January

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
This story is of Edward, the 12 year old survivor of a terrible plane crash where 191 passengers die, three of them his parents and brother. The fallout of this event is predictable, but the arc of the story is not, nor is the beautiful writing. As I read of Edwards difficulties adjusting to life, I wondered if I would be compelled to keep reading? Well-written, evocative, even lyrical, but where was it going? Needless to say, the final third of this book swept me into its arms and carried me into the world of forgiveness, of resolution, of acceptance, of the the harsh reality of life and death, of what is owed and not owed. In other words, it blew my mind. Perhaps it had to do with where my own personal life had been as I read it, at the bedside of a beloved son in law, hoping he would live. But isn't that what books do for us, hit us where our souls currently reside? This book reminded me, in the words of Edward's therapist..."What happened to you is baked into your bones, Edward. It lives under your skin. It's not going away. It's part of you and will be part of you every moment until you die. What you've been working on, since the time I met you, is learning to live with that."

Long Bright River by Liz Moore
A Philadelphia neighborhood full of homelessness, lacking hope, and rife for violence, a single mom who works as a cop and worries about her sister, addicted to opiates for years, and a serial killer on the loose. All these ingredients plus an incredibly talented writer makes for one humdinger of a book. The plot moves between Then and Now, as we see the dysfunctional childhood of Mickey and Kacey, raised by their grandmother after their mother's death and their father's abandonment; one sees the devastating impact, generationally, that the opiate epidemic has had on one community and one family. We also see the outcome of this childhood, as one sister breaks herself to raise her son, to put food on the table and a roof over his head, to keep her community safe, while the other sister is imprisoned by addiction, violence, and loss. This is an outstanding book - highly highly recommend:)

Wanderers by Chuck Wendig
A 750 pages epic on how the world ends...perfect for a long vacation?! YES. This one kept me turning pages and every time I thought I had it figured out, I was led down another rabbit hole. It is a story about science and faith, of government and anarchy, of family and predators, or shepherds and wolves, of love, hope, and yes, the end of everything we know. So many themes in this book hit home in a very scary way: how words matter, that people who spew hate because they want ratings or attention or to win an election can actually get people killed. That a democracy is tenuous, that domestic militias are scary as hell, and that climate change will kill our planet. This book is worth every hour - it is an adventure and a journey and a mind-blowing experience.

Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict
Benedict is becoming the specialist of historical fiction that focuses on the female counterpart of a strong, successful, famous man. This time around it is Clementine Churchill, the wife of the famous Winston Churchill. Clemmie is a complex woman. On one hand, she is from an old, distinguished family, yet they are impoverished, with a mother who drinks, has many lovers, and neglects her children. Once Clementine marries into the Churchill family, she is thrust into the political world in which she ultimately thrives. Unbeknownst to many of us (me included), Clemmie was instrumental in Winston's rise in power and his comeback, editing his speeches and providing vital moral support as well as organizational skill during the Blitz. I was fascinated with the history, but not as much with Clemmie. She's still a bit of a cipher to me, unclear as to her motivations, her own wants and desires, her passions. I liked this book, but didn't love it as much as the previous one about Hedy Lamar. Thanks to Net Galley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
This book begins with a bang...older sister Alison disappears on a Caribbean island and turns up dead soon therafter. Is it foul play or an accident? The story then turns to Claire, the younger sister and the fallout of this event on both Claire and her parents. And that's where it slows down, waaaaaay down. For me, the plot was thin and drawn out. I could just never care a whole lot about this family - white, rich, privileged - which I get was the point that was made by the end of the book. But still. Hard to care a whole lot. Interesting ideas exist, down the roads of cultural challenges, impact of tourism, family secrets, and the last quarter was quite engaging, but it just took forever to get there for me.

The Night Country by Melissa Albert
"What are we now, but the lost children of a dead world?" Thanks to main characters Alice and Ellery in the first book of the series The Hazel Wood, the Hazel Wood is dead, so what comes next? According to this latest tale, it is a life of the 'stories' (ie. young people aka characters from Alice's grandmother's original storybook who escaped when Alice and Ellery destroyed the Wood) as they try and find their way through a dark, yet oh so real, New York City. Without a clear review of the first book, I did find this second one a bit confusing at first and had to do some major reconnaissance to gain some knowledge; yes, I should have reread The Hazel Wood but one doesn't always have time, right? The 'stories' are struggling with real life, and some of them are winding up dead - who's doing it? Could it be Alice with the ice cold blood, or someone else? Where is Ellery and how is he going to involve himself in this story? I enjoyed this latest dark fairy-tale-esque book, but less so than original.