March Read: The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes

 

Have you ever heard of the Armed Services Editions? They were paperbacks of novels that were shipped overseas to U.S. troops during World War 2. Many novels we consider classics were part of this giant effort to combat Nazi book burning and censorship. The books also provided soldiers with reading material to give them some relief from the constant stress of battle. 

Author Brianna Labuskes uses the ASE as a large part of her novel. Vivian Childs is living in New York City in 1944. Her husband has been killed in battle, and while mourning his loss, she's been working as the publicity director for the Council on Books in Wartime. She's working hard to keep books flowing into the hands of soldiers overseas, but has one Senator who is using his personal dislike of President Roosevelt to cripple the program. Senator Taft wants to censor the books, and if the amendment goes through, it means thousands of books will be banned from the program. 

The plot of the story also involves two women: Althea James and Hannah Brecht. Althea is a young American author who has been invited by Joseph Goebbels to Germany in a cultural exchange program in 1933. It's a thinly disguised attempt for the growing Nazi power to influence American minds. Althea is pretty naive and is excited to leave her small town in Maine. She's living in Berlin, is escorted around by a handsome young man, and has been exposed to Nazi idealism. 

Hannah Brecht is a Jewish woman living in Paris in 1936. The Nazis have not yet invaded France, but it's expected they will. Hannah has fled from Germany after a devastating event, and now works at a library that collects copies of the banned books students gleefully burned one night in May, 1933. She's haunted by the events of 1933 that left her feeling betrayed by those closest to her. 

All three stories connect together in New York, 1944 as Viv works to create a last ditch effort to bring awareness to Senator Taft's amendment.  The novel switches back and forth between 1933, 1936, and 1944. I didn't have any trouble following along, and each of the women were strong characters. I can't say I liked any one of them better than the other two. It was interesting to read about the same war from three different places and eleven years apart. I was especially interested in the ASE history and what it did to boost morale for soldiers. 

It took me a bit to get into this novel. Part of that was, as always, my reluctance to read about the rise of Nazi power and all of the horrible, horrible things that happened. What was interesting is the idea of book banning and censorship occurring here, in the U.S.  In light of what is currently going on in our schools and public libraries, this really hit home and because of that, this was a powerful, timely read for me. 

As someone who has worked their entire adult life selling books, talking about books, recommending books, reviewing books, selecting books for a library--I find censorship horrific. Banning books? Hell no. I speak from personal experience as a young reader who had books taken away from me because my mom didn't think they were appropriate. Over 40 years later, I remember every book and every time they were taken away from me. I remember being so angry about that, and telling myself I would never, ever do that to my future children. I still, deep down, carry that resentment. I am one of those kids who wasn't allowed to read what they wanted. It didn't stop me, instead it fired me up. Read with your child! Talk to them about why they're interested in reading a particular book. Don't ban a book because you don't like it. Don't keep your children from reading something that interests them.  As Hannah says in this novel

    I can tell you that banning books, burning books, blocking books is often used as a way to erase a people, a belief system, a culture. To say those voices don't belong here even when those writers represent the very best of a country.

Okay. I'll get off my soapbox. 

This novel has some interesting historical background, and if you're interested in learning more about the American Service Edition program, read  When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning. 

This would be a great book club selection with plenty to discuss. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel about love, betrayal, censorship, apathy, and friendship. Historical fiction fans will be intrigued by the ASE program and the events of May, 1933 in Berlin. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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March Read: The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes

January Read: The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

 

First book of the new year, and it was my favorite genre, historical fiction. It was also a fascinating dive into the world of the Mitford Sisters. 

You may, like myself, have heard the Mitford name. Nancy Mitford is most famous for her two novels The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. She's also famous for being one of six of the Mitford Sisters, who were young, beautiful, and part of the "young bright things" group of the 1930's. So many books have been written about the Mitford Sisters because they were big and bold, and that fascination continues nearly 100 years later. 

The sisters: Nancy, Diana, Jessica, Unity, Deborah, and Pamela, were brought up in English society by parents Muv and Farve. Financial problems plagued the family and they had to keep downsizing, all the while maintaining ties to the movers and shakers of the time--Winston Churchill's wife Clemmie was their cousin. 

