finally learn why the author stopped writing, and the ending was so worth the read. I could have done without the semi romance between two of the characters, but luckily it was not a huge focus so I could overlook it.

If you need a feel good book that will probably bring you back to all those book series you read as a child (here's looking at you Nancy Drew!), with some gamesmanship and lovable characters thrown into the mix, you need to get your hands on a copy of this. And with a book cover like this, how could you not want to pick it up?

Published on Leave a comment on Yellowface
Yellowface Book Cover Yellowface
R. F. Kuang
Fiction
William Morrow
May 16, 2023
Hardcover/Audio
336
Purchased/Library

Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena's a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn't even get a paperback release. Nobody wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.

So when June witnesses Athena's death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena's just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena's novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song--complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn't this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That's what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.

But June can't get away from Athena's shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June's (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface takes on questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation not only in the publishing industry but the persistent erasure of Asian-American voices and history by Western white society. R. F. Kuang's novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable.

My review:

This one reminded me a lot of another favorite from a few years ago, A Ladder to the Sky. The same idea of a writer using someone else's work, and passing it off as their own. There were definitely some differences between the two books, but both were 5 star reads for me! This book dealt much more with the actual publishing industry, and the ins and outs of who gets more pre-publication industry "help" to rack up sales. Fun to read about from someone on the receiving end of publicists and book hype! This also was much more of a look at race, and how that effects the writing/publishing process. There has certainly been lots of buzz lately about books needing to be written as own voices (remember the American Dirt controversy?.....google it). The author of this book goes as far as using a more Asian sounding name and an ambiguous author photo to not be called out. And when she is, the dark and tense part of the story takes hold.

This was a riveting read! Even though none of the characters were likable, they were still written in a way that made you not sure who you wanted to come out on top. Definitely worth a read as long as you don't have to like your characters.

Published on Leave a comment on Super Bloom
Super Bloom Book Cover Super Bloom
Megan Tady
Fiction
Zibby Books
May 2, 2023
Paperback
312
Free from publisher

If only there was a spa treatment for heartbreak.

In this sparkling, heart-warming debut set at a luxury Vermont spa, massage therapist Joan Johnston is wallowing in grief over the accidental death of her boyfriend, Samuel, and it’s now seriously jeopardizing her job and her friendships. Will she ever be able to move on?

Enter Carmen Bronze, a hotheaded bestselling romance novelist and the most demanding massage client Joan’s ever faced. When Carmen offers Joan a chance to pay down her debt and save her job, it’s hard to say no—even though it means funneling Carmen inside dirt on the spa for her next novel.

The task unexpectedly reawakens a dormant talent in Joan, and she’s irresistibly drawn to writing her own romance novel based on her relationship with Samuel that stretches into the bright future they didn’t get to share. Writing proves to be the therapy Joan desperately needs, and her heart begins to open to new romance... and even the possibility of becoming a successful author herself. But none of this is easy, not with a lunatic like Carmen breathing down her neck and threatening to steal Joan’s manuscript.

A heartfelt, hilarious look at taking second chances, in life and in love, Tady’s uplifting debut will have readers rooting for Joan on every page—and laughing out loud at her one-of-a-kind wit.

My review:

When I read the synopsis of this book, not only did it sound like something I would be interested in plot/character wise, but it's set in Vermont (where I was born and lived until my mid 30's). I really enjoyed this one! It was the perfect blend of humor and grief, with lots of friendships thrown in. The small references (ok, let's call them digs) of the visitors to Vermont was hilarious and spot on! I loved seeing the growth that Joan went through as she struggled to overcome her devastation over the death of her boyfriend, and finding her new path/passion in life. The writing was well defined, the characters well fleshed out (haven't we all encountered a Carmen in the service industry?). I enjoyed the descriptions of massage therapy (with its various types of clients), the double meaning of the title, and the important place that reading/writing had within the story.

If you want a sweet story that is more than just a typical rom-com, with themes much more devoted to overcoming grief, along with great friendship and character growth, with humor thrown in, I would suggest this book. This is by a debut author, and I'm excited to see where she takes readers next!

Published on Leave a comment on Symphony of Secrets
Symphony of Secrets Book Cover Symphony of Secrets
Brendan Slocumb
Fiction
Anchor
April 18, 2023
Hardcover/Audio
449
Purchased/Library

Bern Hendricks has just received the call of a lifetime. As one of the world’s preeminent experts on the famed twentieth-century composer Frederick Delaney, Bern knows everything there is to know about the man behind the music. When Mallory Roberts, a board member of the distinguished Delaney Foundation and direct descendant of the man himself, asks for Bern’s help authenticating a newly discovered piece, which may be his famous lost opera, RED, he jumps at the chance. With the help of his tech-savvy acquaintance Eboni, Bern soon discovers that the truth is far more complicated than history would have them believe.

