September

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
First, the cover of this book blows; it looks like the potboilers my mother used to buy at the local grocery store...blech. However, inside this horrendous cover, is a shockingly awesome book that I could not put down. Each chapters chronicles Evelyn's life as it unfolds during her marital years to a particular husband - yes, it sounds like a bad made-for-tv movie. But what saves this book is Evelyn herself, an incredibly complex, refreshingly honest, and provocatively intelligent woman. She uses her wiles and her talents to break into the Hollywood of the 1950's, making both friends and enemies along the way, and hiding a forbidden love. This book is a page-turner, and while it may look like 'brain candy' on the outside, the inside is rich and satisfying.

Little Comfort (Hester Thursby Mystery #1)by Edwin Hill
Looking for that next great mystery series? I found it for you:) Coming from one of the smaller publishers, be sure to search your indie bookstore and ask to have it on shelves as this story is worth every penny. Debut author Edwin Hill has created a spectacular main character: Hester Thursby, librarian and private investigator on the side, a fireball of a 4'9" woman, lives with a man she refuses to marry, foster mom to her best friend's daughter. The mystery begins with a search for two young men who disappeared a decade ago. Ultimately, the story involves identity theft, sex trafficking, high society, codependent friendships, military PTSD, and murder, all while little Hester Thursby sticks her nose into everybody's business. The characters are incredibly well-drawn, with both admirable and frustrating traits, as well as some seriously baaaaad people who need their comeuppance. And let's face it, I'm a sucker for beautiful syntax and this man can write! I absolutely loved this book, could not put it down, and cannot wait for the second installment.

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

I had hopes that this book would be reminiscent of Orphan Train, a rich historical tale of the Great Depression. The story begins with a down-on-his-luck reporter, taking a photo of two boys holding a sign that shows them to be "For Sale" in 1932 Philadelphia. As the tale unwinds, this photo causes lots of problems for both the reporter and the office assistant who involves herself in the newspaper publishing of the story. I found the main characters to be quite thin, the minor characters to be tedious, and the plot to be without much-needed tension as well as a tad saccharine. I am sure there are many readers who love this type of book; it just is not me. Thanks to Net Galley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle
This is a creative story of life, love, and second chances. At first, I was not sure this was a book for me; admittedly, I tend towards the dark, dramatic, historical, tragic tales, but the premise of this novel is intriguing. Based on a classic conversation in every classroom I've ever led, the question begins with "Who would you invite to dinner, dead or alive, fiction or non-fiction, if you could?" This was always the start of some fascinating English lit class discussions. In Rebecca Serle's book, she tips it a bit towards family and friends, and away from famous and historical. At first, the literary snob in me was put off - where was Shakespeare, Homer, or yes, even Harry Potter? Why do I want to read about a dinner with Sabrina's old college professor, ex-boyfriend, best friend, dead father, and the obligatory famous person, Audrey Hepburn? Ah, the answer is because Serle makes me care. This story wraps itself insidiously around your heart as once again I was reminded that life is not fame and fortune, but the small moments...like when you meet the love of your life, the first apartment with your best friend, a night with a new baby, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed this short, sweet little story.

Lies by T.M. Logan
This new thriller by debut British writer is fine, but nothing memorable for me. When driving his young son home one night, Joe, a public school teacher who lacks ambition and passion, hears his son say that he's seen Mum's car, forcing Joe into a hotel parking garage where the trouble begins as he confronts a husband of a friend. When said husband then pulls a runner and cannot be found, Joe finds himself the main suspect. It is a page-turner, I will give it that. The problem for me was that Joe is just so stupid; he chases every wrong clue, won't listen to legal advice, and has unaltered trust in people whom he shouldn't. Yet, at least this time around it is the guy being dumb and not the stereotypical woman so that's a plus! Regardless, I would say it's a good vacation read, but a bit forgettable for me. Thanks to Net Galley for a free book in exchange for an honest review.