What's fascinating about the sisters during the 1930's and into the 1940's are the ardent belief in fascism and friendship with Hitler by Unity and Diana. Unity's obsession with Hitler led her to move to Munich, learn fluent German, and work to become his closest friend. Diana followed suit in her determination to keep her lover Mosley's British branch of fascism the BUF growing and gaining power. It's well documented the two sisters were thick as thieves with Hitler and the Nazi party. 

That relationship is the biggest part of this novel. Nancy is another large part of the plot, as she struggles in her marriage to an alcoholic, writes her novels, and sees her sisters (and eventually her mother and father) fall further into the Nazi fold, and the slow descent into war with England. Should Nancy do something to stop all of this?

This is fiction, but based on a lot of historical fact. What was frustrating for me was Nancy's inability to act on what she saw and heard in her family. Eventually she does put her feelings for her sisters aside when the enormity of what is happening in England makes it clear she must act. But holy heck! One of the quotes in the novel is "How personal is the political in the end". For Nancy and her sisters, they were so intertwined it became impossible to separate the two. 

The novel also focuses on Unity and Diana. Diana is beautiful, cold, brilliant, and obsessed with her lover Mosley. She'll do anything for him. Unity is obsessed with the Nazi ideal and Hitler. So much to that she goes to great lengths to get into the inner circle of Hitler and become his friend. 

Before reading this novel, I knew very little about the Mitford Sisters, and even less about their close connections to Hitler and the Nazi system. Wow. I'll say this novel got a bit heavy at times, especially the scenes where people dismissed the rise of Hitler's power and scoffed at what was being reported in Germany. 

This was a very good novel, and kept me turning the pages. I had to do a quick dive into the internet to look at photos of the Mitford sisters, and there is plenty of material out there if you decide you want to read more about them. One of the more popular books about the Mitford Sisters:

Honestly, the Mitford sisters are endlessly fascinating. You won't be able to resist exploring the wealth of articles, photos, and books written about them. 

Rating: 4/6 for a well researched historical novel about one of the most interesting families in England, at one of the most fascinating times. 

A big thank you to Sourcebooks for an advanced copy. This novel will be out in the U.S. on January 17th in hardcover, audio, and ebook. 

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January Read: The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

December Read: Christmas at the Ranch by Anita Hughes

 

December has truly gone by so fast my head is spinning. As per my usual tradition, I always enjoy reading holiday books after Thanksgiving and up to New Year's Day. Then I put them away and aren't even slightly tempted until next November. 

Christmas at the Ranch by Anita Hughes follows along with her previous holiday reads: Christmas in Vermont, Christmas in Paris, Christmas at the Chalet, and A Magical New York Christmas. They are all stand alone titles, so you can read them as you wish.

Christmas at the Ranch takes place in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Successful author Samantha Morgan is invited to her publisher's ranch for the Christmas holiday, and saying no is not an option. Her books are a series of action novels featuring secret agent Sloan Parker, and part of the marketing around her novels features Samantha in some wild adventures--amazing what digital editing and a green screen can do! 

Trouble is, she's a homebody who prefers nothing more than to stay in her apartment with her dog. She's afraid her publisher, Arthur, will find out she's not what her agent says she is, so reluctantly she boards a plane (terrified it will crash). 

On the plane, she meets charming and kind Drew. But surprise! Drew is Arthur's son, and he's also spending the holiday at the ranch. With his fiancé. 

Samantha slowly and carefully begins to enjoy the charms of the ranch and the town of Jackson Hole. She meets a lovely woman in a shop who encourages her to be brave and try new things. Her feelings for Drew keep growing, but there lies heartache. And Arthur turns out to be a pretty nice man, too. Generous and proud of Samantha's success. 

There are more subplots, but I don't want to give it all away. This is a novel that has romantic elements, but they are very mild. I just didn't get any strong sense of attraction between Samantha and Drew. Lots of designer names tossed about, plenty of hot chocolate, loads of delicious food and drinks. Amazing trips out and about to see the beauty of Wyoming and enjoy the winter season. No Christmas shopping stress, bad weather, or budgeting money here. 

If you're looking for a holiday novel that will completely take you away to a fabulous place, this is it. I was disappointed in the lack of heat between Samantha and Drew, and there was a fast conclusion to one of the subplots that just didn't flow very well. I did get annoyed at the author's use of book plots and Native American "wise words" when characters gave advice. They never had solid advice from their own experiences, and always referred to advice from a third party. It got old pretty fast.

