Mattia Goddard
I loved this book. Couldn't believe a writer could make an 87 year old protagonist interesting. But he did. I've recommended this book repeatedly. This mystery was that fun to read.
Calling all theatre lovers! Where are my theatre geeks? This is our book. The intersection of Chekhov and Our Town is too much for my BFA in Theatre heart to take. Because I played the Stage Manager in Our Town in High School I was knee deep into this book on page TWO. Auditions for Our Town? I am paying attention. I really enjoyed this book. Ann Patchett coyly gives us THREE SISTERS on a CHERRY ORCHARD and theatre loving parents who quote Anton Chekhov. OKAY I am belaboring the point but all of you out there with no point of reference for any of this you will love this study of young love, parental love, sibling love and then that final deep and abiding love that comes from knowing who you are and being happy with the life you've chosen. That is the story Ann Patchett has created here. She has cleverly woven in the pandemic to a bygone story of young love lost- but boy does that story rage bright and brilliant. I've read many stories with parallel timelines. This one is different. The story told during summer stock 25+ years earlier is a wholly developed story in and of itself. These are not flashbacks. Ann Patchett truly introduces us to these young wild characters and invests her storytelling prowess in them. This book is going to stick with me. I loved it.
This book was just what I needed after a November of somber reads. A Holiday Read I grabbed off the end cap at Target- and it was such fun. Not my usual fare in any way shape or form- imagine a steamy Hallmark Movie in book form with two famous moms thrown in for comic relief and star power. I liked the ingenuity of this story line- the children of a famous female rock duo attempting to reunite their mothers- CLEVER PLOT. Then add in two main characters both likable with their own interesting internal narratives and now we have a STORY!
This was my first Tessa Bailey so I was not prepared for her steamy sex scenes- so ya know- here's your heads on that front. The female lead- Melody is particularly well written and has some great, funny dialogue and one-liners. And again -the aging rock moms are cool too- solid snappy dialogue between them. The reality tv-streaming show concept worked well here -probably because unlike other similar plot lines it wasn't scripted or edited. It didn't get in the way of the story.
If you enjoy second chance romances, set during the Holidays this one is for you. And of course, you can't beat the NYC setting at Christmas.
Yet ANOTHER NYTIMES Bestseller deserving of all the hype. Is my faith in this country's readership returning? Who could not love Marcellus the giant pacific octopus? Oh what a clever story, so original, such a slice of joy, but with a side of sadness. It's hard not to ache for Tovah and then desperately root for her happy ending. This book is tremendously satisfying. Plus such a gorgeous cover- also a work of art- like the story within. Highly recommend.
I enjoyed the character development and the unraveling of the plot. I did not like the excessive internal monologues of the protagonists. I think the last 50-75 pages needed an editor's red pen. and the last chapter was absolutely unnecessary or misplaced.
Another great book by Peter Swanson. I particularly enjoy his character building in this one and the situations the protagonist finds himself in. A bookstore owner in Maine dies under suspicious circumstances, his son is swarmed by two women whose motives are unclear- One with a hardcore backstory. Domestic suspense readers will enjoy this one. He really sticks the ending which is, of course, so satisfying.
Perfect for Spooky Season- I chose this for our October Book Club that met on Halloween. Talk about creepy. This one tells a small quiet story of childhood but as the narrator reveals his history the reader slowly horrifyingly realizes what this kid does not. Told with brilliant tension and a childlike calm -this book is the type of horror not with supernatural ghosts or devils -but simply the horror that reveals the evil that men can do.
What a great story. Witty and caustic, I loved the narrator. The subject matter did not appeal to me before I started it, but I am so pleased I read this book. It was satisfying on many levels.
I love this book. I love how he talks to the reader, takes us into his memories of what was going on in his life when he was writing his different books. He has a direct and unassuming quality to his perspective that I appreciate. Highly recommend.
I loved this book. It remains my favorite non-fiction read. I learned about one of our lesser known presidents and how his life converged with Alexander Graham Bell and Dr. Lister. It was a fascinating time in our nation's history. I highly recommend this book.
Another great installment of Daniel Friedman's retired octogenarian detective Buck Schatz. I love this character. His past recollections and his current troubles. I'll be getting book 3 shortly.
I love a story where a group of people are trapped on a paradise island. This book is short and quick. I read it in about 7 hours. Good ending but I've read enough of these books to know who the bad guy was. It was not, however, predictable. It was an enjoyable read.
I enjoyed this but boy was it a tough read at times. The protagonist was deeply flawed and gave me The Girl on the Train vibes. By that I mean, the character not the plot. The mystery was short and quick and actually, as I think about it, not much of a mystery. It was good but not at all the norm for this genre. It is actually more of a character study in -well, I can't say because I don't want to give it away.
