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A work obsession leads to fatal results with Julie Tudor living a fantasy love life. Violence aside her lack of awareness of her situation is tragically comic. Get those restraining orders at the ready. 3 1/2 stars 
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A family holiday at the New Zealand shore as seen through the eyes of a ten year old girl. Her rebellious teen sister is pushing the limits, her mom is emotionally absent while trying to finish her writing and her dad is barely able to keep it together pretending that everything is ok. Ally meets a Maori boy her age and together they begin a hunt for clues leading to a child that went missing two years earlier. This is a classic coming of age novel that is also a slow burn mystery. Themes include innocence lost, a family unraveling and a twisted killer who may be living among them. Readers of Chris Whitaker and Jane Harper will find much to love here. 3 1/2 stars  Estella or E as she likes to be called returns to her family estate after her father has died. It is 1942 so she is able to obtain a position at the college where her father taught but without any benefits which makes life difficult to keep the estate going and find her missing mother. As she searches for clues in her father's library many secrets surface that may help her find her mother, solve a murder and understand him a bit better. The beginning of the book started slow but the last third reveals a new scandal, threat or discovery on every page. It is interesting historical fiction that touches on women's roles at home during wartime under controlling men, awkward family relationships as well as a mystery and a touch of romance. Readers of gothic mysteries involving women will enjoy this. 3 1/2 stars  Three sisters with their families come together to celebrate mom's big birthday. When something happens as they always do their dad accidentally lets them know he has a favorite. This opens up Pandora's Box of pent up frustration, marital issues and tons of sibling jealousy. While it is not a particularly happy story it does feel truthful of what most families deal with. As an adult you take the rose colored glasses of childhood off and all the flaws are revealed. This will resonate with readers who want unvarnished "skip the sugar" family drama. 4 stars  Happy book birthday to THE POPPY FIELDS by Nikki Fields Three strangers who have all suffered great loss meet while on their way to a facility called the Poppy Fields. The facility offers an unusual approach to healing - that of going into a monitored sleep for weeks and when you wake up your grief has lessened. This works remarkably well for most but there are those who experience a devastating side effect. Ava has lost her sister to the company's creation, Ray lost his brother and Sasha just wants to sleep to forget her fiancee and her new life that didn't happen. Along the way they meet a vivacious young woman newly out on her own letting the road take her wherever. Like THE MEASURE this unusual scenario will give book clubs much to discuss about the grief process and the impact on family that you leave behind. 4 stars  A lively and fun magical romp through the forest and all of the beloved fairy tales of our childhood as experienced by one very put out semi- sorceress stepsister. Princess Melilot is so tired and as she makes her way via pumpkin coach to her forced wedding in another kingdom she thinks at least she won't have to do her stepmom's bidding any longer. The trip doesn't go as planned and Melilot takes on a disguise when she is attacked, rescued and made a captive of masked huntsmen with strange gifts. This is a hysterical tale of evil women, hybrid monsters, gender fluid huntsmen and true love where witty dialogue , clever twists and tons of action face you on every page. For fans of Delilah S. Dawson, Kevin Hearn and Naomi Novik's fractured fairytales. I will be looking for more from this author after this impressive American debut. 4 1/2 stars  A splintered family tree whose branches go off in different directions yet are firmly rooted to each other. Phil and Sib have three children and their lives are pretty much middle of the road until the oldest takes off on his own and perishes in a horrible accident. Mired in grief his death leaves no one in the family untouched. There are some major surprises (which I won't mention) but at its heart BUG HOLLOW is an intense character driven family drama. The family has the same ups and downs that many families deal with and their ties to each other loosen or pull taunt but never break completely. Readers of Ann Patchett, Anne Tyler and Ann Napolitano will appreciate the deep family connections in the quiet read. 4 stars  Annabelle and James along with their two daughters have a good marriage and a happy life. That all changes as Annabelle begins having frightening dreams and the scariest part is that they seem to be premonitions that can come true. As lack of sleep, work stress and a total lack of belief on the part of her husband catch up her nerves become frayed and those relationships begin to falter. This story moves quickly with a mystery narrator randomly tossed into the mix so that you too begin to not be able to separate fact from fiction and dream from reality. No surprise with this author making it the perfect read to take your mind off your own reality. 4 stars  Retired and adrift, Muriel Blossom is on a river cruise of a lifetime with her good friend. Mrs. Blossom is a full- figured unassuming widow who is used to being invisible but she becomes anything but from the first plane ride. After meeting an attractive man on the plane and then a younger man who helps her with travel and fashion decisions and then a third when she gets to the ship, her life is on an upswing. That is until one ends up dead, another is popping up everywhere he shouldn't and one disappears. A stolen artifact, the possibility of a romance and the start of a new chapter in her life has Mrs. Blossom well, blossoming and acting the part of detective. A locked ship cabin mystery that is a departure from her previous gritty crime thrillers but one that has all the drama minus the violence and features a smart, fit middle aged woman who is very real. This will appeal to readers who enjoyed SMALL WORLD by Laura Zigman, THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB and MAN ON THE INSIDE tv show. 4 stars  A diviner who along with several other young orphan women predict the future after drinking from enchanted waters but no one can predict that she would be left as all the diviners go missing and Six begins to question everything she has ever been told. Six heads out with her trusty gargoyle in company with a king and his knights to find them. One knight in particular rubs Six the wrong way and the right way. A snarky gargoyle and the camaraderie of the knights and boy king add a bright spot to a journey filled with peril. Perfect narration in the audiobook that delivered just the right balance of mystery, danger and a spark of romance. Medieval in nature but uniquely original ,this is one beautifully imagined world. 4 stars  |
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