Rating: 3/6 for a festive winter setting, a glimpse into the high life, and of course I'm always happy about novels that involve authors and books!

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio.

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December Read: Christmas at the Ranch by Anita Hughes

October Read: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

 

Another book I started a few months ago, put down, and didn't pick up again until last night. It wasn't because I didn't enjoy it, but because I  was in my reading slump. I zipped through it and throughly enjoyed it. It does require a bit of suspended disbelief but heck I had no problem doing that!

Daisy Darker is a young woman who has had a really lousy life. Born with a heart defect, she's  been told her life would be short. Her mother Nancy feels like a failure having a third daughter who is "broken", and treats Daisy pretty lousy. Her older sisters Rose and Lily were in turn smart and beautiful. Her father Frank is equally messed up, traveling constantly to conduct orchestras around the world. The only constant Daisy has is her Nana, a famous author who lives in a rambling old house on a tiny island off the coast of England. A house you can only reach on foot when the tide is out. 

The family has gathered at Seaglass, Nana's home, for her eightieth birthday--on Halloween. It's family tradition and this time, Nana has required everyone to be there because she's going to read her will. She's convinced this is her last birthday, and wants the family to know exactly what she's leaving them when she dies. 

I've never read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, but this novel takes a page from it and every hour, someone at Seaglass dies. As a storm rages outside, and all communication with the outside world is cut off, the terror builds as the family watches VCR tapes of years gone by, revealing pivotal moments in Daisy's history. And at the ding dongs of the many clocks strike the hour, someone dies. 

Who could be killing of the family? Who is next? Will anyone survive and escape when the tide finally comes in?

This is the kind of thriller I enjoy. I'm easily able to read it and not stop to question or poke holes. I'm on the roller coaster and staying buckled in until the ride comes to a complete stop. There are a couple of WHATTT moments, but I stuck with it and thought it was a heck of a good read. Dang. Families are complicated. 

This is a perfect read for October nights. 

Rating: 4/6 for a simply enjoyable thriller with all sorts of interesting revelations and moments of WHAT JUST HAPPENED. You may figure it all out, but I didn't even try and just enjoyed the unraveling story. I may read some Agatha Christie after this. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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October Read: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Summer Reading 2022: Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

 

I'm not overstating when I say knowing Sarah Addison Allen has a new book out this year brings me immense joy. I've read all of her books, and still to this day recommend Garden Spells to people.

I was being patient knowing I'd probably have to wait until Other Birds was published before I bought a copy and enjoyed it. However, a friend of mine was able to get me an ARC from Sarah Addison Allen herself (a signed one, at that!) when she made an appearance at the American Library Association Conference in June. My friend stood in line and even got there early and patiently waited. Can't thank him enough! 

You bet I set aside everything else I'm reading and dove into Other Birds and breathed a sigh of relief stepping back into SAA's magical words.

Other Birds takes place on Mallow Island, off the coast of South Carolina. Now a tourist destination, Mallow Island has a special building tucked away down an alley: the Dellawisp. Named after little blue birds that inhabit the trees around the building, it is home to some quirky residents, and the new home to Zoey. Zoey has come to the Dellawisp to live in the apartment left by her mother. She's finally left her toxic home in Oklahoma where her father and stepmother have made it clear she's not wanted. Only eighteen, Zoey is on her own, ready to start college, and trying to find a connection to her deceased mother. 

The Dellawisp is unusual, to be sure. There's magic in the air-the birds, a few ghosts, and the residents all combine to create an atmosphere of secrets, loss, love, and chances to create happiness. If only Zoey and Lucy, Charlotte, Frasier, and Mac can embrace the unknown and find the beginnings to their stories, while others (ghosts!) find the end of their stories. Each character has a chance to tell their story which I loved. There wasn't a character I didn't like, or feel sympathy for as they revealed their stories. The friendship that formed between Charlotte, Zoey, and Mac was delightful to see unfold. 

This was a much anticipated book for me, and I wasn't disappointed at all. I happily sunk into a world only SAA can create. I turned the last page with a big sigh of contentment, and a little bit of sadness that I'd finished. 