In 1920s Manhattan, Josephine Reed is living on the streets and frequenting jazz clubs when she meets the struggling musician Fred Delaney. But where young Delaney struggles, Josephine soars. She’s a natural prodigy who hears beautiful music in the sounds of the world around her. With Josephine as his silent partner, Delaney’s career takes off—but who is the real genius here?

In the present day, Bern and Eboni begin to uncover more clues that indicate Delaney may have had help in composing his most successful work. Armed with more questions than answers and caught in the crosshairs of a powerful organization who will stop at nothing to keep their secret hidden, Bern and Eboni will move heaven and earth in their dogged quest to right history’s wrongs.

My review:

This author's debut novel was a huge hit with me earlier this year, but could he achieve the same accolades with his sophomore offering? I'm pleased to say that yes, yes he did! I love the way music is used as a part of the plot, and there is also an underlying mystery within each of these first books. In this case, it's whether a highly acclaimed composer actually wrote his own pieces? We follow a university professor as he and a savvy assistant try to uncover a missing last opera piece from the composer, but they end up finding a whole lot more. In alternating timelines the story takes the reader back to a woman who becomes close to the composer, and may be contributing more than just her friendship. The fact that she is a black woman also brings up the race issue, since in the 1920's blacks were not recognized for meaningful contributions that could be passed off as coming from a white person. The writing flowed so well, there was never a place where I thought the plot meandered, and the back and forth timeline (which doesn't always work if not done correctly) was handled seamlessly.

It's very rare that an author can wow me with consecutive books, but this one has. I highly recommend this story, as well as The Violin Conspiracy, both are fascinating in their own ways. I cannot wait to see what Mr. Slocumb comes up with next!

Published on Leave a comment on Only the Beautiful
Only the Beautiful Book Cover Only the Beautiful
Susan Meissner
Fiction
Berkley
April 18, 2023
Hardcover
400
Purchased

A heartrending story about a young mother’s fight to keep her daughter, and the winds of fortune that tear them apart.

California, 1938—When she loses her parents in an accident, sixteen-year-old Rosanne is taken in by the owners of the vineyard where she has lived her whole life as the vinedresser’s daughter. She moves into Celine and Truman Calvert’s spacious house with a secret, however—Rosie sees colors when she hears sound. She promised her mother she’d never reveal her little-understood ability to anyone, but the weight of her isolation and grief prove too much for her. Driven by her loneliness she not only breaks the vow to her mother, but in a desperate moment lets down her guard and ends up pregnant. Banished by the Calverts, Rosanne believes she is bound for a home for unwed mothers, and having lost her family she treasures her pregnancy as the chance for a future one. But she soon finds out she is not going to a home of any kind, but to a place far worse than anything she could have imagined.

Austria, 1947—After witnessing firsthand Adolf Hitler’s brutal pursuit of hereditary purity—especially with regard to “different children”—Helen Calvert, Truman's sister, is ready to return to America for good. But when she arrives at her brother’s peaceful vineyard after decades working abroad, she is shocked to learn what really happened nine years earlier to the vinedresser’s daughter, a girl whom Helen had long ago befriended. In her determination to find Rosanne, Helen discovers that while the war had been won in Europe, there are still terrifying battles to be fought at home.

My review:

Ms. Meissner is an auto buy author for me, you can always count on a great historical fiction story that has rich characters and important historical roots. While I always want to learn something from this genre, I get bored easily if there is too much information and it doesn't read like a story. I never have to worry about that with Meissner's novels. In this one, a subject that I have previously read about is explored (eugenics), but also one that I had not (synesthesia). There is also an interesting format. Typically when a story is told by two main characters, their chapters alternate, but in the case of this book they are in two parts, Rosie is part one, and Helen is part two. I really appreciated this subtle difference which made it unique. I will say that I was more enamored with Helen's story after she came back to America, but that is a me thing, I'm really a bit burned out on WWII (although this was a completely different angle). Rosie's story was tragic, but was written so that you always had hope for her life to get better. I thought the ending was well executed, and the incorporation of Rosie's special gift gave it a nice touch.

This is a well written and interesting novel about a somber time in history, but this author has a way with her characters that make her books a delight to immerse yourself in. Still doesn't overtake my favorite by her (As Bright as Heaven), but a very engaging read.

Published on Leave a comment on Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers Book Cover Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Jesse Q. Sutanto
Fiction
Berkley Books
March 14, 2023
Paperback/Audio
352
Purchased/libby

Sixty-year-old self-proclaimed tea expert Vera Wong enjoys nothing more than sipping a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy ‘detective’ work on the internet (AKA checking up on her son to see if he’s dating anybody yet).

But when Vera wakes up one morning to find a dead man in the middle of her tea shop, it’s going to take more than a strong Longjing to fix things. Knowing she’ll do a better job than the police possibly could – because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands – Vera decides it’s down to her to catch the killer.

