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On a tube platform stand five people and we, the reader must guess who will die within a few minutes when the train pulls into the station. We then delve into each of the characters stories - all their messy little lives, hardships and secrets. You will judge each of them (how can you not) and choose the one you think will not see daylight again but it will not be until the last few pages before you see if you are correct (don't peek!). The author puts the reader in the unenviable position of playing God in this clever speeding train of a thriller. Cancel your plans for the rest of the day because you won't want to stop reading until the end of the line. 4 1/2 stars 
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Imagine becoming pregnant in your late 70's while having a fling with your lovely neighbor in your nursing home. At first everyone was shocked and thought the "problem" would go away all by itself but as the months go by and Pepper is still visibly pregnant, reality sets in. Everyone has an opinion from her baby daddy to her family, doctors, friends as well as paparazzi and social groups. Pepper also happens to live in Texas where the state forbids her from getting an abortion anyway. I absolutely fell in love with Pepper and her family. She keeps an open mind and faces these challenges with a bit of humor and grace that I wish more people had. As outlandish as this "miracle" pregnancy might be you find yourself accepting it and going along for the ride. Family drama, relationships of a certain age, motherhood and current hotbed social issues - this book has it all in spades. Readers of Kevin Wilson's NOTHING TO SEE HERE will enjoy this. 4 1/2 unbelievable stars  Four sisters attempt to gain affection and respect from their daunting mother by following in her footsteps. Their home is on the grounds of a large state mental hospital where their mother is the head. Their playground outside the walls, their first volunteer work within the walls and their mission is to save it from budget cuts and extinction. Their mother was the original "tiger mom" who pushed for excellence, obedience with the understanding that all the girls would jump grades, get perfect scores to attend Ivy League schools and follow to medical school while their dad was the quiet caregiver. As the girls grew older each found a different way for independence or escape. This story feels like an updated version of LITTLE WOMEN, a coming of age in a household led by a driven woman desperate for her life's work not to be taken from her as well as social commentary on the mental health crisis during the 1990's. Readers of family dramas as well as historical fiction centering on the health industry will enjoy this. 4 stars  Elizabeth Strout is not afraid to tackle tough subject matter and in this slim story she successfully dissects marriage, loneliness and the question of a lack of free will that some feel in the last quarter of their lives, parenting, friendship, depression and even a dollop of political fear thrown in for good measure. She does all this in a voice spoken with big emotion but not volume. Artie Dam is a man who cares deeply about his family , his high school students and a few along the way who sneak into his heart. Even earth shattering secrets don't drop him outwardly but there is a cost to keeping it all tapped down. Poignant, heartbreaking but also restores your faith in the goodness of people - this will satisfy readers of deep characters that go right to your heart and stay in your soul. It will hopefully make you say good morning to people you pass, ask strangers if they are all right or do something kind for a teacher. 4 stars  Cowboy romance lovers treat yourself to a boot scooting debut romance of a woman trying for a fresh start on the largest ranch in Texas if her past doesn't wreck it for her. Grace is a horse trainer with a golden touch who takes a job far away from her shady uncle hoping to keep a low profile but instead finds a warm set of ranch hands, kind but firm boss and one hot ranch manager who just happens to be the golden boy heir. Will her future at the ranch let her get away from her past or will she get the boots knocked out from under her? A warm romance that hits you like cowboy justice on a two-stepping Friday night with a spicy margarita in your hand. Sure to please fans of Lyla Sage. 4 two steppin stars  A slim novel that tries to ask an important question. Who should take the blame for loss of life when dealing with a catastrophe in open sea between two countries boundaries? It centers on November 2021, after what felt like another night of overloaded rubber rafts filled with migrants trying to get from the coast of France to safe shores in England. This night however there was a perfect storm of a faulty raft, an unreliable phone signal and no way to give an exact location as well as a tired coast guard radio operator who would truly regret her actions after learning that the raft had capsized and 27 people died. Was she responsible because she gave the wrong information? Were the people who took the migrant's money and put them in an overcrowded raft responsible? Was the governments of both countries responsible for passing the buck? It gives us the hard truth of a subject we would all rather shake our heads at and say how tragic is all is. Hard hitting translation with much philosophy guaranteed to make you think. 3 1/2 stars  Jean falls in lust for a professor on a summer session in France which leads to a relationship that will haunt her later as an adult. When she is invited to his retirement years later the ghost of Monica Lewinsky helps her see what the relationship and the manipulation was all about. Peppered with stories of female saints and the wry wit of Saint Monica this is a biting look at the double standards of how society looks at bad male behavior as opposed to sinful young women who have been used and cast to the mob. Readers who are looking for a lighter version of DEAR VANESSA but with snark will eat this up. 4 stars  Cherry and her husband Tom are doing ok until Tom's comic strip hits the big time and he is off to Hollywood to write the screenplay. Seemingly overnight the world recognizes Cherry as the plus size character in the comic strip. As their relationship goes south and Tom stays in L.A. Cherry meets and dates an old college friend. Russ doesn't know or care about "Baby" and likes her for who she is. Tom in the meantime realizes that he still loves Cherry and wants to come home. It comes down to trust. Will Cherry be loved for who she is and not just a tragic comic strip character? The book does a great job of tackling body shaming by her family, people she meets and Hollywood and that goes both ways. Cherry's family are all large and happy with it but they give one of the sisters a hard time for losing a lot of weight. It is about being comfortable in your own skin and being around people who accept and love you for being that person. 4 stars  A house painter with a huge heart and a modest bank account offers a little boy the only safety net he has ever known. Eddie is next door neighbor to an elderly woman who has just taken in her single mom daughter raising an unruly teenage boy and a small eight year old boy. Grandma does her best to protect Russell from his abusive older brother but it is not enough so Russell begins wandering the streets and hanging out at Eddie's next door. Soon those visits last longer and become more frequent and Eddie is feeding and caring for Russell. Eddie has a soft spot for lost causes and attempts to save everyone from his addicted ex-wife to his alcoholic painting partner to a classic car that no one expects to run. He gives Russell unconditional love and Russell responds by trying to be Eddie's right hand man doing chores, and trying to keep the sometimes unreliable painters in line- anything he can to give back. This is what Willy Vlautin does so well - showcasing broken souls who just don't know how to stop caring about those less fortunate than they are. His writing is deep and truthful and my faith in humanity is restored after reading how a simple act of kindness and friendship can change a life forever. Willy's many fans will love this story as will fans of Fredrik Backman's lovable misfits and Tana French's THE HUNTER. This is my favorite story to date. 5 stars  AJ and Noah are at the opposite ends of their small town but they are like atoms that attract and repel each other from the start. They begin a friendship when they are young and share the dream of leaving the town behind which they do. They come together again when AJ is writing for SNL and Noah guest stars which leads to both of them landing a popular space sitcom.and still they bounce off each other the tension almost electric as their story plays out on camera. Like the galaxy of their space sitcom they are two asteroids hurling themselves into each other's orbit but Noah always pulls back. Intense yearning, deep connection and so many secrets plague their love story. This will resonate with readers who want a romance for the ages with the enemy/lover vibe of Emily Henry's books minus the humor. 4 stars  |
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