Rating: 6/6 for sheer enjoyment at reading SAA's newest novel. I adore her tales of every day people with every day problems, sprinkled in with a bit of magic. A reminder that there is still wonder in the small things; the world is a magical place if we take the time to look for it--it's right there in front of us! 

Available August 30th in the United States in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Summer Reading 2022: Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

Beach Read by Emily Henry

I finished a book! I'm still trying to find my pandemic comfort reading. I think it's trending towards lighter reads. If I can't focus on a book right away, I put it aside. Sunnier days ahead will send those books back to me and I'll happily read them then. 

So, Beach Read. Emily Henry is an author I haven't read before. She writes YA novels and I think this is her first adult novel. I was excited to read it because it looked like a rom-com and I was all in! This is, however, one of those novels where the cover does not match what's inside. For one thing, the two main characters (Gus and January) only actually sit on the beach near the very end of the novel. They aren't beach people, especially when the beach in on Lake Michigan and the water is cold. 

For another, I found this novel to be less rom-com and more a tale of two damaged people who are really struggling to come to terms with their pasts in order to move on. January is 29 and it's been a year since her father suddenly passed away. She's published three romances, and is on a deadline for her fourth. She's broke, and suffering from writer's block. She's traveled to North Bear Shores in Michigan to get her father's second home ready to sell (she needs the money!). She's also come to face the second home her father secretly had with another woman. January's unable to face the fact that her father was unfaithful to her mother for most of her life, and her happy childhood memories are crushed under her father's secret life. Happily ever after doesn't exist. 

Gus lives in the house next door to January. He's also a published author, and oh boy, January and Gus went to college together. January and Gus didn't get along at all. So of course sparks will fly, but the path to happiness is very rocky. They make a pact that January will write her idea of the great American novel, and Gus will write a novel that has a happy ending. Whomever gets published first wins. 

As their friendship grows, January's writing fire is lit! She's finally writing again. And she finds herself falling for Gus and preparing herself for heartbreak. For most of the novel you never quite know what Gus is thinking; he's pretty hard to read. But finally, you get a peek inside Gus and he's quite charming. But you're still not sure if happily ever after is in the cards for these two. You have to read to the end to find that out. 

This story wasn't what I expected when I picked this book up and began to read. I'm still trying to decide if I am disappointed or not. There was a lot of emotional baggage between Gus and January, and I felt it weighed the book down a bit. What I did take away was that we should be happy with now, and be satisfied with that--we aren't guaranteed happy all the time, and that's okay. Happy is also in the small moments that we think are just everyday, and that I can agree with and recognize. Those small, quiet moments are what we string together to make one big happy life. 

Rating: 3/6 for a novel that has me on the fence. There were parts of it I enjoyed very much, and other parts that felt really heavy. Gus will steal your heart and you'll find yourself cheering for him and January in their complicated path towards love. 

Available in the United States on May 19, 2020 in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Beach Read by Emily Henry

The Little Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin

I'm a sucker for novels about bookshops. Add in Paris and a few love stories, and this was the book to read leading up to Valentine's Day. 

The Little Bookshop on the Seine was a fun read--the perfect kind to take you away from the cold nights and gloomy days of a Midwest winter. Sarah Smith is a young bookshop owner in the charming town of Ashford. She's absolutely in love with books and reading, and spends all of her days and nights wrapped in her bookish life. 

And that's the problem. Business has been slow, and she's a bit worried. She's been corresponding with Sophie, a bookshop  owner in Paris. They've got a firm friendship, and one day Sophie calls Sarah with a proposition: they swap shops for six months. Sophie wants to escape a heartbreak, and Sarah needs some adventure. 

Lickety-split, Sarah is arriving in Paris, and steps into the bookshop with all sorts of rose-colored ideas of what life will be like managing the bookshop for the next six months. 

She's wrong. Really wrong. Sophie's bookshop, called Once Upon a Time, is a big tourist draw, and is constantly busy. It's in a decrepit old building that has plenty of issues, and has floors of books every which way. A staff that doesn't much care for Sarah's attempts at organization, and a heck of a lot of paperwork soon have Sarah exhausted, near tears, and wondering if she made a mistake. 

To top all that off, her hunky boyfriend Ridge is playing phone tag with her as he travels around as a freelance journalist. Their love is pretty strong, but can it survive her living in Paris for six months, and him flying around the world? Sarah's so caught up in the bookshop she's not able to even see Paris. 