Nobody spills the tea like this amateur sleuth.

My review:

I don't read many of what I would call cozy mysteries (although I have been trying to fit a few Miss Marple books in my reading). However, as much as I loved this authors two previous books about Chinese "aunties", I knew I had to make an exception. This book was a hooot, and even better if you are an audiophile, the narrator is superb! For me, the mystery wasn't even the entertaining part of the book, it was the character of Vera and her various idiosynchrasies. She takes on the role of sleuth because she thinks the police are being completely inept in how they handle the dead body found in her tea shop. Her general advice to those around her on how they should live life, such as admonishing all those who don't go to bed early and rise at 5AM, just made me giggle. And of course there is extra advice for her single son. You definitely have to suspend some disbelief on how involved Vera ends up getting with the murder suspects, but the whole book is just such a barrel of fun that I was happy to go along for the ride. She did remind me a bit of Miss Marple in the way people would open up to her, thinking she is just a doddering old lady and not someone whip smart and always one step ahead.

Take a break from some heavier reads with this kick butt little Asian lady. You'll be glad you did. I want to be friends with a real Vera and I would certainly frequent her shop even though I hate tea!

Published on Leave a comment on If We’re Being Honest
If We're Being Honest Book Cover If We're Being Honest
Cat Shook
Fiction
Celadon Books
April 18, 2023
Advance reader copy
304
Free from publisher via BookishFirst

When Gerry, the beloved Williams patriarch, dies suddenly, his grandchildren flock from across the country to the family home in Eulalia, Georgia. But when Gerry’s best friend steps up to the microphone to deliver his eulogy, the funeral turns out unlike anyone expected. The cousins, left reeling and confused, cope with their fresh grief and various private dramas. Delia, recently heartbroken, refuses to shut up about her ex. Her sister Alice, usually confident, flusters when she spots her high school sweetheart, hiding a secret that will change both of their lives. Outspoken, affable Grant is preening in the afterglow of his recent appearance on The Bachelorette and looking to reignite an old flame with the least available person in town. Meanwhile, his younger brother Red, unsure of himself and easily embarrassed, desperately searches for a place in the boisterous family.

The cousins’ eccentric parents are in tow, too, and equally lost—in love and in life. Watching over them all is Ellen, Gerry’s sweet and proper widow, who does her best to keep her composure in front of the leering small town.

Clever and completely original, If We’re Being Honest reminds you that while no one can break your heart like your family can, there’s really no one better to put you back together.

My review:

I had a feeling I was going to love this book based on the opening line of Chapter One:

Gerry Williams's funeral was a shit show.

It only got better from there as we found out why. This book is exactly what I want in a family story. Characters who appear to be just normal (okay, subjective as they have to make the plot interesting) small town folks with a secret that effects them in differing ways. There were family spats, angst over futures, and lots of camaraderie (particularly around the matriarch Ellen). The story has many laugh out loud moments, but it's coupled with lots of poignant ones as well. I will say that if there is not a family tree included in the finished copy (I had the privilege of reading it early), you may want to quickly jot one down. Because of the circumstances, pretty much all of the characters are introduced at once. It gets much easier as the book progresses, since they all have their particular voice and style, but it did take me a while to keep everyone straight. I also wish the chapters had been shorter, but that's just a me thing since I don't like to stop reading in the middle of one. Despite these qualms, I rated this book 5 stars, I couldn't get enough of this family and their week spent together (with a funeral at one end, and a wedding at the other). This had one of the sweetest endings I've read in a long time, I absolutely loooooved it!

This book will make you smile, make you swoon at the end, and mostly make you root for this family to thrive and grow, as well as help each other along the way. I can't wait to see what this debut author comes up with next.

Published on Leave a comment on The Soulmate
The Soulmate Book Cover The Soulmate
Sally Hepworth
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
April 4, 2023
Advance reader copy
336
Free from publisher via NetGalley

There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral...Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate...lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel.

My review:

3.5 stars

Not my favorite from this author, but man was it ever bingeable! I love this author, and was thrilled to meet her on her US book tour last year. Her writing is captivating and I literally can't tear myself away from reading, even if the overall book isn't jiving with me. The main problem I had with this book is that I didn't like any of the characters, and I think you were supposed to feel something for at least some of them. I wanted to shake some sense into Pippa (who must have Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man on internal repeat!). The book alternates between Pippa and Amanda, in both past and present times. There is a little bit of a ghostly element, which is not really my thing, although I can see how it added to the story. I'm also left feeling kind of icky about the mental health representation. It was done well, but not handled well by the characters. The conclusion was mostly satisfying, so I was left with a better feeling about the book in general.

An absolutely riveting read, but not entirely my cup of tea. Overall exploring themes of marriage, fidelity, workplace, shady business practices, suicide, and the idea of having a soulmate. I've decided after reading this that I don't want one!