My local library had this book on display and it had been recommended to me by my daughter, so I happily picked it up. Well, I read it in two days and I loved it. Profoundly loved it. Having aging parents, I could relate to some thing on literally every page of this book. It helps that he is a deft and quick-witted writer, at times self-deprecating, other times angry, but always brutally honest with himself and thus the reader. Of course, it doesn't hurt his storytelling that his mother was one hell of a woman: a trailblazer in her small part of the world. An educator, a survivor, and a bit of a rabble rouser on everything from politics, the changes in education, to the goings on at her local Jewish community center. There is heartbreak on display here and it is palpable, but there's also catharsis, and those of us eyeing our own Tashas of our worlds, can relate and boy oh boy can we appreciate his thoughts, his words, and all he shared here. I highly recommend this short 200ish page read. 5/5
I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this cast of characters. I was initially intrigued by the controversy of Bulgari paying the writer for the most obvious product placement in literary history. Come to find out, it's actually a fun story. Biting, witty and written with knives out- just about every sentence. Under 200 pages, short and fast.
I loved this. I was confused and uncertain about where it was going. then I was thrilled. great weaving of past and present events.
What did I just read? Seriously what. Now this is a book that messes with your head- in all the right ways. If you're looking for a great thriller with a well executed, complex plot and fleshed out characters, this is a solid choice. It will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about three fourths of the way in. Enjoy!
I am astonished at how good this book was. The only thing that would make it better is if I read it over the summer on the beach. So mark this one as a perfect beach read. Great character development, very interesting storyline, unexpected wrapup. The last chapter was a little bit heartbreaking, which was entirely unexpected. Also- a super fast read. Highly recommend.
I do not have strong opinions about this one. Ehhhh...I was intrigued because she was an actress who moved from LA to Georgia. I don't love stalker storylines. They always seem like a one trick pony-nowhere new to go once you're on a stalker storyline. There was a subplot that was kind of interesting- not sure she fully pulled it off. Three stars, good, not great.
This book! Ahhh! It was wonderful and funny and entertaining and everything good. First I learned the backstage life of an SNL writer (SNL -TNO -wink wink) then the pandemic hits and the book moves into an epistolary format. I happen to love that form of storytelling. Here it's email. Then, part 3 in our romcom is these two endearing characters together. This is not my usual genre, but after Prep, I'm a big Curtis Sittenfeld fan and loads of people I trust loved this read. I know exactly why. This book hits all the right notes. This was the absolute right palate cleanser for me after my last bloody, violent mystery. Highly recommend this one.
My second pandemic story and back to back no less. I find I enjoy looking back on the early days of the global pandemic. Staying home with family, work and school suspended, loads of puzzles, books and binge watching. It's all here, the crazes at the super markets then the deserted shops, the fight to find hand sanitizer and the wiping down of every package we brought inside. I enjoyed reading about those shared experiences and in this case as far away as Dublin. Add in a dead body, then switch up the the timeline and POV- one chapter it's today and there's a moldering corpse, the next it's the meet cute 56 days prior. Then the author brilliantly gives us the same scenario over the subsequent 56 days from both character's perspectives. But not so much that it's repetitive. It feels like you're part of their secrets- of which there are several. And they are doozies. This was a great read if you're ready for the pandemic as a setting or perhaps a plot twist. I was definitely ready and this story really worked for me. Quite the ingenious co-mingling of ideas. Highly recommend.
This one has several elements that immediately interested me. Murder at an amusement park- YES. Female detective-YES. High body count - YES. Plus- Jennifer Hillier added in a creepy clown museum- so much perfect Spooky Season fodder. I had such fun reading this!
New detective arrives in Seaside and immediately sets to solving a brand new homicide that morphs into much larger missing persons cold cases. Nothing like a creepy amusement park as the backdrop for sex crimes, stalking and murder. This is a good old school thriller. Satisfying read, solid conclusion.
Beautifully narrated and quite brilliant world building, imagine my surprise when I got sucked into this audio book.
I left the High Fantasy prompt of the 52 Book Challenge for the end because it's not a genre I usually gravitate toward.
In this story, Chefs have special powers in their world and are prized but held captive for their abilities. While there is lots of magic and talk of edibles and enhancements, there is also much that is familiar, almost old fashioned, about their world. There are gated cities and people wearing wigs, not much indoor plumbing- no electricity, a princess that loves to ride by horseback, and neighboring kingdoms with a tenuous peace on the verge of erupting.
I especially enjoyed the characters. All regular folks- a teen girl, a middle aged chef, her elderly grandmother- lots of talk of royal alliances and family bloodlines and the 5 Gods that rule their world.
Clearly, there's a sequel coming because it ends unfinished with the promise of so much more to come.
Perfect for those that love solid world building, magic and magical creatures.
No sex and no cursing whatsoever in this one so definitely appropriate for younger advanced readers. There is violence but it's not graphic.
Another winner! I loved these sisters, aunts & cousins and the tales of their interesting lives. Asian culture, specifically Vietnamese culture, is shown and explained both beautifully and hysterically in this story. All of it relatable to anyone who understands family drama. Fun and ultimately moving read. Highly recommend.