Most of the book is about Sarah's hard adjustments to managing the bookshop and speaking up. Her relationship with Ridge is teetering, and she's heartbroken that the man she loves may be putting his career before their relationship. But, just as it seems all is falling apart, Sarah slowly begins to find her feet, make some hard business decisions, and find friendships that lead her to exploring and falling in love with Paris. And her relationship with Ridge? Well, she hasn't given up hope completely. 

The cast of characters at the bookshop slowly became more fleshed out as the story moved along. I especially enjoyed her friendship with Oceane, a beautiful and sophisticated coworker,  and Luis, the famous author who comes in every day to write upstairs in solitude. 

It's a definite "take me away" kind of story. Sarah is a bit too wide-eyed at the beginning, and goes from someone who never flew on a plane to someone who's pretty darn comfortable wandering the streets of Paris on her own. She seems to find herself pretty darn quickly once she lands in Paris. All in all, it was a fun read with a few threads of romance to keep everything percolating along. 

Only one thing really had me a bit perplexed: it seemed as though I was dropped in the middle of Sarah and Ridge's romance. I felt like I missed something, because they were already a couple when the book started. There is a first novel, but it looks like it's only available as an ebook in the U.S. 

However! There was a bonus story at the end of this book that is all about the beginning of their love story. Aha! But darn it- it looks like this is only included in the paperback version of the novel, and not the hardcover. 

I needed a romantic novel and this certainly fit the bill. I hope to read more of Rebecca Raisin's novels. Fans of Jenny Colgan will enjoy this one. Who can resist a bookstore in Paris? Not me! 

Rating: 3/6 for an entertaining romantic novel about the magic of bookshops, Paris, love, and friendships both old and new. Sometimes adventure brings out the best part of you--so get going! 

Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio book. 

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The Little Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

I hadn't read any of Liane Moriarty's novels before I decided to try out Nine Perfect Strangers. I've joined the Book of the Month Club, and this was my choice for December. A very snowy and cold weekend kept me on the couch (in between cooking and laundry) reading this novel. I have to say I was a bit disappointed, and also at the same time, interested enough to keep reading. 

Nine Perfect Strangers is about a group of people who travel to Tranquillum House- a  remote health resort in Australia-for a ten day rest and relaxation session. Owned and run  by the glamorous and mysterious Masha, along with her assistants Yao and Delilah, it's a stunning resort guaranteed to reset your life. Electronics and cell phones are forbidden; any junk food or alcohol are confiscated from luggage. 

The nine strangers come from all walks of life: Frances, a romance author with a career on the skids; Tony, a grumpy ex-soccer star; Jessica and Ben, a young married couple who won the lottery (which promptly ruined their lives), Carmel, a mother of four girls feeling fat and rejected since her husband left her for a younger model; Lars, a handsome lawyer who faces a big life decision; and the Marconi family: Napoleon, Heather, and their daughter Zoe, who are together to endure the painful anniversary of Zach's (their son and Zoe's twin) death. Normal, every day people with the usual issues. They are just want some peace and quiet, good meals, relaxation, and hey-if they lose weight, even better. 

However, they are all in for a highly unusual stay at Tranquillum House. It's bizarre, and just gets even stranger as the story moves along. Masha is, quite frankly, batshit crazy. She's decided this group will be the first group of guests to take part in a new program, one that will change their lives profoundly. The guests, however, have no clue what's in store for them. As a reader, I didn't, either. The plot takes some very odd turns. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I was a bit underwhelmed. I liked Frances very much, and the Marconi family dynamics are interesting. I felt some characters had more development than others. I wasn't quite sure what the purpose of this tale was; if it was a tongue-in-cheek look at spa resorts, or if it was about strangers coming together and finding out they have a lot more in common than they think. Or if it was about being in a quiet place where you're forced to examine your life, what's worked, and what hasn't, and how you got to the place you are today. Masha as a character was just odd, and her decisions later in the novel are just bizarre. 

I've read reviews online and people are either hot or cold on this novel. I'm somewhere in the middle. It was interesting, but vaguely dissatisfying at the same time. It was longer than I thought was necessary; extra plot could have been condensed. Short chapters made it move quickly; multiple viewpoints from characters kept me turning the pages. If the chapters had been long I probably would have given up before the end. I was, however, interested in what came of everyone after they left Tranquillum House, so I'm glad the author helped close out the story with those chapters. 