August 2.0

Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey
This book by a debut author addresses a conundrum: what does one do when seeing a child neglected and abused? Do you report it to the authorities and hope the foster-care system doesn't mess it all up? Or do you do what main character, Sarah Walker, does and just take five year old Emma? Yep, it's a problem. Emma is smart, beautiful, and sad; abused by her mother, ignored by her father, she wears the same clothes to school each day. When Sarah's life weirdly interconnects with Emma more than once, perhaps it is karma, perhaps it is her job to abandon her successful business, perhaps her wretched breakup with long-time boyfriend was meant to be? Admittedly, some plot holes glared at times for me, but I could not stop reading this book. The question of what Sarah would ultimately do with Emma, how Emma's mother handled the situation, and how Emma adapted kept me turning pages quickly. It is a good 'brain candy' book for sure.

Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson
His earlier book, The Kind Worth Killing, was a dark and creepy thriller that gave me the heebie-jeebies, and yes, I loved it. This second book was solid, but not quite as good. The premise revolves around an apartment swap. A young British woman, suffering from PTSD as well as a long-term anxiety disorder, finally finds the courage to leave London, arriving in Boston to live in her cousin's Beacon Hill home. Of course, a murder occurs in the apartment next door, which plays to all of Kate's fears (hence the title). The cousin, now staying in her London flat, has a bit more of a secret life than anyone (Kate, neighbors, or even us, the reader) had ever suspected. As the rabbit hole we go down to see Corbin's past gets darker and creepier, the threads of the murder start to come together. This was definitely a page-turner and a solid thriller, but a bit too predictable of an ending for me.

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
I seem to have an opposing view on this book from many other reviewers; I give it 2.5 stars at best. First, the premise is creative as this time the 'other woman' is the mother of the boyfriend/fiance. That's a nice twist. The problem I had was the complete shallowness of the main characters; the girlfriend who continuously stays in an abusive relationship with both the man and the mother; the boyfriend who is a nasty drunk but loves his mother obsessively for unexplained reasons; the brother who, even in the end, is not fully flushed out and makes a muck of things; and the besties who stand by and don't yank poor lil Emily miles away from this man. Not even the dark and twisted ending could salvage this book for me. I hate hate hate weak, gullible, static women - protagonists like this merely perpetuate the myth of spineless women trapped in toxic relationships. Try giving us a trapped woman who gets herself out through her strength and smarts, someone to aspire to, someone to give us hope. Aargh. Thanks to Net Galley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1)) by Tomi Adeyemi
Debut author Tomi Adeyemi is a gorgeous writer with a depth of knowledge on African mythology, and she uses both skills brilliantly in this first of a new YA fantasy series. Set in the world of Orisha, the magic has been vanquished years ago through murder and destruction, killing the maji off and leaving their children, the diviners behind. The diviners have no magic, but have stark white hair against their brown skin to set them off. Enslaved and abused, the diviner society is set for rebellion. Thus enters our cast of characters: Zelie, a young diviner, whose mother was a Reaper who could call upon the souls of the dead; Tzain, her brother, a strong athlete devoted to keeping Zelie and her father safe; Inan, the son of the murderous king, torn between his knowledge of moral rightness and his need for his father's approval; and Amari, daughter of the king, scared and weak on the outside, a lion in her heart, who begins the whole rebellion with a stolen scroll. This is an incredible gift of storytelling to the world. If you like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and every other magical tale of friendship, loyalty, family bonds, destruction, power, fear, you name it, pick up this book. You will not regret it.

What Truth Sounds Like: Robert F. Kennedy, James Baldwin, and Our Unfinished Conversation about Race in America by Michael Eric Dyson
Recommended by none other than #44, Barack Obama, this book is a must-read for American citizens, as it gives a thoughtful look at how history has shaped race relations in our country. Focusing on essays and events involving black writer and activist James Baldwin, as well as Robert F. Kennedy as his understanding of race relations evolve, Dyson explores every aspect of American life today and its intersection with race: the world of entertainment, politics, professional sports, music, you name it, that world is dissected looking through the lens of race. This book opened my eyes in so many ways and made me realize how little I truly know and understand, as I live in a predominantly white PNW college town. I highly recommend reading it not listening to it, as the language is beautiful, and the narrator was truly terrible.