Have I left you confused? Well, join the club. It was an okay novel, with elements I enjoyed, but overall, just kind of an odd plot. 

Rating: 2/6 for an uneven novel. Some characters were developed much more than others, leaving me feeling like I was missing something. An extremely strange turn of events at the resort seemed like it was just tossed in for effect, and made the whole novel one that left me scratching my head. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

After reading In Cold Blood, I wanted something completely different; something "fairy tale-ish".  Well, I got fairy tales, just not the light, fluffy tales I was looking for to brighten my reading mood.

I bought this book a few months ago after hearing the buzz about it. The cover, of course, was a big push towards picking up the book.  The cover art is great. I can pick out parts of the story looking at that cover. I am, however, still a bit puzzled as to what exactly I read, and my slight feelings of disappointment/perplextion haven't lessened in the hours since I turned the last page.

Short synopsis: Alice and her mother, Ella, have never stayed in one place for long, in all her seventeen years. Constantly on the move, it seems that bad luck follows them everywhere they go. Finally settling in New York City, Ella does the unthinkable: she gets married. Alice's grandmother, the famous, reclusive author of a book of dark fairy tales, has died, and Ella thinks they are finally free.

But they aren't. Ella is kidnapped--by creatures who populate those dark fairy tales. Those tales aren't tales at all, but in actuality, a place called the Hinterland, and the Hazel Wood is the estate where Alice's grandmother secluded herself and raised Ella. Ella's warning words of never going to the Hazel Wood are ignored by Alice, who sees it as the only chance to find her mother. Alone in the world, she takes a chance and befriends a fellow student, Ellery Finch, who has not only has read the fairy tales, but is an avid fan. As Alice and Ellery realize the Hinterland is bleeding into modern day New York City, the two worlds become more and more entangled, and the line between what is real and what is fairy tale is blurred. 

Alice is a tough character; she's rude, distrustful, and pretty angry. I would be, too, if I never had the chance to settle and have a normal life. Part of her anger stems from feeling rejected by the grandmother she never met, and now never will. The bad luck that seems to follow Alice and her mother is never ending. Ella's unwillingness to discuss her mother, the fairy tales, or the Hazel Wood have left Alice with a lot of dead ends and unanswered questions that can only be answered if she finds Hazel Wood. Is it a real place, or a fairy tale place? Are the fairy tales: dark, cruel, and, quite frankly, murderous, real? 

I was pretty interested in this tale for about 3/4 of the novel. The sense of always being watched; seeing odd ball characters, strange portents that come out of nowhere; these kept me reading. I loved the building of tension, and the wondering, along with Alice of just what the hell was going on. But once Alice arrives at the Hazel Wood, it seemed like a mishmash of absolute nonsense and wild feverish imaginings. I felt like I was wading through, looking for anything to make sense. I couldn't figure out if the Hinterland was trying to kill Alice, or welcome her. And Ellery, well, you'll just have to visit the Hinterland to see where his story goes. 

It's a good book, but I felt it was disjointed, and maybe the author wanted the reader to feel all topsy-turvy and confused. I myself am not a fan of that-especially when I leave the fun house and am still wondering just what the heck that was all about. 

Rating:  2/6 for a novel about very dark fairy tales, and what happens when you mess with them. Also a novel about a young girl who has to grow up, become stronger than she imagines she can be, and finding her place in the world.

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Lies She Told by Cate Holahan

Lies She Told is a novel that blurs reality and fiction and adds in two unreliable narrators.  What you get is a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the curtain to whoosh open, revealing the truth.  

Liza Cole is an author who's had a respectable run publishing novels, but now she's stuck, and under a deadline to produce another novel in quick time, or she will probably lose her contract.  She's struggling with infertility; taking hormones and trying desperately to engage her husband in this latest round of treatments.  He's grown distant, and it's no wonder:  his best friend and law partner Nick is missing, and no one has a clue what's happened to him.  

Liza's novel begins to take shape in the form of Beth, a new mother who is also riding the hormone train, and feeling a bit insecure regarding her husband's affections.  As a reader, it took me awhile to get it in my head that Beth was the creation of Liza, and not another character living in Liza's New York reality.  I guess that means Liza has a possible hit novel on her hands, if only she can stick with it! 

 Blurred lines play a big part in the storyline:  headaches, hormones, shady memories--or no memories at all.  Liza's experimental hormone therapy has some seriously bad side effects but she's unwilling to give up what may be her last chance to conceive. She also likes to drink, and that just adds to the uncertainty of Liza's view of the world.  

Beth and Liza's worlds are similar, and as you read you realize they're not only similar, but may be more horribly connected than you thought.  You get bits and pieces of Liza's past colliding with the present, and you can feel her desperation to gain her husband's attention not only through her thoughts, but as reflected in Beth's story.  It's the best writing Liza's done in years, but how far is it from reality?  

I don't want to give anything away, but holy cow even if you figure it out, you just haven't really figured it out.  There's a big twist at the end, and it will keep you thinking about this book long after you're finished.  You'll want to discuss it with others, so make sure you either read it in a book group, or have a friend or two read it.   I haven't read Cate Holahan's first novel, The Widower's Wife, but I'm certainly adding it to my list.  

A big thank you to Crooked Lane for a review copy of this novel.  I would have passed it by in the library or bookstore, but now I've got a great book to recommend.  

Rating:  5/6 for a twisty plot that blurs reality and fiction.  Marital relationships, that "perfect couple", those secrets that sometimes lie down deep, just waiting to pounce.  A thriller folks will gulp down. 

Available in hardcover September 12 in the U.S. Also will be available as an e-book and audio book.  

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Lies She Told by Cate Holahan

The Selected Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Laura Ingalls Wilder, edited by William Anderson

It will come as no surprise to many people that I am a giant fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I still have the copy of Little House in the Big Woods  that Santa brought me my first Christmas in Iowa.  The spine is broken, and it's in two pieces, but I won't let it go. 

I always hesitate to read anything about Laura now that I'm an adult; I guess I don't want my childhood warm memories of reading Laura's books to be diminished by adult thinking.  Reading her books are one of my most treasured memories and probably is a huge reason why I am a voracious reader today.  Laura had just enough sass and spitfire, yet was a good girl.  She reminded me of me, I guess; that it was alright to not always behave.  That didn't make either of us little brats, just little girls.  

I listened to this selection of letters written by and to Laura for two weeks and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the adult Laura.  She really was quite talented, a lover of books and a generous spirit.  Her letters to children are so sweet, and she says just the right things.  There are glimpses of that spitfire every once in awhile; she was no pushover.  There are even a few letters from Almanzo to Rose and they are a stitch.  He was a man of the West through and through.  

The letters Laura wrote after Almanzo died at age 92 in 1949 were poignant and just broke my heart.  She talks about her loneliness and how empty the house feels without Almanzo, and how much she misses him.  Yet she stayed at Rocky Ridge, traveled to town once a week, visited the library, and connected with friends.  She was beloved in Mansfield, MO and really was quite famous the world over.  For many years she wrote a reply to every fan letter she received until she was 85 and just couldn't do it anymore.  She still read all of her fan mail--hundreds and hundreds of letters from children, teachers, librarians, and parents.  The art of letter writing is in full force with Laura; it is such a shame people don't write letters anymore.  They are wonderful and bring a voice to Laura that we haven't heard before.  The letters between Laura, Rose, her agent George Bly, and her editor Ursula Nordstrom reveal just how much work went into writing the Little House books.  It is a fascinating glimpse into the art of creating a novel.  

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book.  I will probably buy the book just to have it on my bookcase.  I know if I hadn't listened to the audio book I probably would have bought the book, but never read the letters.  I'm so glad I listened to them. Tish Hicks as Laura's voice is spot on. 

Rating:  8/10 for a wonderful peek into the real Laura Ingalls Wilder as an adult, an author, mother, farm wife, and citizen.  

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.

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The Selected Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Laura Ingalls Wilder, edited by William Anderson

Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson

This was a delightfully funny, tender, and dare I say sweet novel that I was sad to finish.  When I read a book that completely engulfs me, I have a hard time letting it go.  That's how I feel about this book, and I can tell you that this novel has one of the most memorable characters I have met in all my reading years.   