August

Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson

Debt author Youngson uses the actual artifact of the Tollund Man (an Iron Age mummy) to explore a relationship between a grieving widower and head of the museum with an aging British woman who is questioning her life choices and future direction. The story unfolds through the letters these two write one another, as they share the lives of their children and grandchildren, the grief over marriages, and their exploration of the Tollund Man and what his place was in his time and community. The author speaks to those of us at a ‘mature’ age, which is a breath of fresh air in the literary world of page-turning thrillers, fabulously wealthy characters, and no one over the age of thirty. Be patient – this book will slowly and quietly wrap its arms around you and give you much food for thought about aging, love, and friendship.

Rust & Starlight by T. Greenwood
The infamous book Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov had an inspiration in the kidnapping of Sally Horner by a middle-aged child rapist in 1949 New Jersey. Author T. Greenwood uses this real crime to explore the story that inspired a classic. Told through the viewpoints of first the family, and then sprinkling in the various fictitious characters who interact with young Sally, the story unfolds slowly. We see the childhood taunting and bullying that begins the entire horror, the insidious mix of fear and charm that Frank LaSalle uses on his victim, and the cross-country odyssey of ugliness. Greenwood creates some quirky, creepy, and heroic minor characters that flush out Sally's tragedy and shows the need for strangers to care about other humans. It was a bit of a slow burn for me, even considering putting book down about 20% in, but ultimately the story gripped me, voraciously reading the last half, wishing so desperately for an elusive happy ending. The author uses the true-crime to tell a suspenseful, tragic, and fascinating story.


In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History by Mitch Landrieu
One might ask, why would a middle-aged woman who lives in the Pacific Northwest read a book written by a former mayor of New Orleans? Easy answer: it is on Obama's summer read list. More complex answer? Because the more one knows about every square inch of our country, the more I can wrap my brain around the direction our country is heading. Mitch Landrieu narrates the book himself, and he's got a unique, pugnacious style to his reading voice; I kinda enjoyed it. And the story itself is compelling, fascinating, and ultimately quite inspiring. We see Mitch's long-time politically involved family (dad was mayor and HUD secretary, sister was U.S. senator) but Mitch doesn't focus on the power around these positions, but more on the ordinariness of family life, of tough choices that were not easy but were right, and on the pull of government service. We see the devastation of Katrina, and how local politics led the way to recovery. We also see the powerful argument to take down the statues, the fact-based argument that is hard to ignore. One of the most memorable sections to me was when Landrieu discusses the reason of being for government: to serve and aid its citizens, not to make a profit. Powerful stuff.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
After seeing this book on everyone's Must-Read lists in 2017, I am not sure why it took me so long to read this one. Perhaps the length? Perhaps I hate to follow the crowd? Regardless, I now understand the rave reviews; this is a beautiful piece of story-telling. Lee tells of a Korean family from the early 1900's, following their broken lives as they emigrate to Japan and attempt to build a life: the young woman who marries a man with a cleft palate; the daughter who is unmarried and pregnant; the missionary who searches for health and God in Osaka; the brother whose only goal is to care for his family; the sister-in-law who becomes an entrepreneur; the brothers who seeks two different paths. All the strands of this family come together under the roof of a Japanese society who treats the Korean as less than human, who denies them citizenship, status, and common decency. I was riveted by this story. Yes it is long (500 pages), but it reads quickly as the tale is so compelling.

The World As It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House by Ben Rhodes
I know, do we really need another political memoir of the Obama years? Is it only going to make me sad and depressed about an era that seemed normal in comparison to what the White House acts like now? Can it add anything to my knowledge base of the past decade? The answer is YES to all of these questions, but it also leaves one with hope for the future if intelligent, dedicated, thoughtful people can once again be in charge. Ben Rhodes was Barack Obama's closest advisor on national security, beginning from the time he ran for president as well as all eight years in office. Rhodes' memoir focuses merely on those years; his personal life is only mentioned as it impacts his professional life. So yes, this is truly a political memoir. I found it utterly fascinating as Rhodes only tells about what he was a part of, with no second hand stories told, only firsthand accounts. Benghazi, the financial meltdown, saving the auto industry, decisions on troop deployment, Osama Bin Ladin, the Russian hacking, you name it, it's in here if it is about national security. I listened to this book voraciously, as the behind-the-scenes look at what really happens on a grand scale is gripping.