Alice works for Isaac Vargas at a publishing company in New York City.  Mr. Vargas' star client, M. M. Banning, hasn't written a word since her blockbuster bestseller in the late 1970's.  Now it's 2009, and M.M. Banning (Mimi) has lost all her money to a bad ponzi scheme, and has to write again in order to support her son and herself.  Alice is sent to California to stay with Mimi and her son Frank and keep distractions away from Mimi so she can finish her second novel.  Sounds pretty simple, right?

Frank is one of my most favorite characters.  He captured my heart within a few pages of meeting him.  He's nine years old, moving into the fourth grade, and is not a typical child.  Frank is a treasure trove of old Hollywood movie trivia, and he wears clothes that belong to the 30's and 40's.  Yes, this is a child who wears top hats, monocles, and zoot suits to school, at home, and everywhere else.  No t-shirts and jeans for this child.  Alice may not touch any of his things, and she cannot touch him without his permission.  He may at any time hold her hand, or hug her, but never the other way around.  

His mother, Mimi, is equally eccentric, and while a devoted mother, has issues of her own.  She locks herself away in her room, and won't allow any disruptions as she types her novel on an old fashioned typewriter  that belonged to her dead brother.   And there is Xander, who pops in and out, has a magical way of keeping Frank from having meltdowns, and fascinates Alice with his piano playing.  

It sounds like an interesting cast of characters, and it is.  Frank is an endearing little boy; a genius misfit who hates going to school because he has no friends and doesn't fit in.  His dialogue is spot on:  brilliant, witty, and so funny.  Mature beyond his years, yet a boy who only wants to spend time with his Mom.  
Mimi is a bit hard to know; she spends most of the novel locked in her office, typing away.  She's sharp and unfriendly to Alice, but you can tell there's more to Mimi and she's developed a protective armor to keep hurt at bay.  Xander is just a mess, yet at the same time provides the backbone to this oddball little family.  

There have been many comparisons to Where'd You Go, Bernadette;  this novel is similar to it and The Rosie Project in that the main character is not your average person with average problems.  Frank really is the central character in this story, told from Alice's perspective.  It is a great mix of funny, laugh out loud, teary-eyed moments that make this one of the most interesting reads this year.  For sure it will be in my top ten favorite reads of 2016.

Rating:  8/10 for introducing me to Frank, a young man who captured my heart.  

Thank you so much to Harper Collins for the advanced copy.  
This book is available in hardcover, e-book, large-print, and audio.

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Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson

The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb-Gothic Spookiness!

I know I sometimes think Gothic only belongs in Victorian England.  But not this time-it also belongs on the shores of Lake Superior in a big old home belonging to the Alban family--in 2012.  

Gothic is one of my favorite genres.  I especially love it when an author brings it into today's world.  It is a reminder that things around us are still a mystery, and we, as humans, still don't know everything.  

Grace Alban returns to the family home after 20 years because her mother has suddenly died and she's the last family member--the last true Alban.  Her father and two brothers have been dead for years, and she must take over the home and take care of the people who are employed there--most specifically Jane, the housekeeper; her husband Mr. Jameson (the grounds keeper); and Carter, the chauffeur.  All have been with the family for decades, and consider the Alban family and the house their home.  

But it's a creepy home.  Mysterious passages, lots of rooms, and a third floor that Grace doesn't like at all.  Her teen daughter Amity is with her, and she's worried for Amity's safety.  Weird things are going on.  Like what, you may ask?  Whispers, break-ins, and creepy dreams.  Toss in a reporter that was going to meet Adele, Grace's mom on the day of her death, and the layers get deeper.  What are the family secrets that are haunting the house?  What happened during the summer solstice party of 1956 that resulted in a suicide and the disappearance of Fate Alban, Grace's Aunt?  Grace  has to dig, dig, dig.  And she's got the help of the local Reverend, Matthew Parker.  He's a great addition to the mix as the steady, logical rock Grace turns to whenever something bizarre happens.  

Ghosts, witchcraft, family secrets, money and power, and pure evil run through this book.  I certainly enjoyed it!  A fun read and sure to keep you turning the pages.  And you just have to keep reading to find out who the heck Mercy Alban is--you'll be fascinated by the story this author weaves.  

Rating:  7/10 for atmosphere, setting, story

This book is available in paperback and as an e-book.

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The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb-Gothic Spookiness!