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The small Californian coastal town has seen much pain beginning with the hit and run accident that left a young girl dead and a local teen in prison for years. Vincent is out of prison and his best friend, Walk is now the Chief of Police wanting to believe in the best of his friends and trying to keep the peace any way he can. The murder of another of their friends leaves Vincent looking at going right back into the cell they just let him out of and Walk trying to do right by the victim's kids, the self-proclaimed outlaw Duchess Day Radley, and her young brother. Suddenly, everyone's sins past and present are coming to light. The tension ramps up dramatically and it feels like every character is just one errant lit match away from flaming out. Raw, violent, and gut-wrenchingly beautiful, the kids steal the show. Your heart will melt and bleed for the tough- as- nails- on- the -outside Duchess, innocence personified Robin and the kind heart of Thomas Noble. I can't wait for another book by this author. For any reader of soulful character-based thrillers the likes of Tana French, Jane Harper, and of WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING. I also listened to the audiobook which had perfect narration but the language does not make this a kid-friendly listen. 5 stars 
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Klara is an artificial friend to a teenager named Josie. Her only task is to provide companionship to this young girl who is suffering from a disease that may end her life and frequently keeps her from doing all the fun things someone her age would be doing. Josie has another friend Rick the boy next door, who like Klara would do anything for Josie. Klara has a mission and attempts to save Josie by asking the sun for a miracle. Ishiguro gives Klara a vast amount of quiet insight and kindness, so that we tend to forget that she is not human. The adults in Josie's life all seem to have ulterior motives and it is Klara and Rick's determination to save Josie that gives the book its heart. Quiet and serene as a Koi fish pond, this book makes us look to a future with AI such as Klara as something we should not fear. He is the master of subtle science fiction. 4 stars  In 1978 a young Afghan girl lives a life of privilege and beauty in Kabul where her father is a trusted advisor to the President. In one night of terror it is all taken away. She sees her family gunned down but she is spared as a soldier grabs her and brings her to the home of an American woman and her mother. These two women rescue Sitara and get her out of Kabul and to the states where they raise her. Years later, Sitara now named Aryana after her sister, will come into contact with the soldier who was responsible for her family's demise and her escape. She realizes that she must face her grief, fear and answers to the questions that have plagued her since that night so she travels back to Kabul. This is an amazing story that you hope is based on true events because it is an amazing story of survival, love and family. This is a journey of extremes - the violence and anguish of Kabul mixed with the determination to find answers and the love and compassion from those that came to her aid. The writing is soulful and takes your breath away. Recommended for any reader of non fiction accounts of immigrants brought here by war as well as war inspired historical fiction. 5 stars  One sitting, heart-pounding thriller joy! There is so much happening in this story at such a fast pace that you would think the author has no time to have us become invested in these characters or even take a breath before the next chaotic turn of events. But care we do, especially about Matt who has already been through so much having his older brother convicted and sent to prison for the murder of his girlfriend and the years of having the bandaid ripped off at each news story, parole hearing or false lead. This latest heartbreak is the loss of the rest of his family while on a last minute vacation to Mexico. You, lucky reader, gets to piece together whether it was a tragic accident or something more sinister. A dedicated FBI agent feels there is more to the story than Matt just having incredible bad luck. A tight, well- constructed mystery sure to delight fans of DEFENDING JACOB, Lisa Jewell, Karen Slaughter, Lisa Gardner and the other Killer Queens. Where other thrillers quietly seduce you in a slow tango, this book pulls you in like a screaming hard rock band at a rave. Be prepared for a full night reading. 4 1/2 stars  Leo Fife is a documentary filmmaker with a celebrated history and a host of accolades. Now, as he is in the final stages of cancer, he grants one last filmed interview. Surrounded by his protege and his crew who idolize him, the story that Leo shares are very different from what they expected. It is especially difficult for his long time wife to hear. What emerges is not the past of their idol's artistic journey but that of a troubled young man who used people and abandoned two families before fleeing to Canada along with all the draft dodgers of the Vietnam era. Leonard Fife might be someone who is brilliant at his craft but he isn't necessarily a nice person. I would characterize him as "a runner". The prose flows freely and Banks does an excellent job of setting the stage and playing with the sense of light and darkness both in the room and Fife's life story. This deathbed confession is not easy to listen to and we tend to think of him as a tyrant at the end but it does ring true. This is a perfect choice for readers who want strong characters instead of an action-packed plot such as those found in books by Elizabeth Stroud, Willy Vlautin, and Pat Conroy. 4 stars  In a sleepy little town in Massachusetts lives a family in turmoil. Ethan is a nice guy whose friend and business partner just got the company into a huge mess which will disrupt their family income. His wife, Zoe is a wannabe white witch, hellraiser activist, filmmaker model who has jumped on the #metoo movement in their town. Their daughter, Alex is a high-energy child with ADD and is in danger of getting booted out of her private school. Their part-time nanny living with them as a favor to a friend is a blue-haired free spirit who loves hanging out with the locals and sampling whatever drugs they have to offer but she is great with Alex and has surprising insight into Ethan and Zoe's marriage. Ethan is questioning everything he can't control which is basically his life, his marriage, his daughter, and his business. Sometimes it takes a huge event, a smash-up to put things back together. A hard look at how hard life can be sometimes. Perfect for anyone who has felt overwhelmed this year by politics, parenthood, marriage, and COVID. 4 stars  A newborn, a husband who travels frequently, and an unfinished dissertation on children's literature does not mix as Megan soon finds out. She is struggling with the 24/7 needs of the baby so when she has a strange encounter with the hidden upstairs neighbor who happens to be children's author Margaret Wise Brown and no one else sees her - we think she is headed for the Psych ward. The ghost of Margaret is kind and grandmotherly enough but her lover, Michael Strange is all poltergeist. Soon Megan and her baby find themselves in danger as tubs overflow, fires set themselves and lightbulbs shatter under Michael's influence. This is a deep dark journey down the rabbit hole of post-partum depression and sleep deprivation as well as a look at two unfulfilled women separated by years yet joined in their feelings of inadequacy. A little bit of horror and a little bit psychological thriller, it flips you around so you are not sure if you are joining Megan in a dream or a nightmare. 4 stars  A delightful story of a little girl and her traveling salesman father. M and her father D have an unusual alliance ever since the age of seven when she announced that she would become his assistant. Some days school gets missed for longer trips and there are times she becomes assistants to other salesmen when they realize the benefit of having a cute little girl next to them to close the deal. M is charming, whipsmart, and in the same vein as Fredrik Backman's characters, a true delight. As she gets older she realizes more about her dad, being a traveling salesman, and how it shaped her adult behavior. A slim novel that teaches that life isn't too tough when your shoes are shiny, you smoke a lucky cigarette and you are helping your dad. 4 stars  An East Coast girl's boarding school with a stellar reputation gets knocked off its pedestal when an alum goes public with claims that she was raped and the rapist is still there. Every male staffer is suspect and the school administration does not do itself any favors by trying to sweep it under the rug. A group of activist students who run the school paper and others will not be dismissed and force the school to take a stand. This debut is a dichotomy of old school rituals and hazing amidst the current atmosphere of awakening students. If some of them were naive the first year they will feel very differently by the end of their years there. The author taught at several boarding schools so she knows what she writes about and is completely qualified to speak about this touchy subject. Anyone who was touched by MY DARK VANESSA or THE ELITES will appreciate this story. 4 stars  Brody is a good guy but he is struggling to make ends meet. There never seems to be enough to pay rent, buy enough food, and pay for the medicine that makes his disabled sister's life bearable. Desperate, he robs a convenience store and ends up in more trouble than he ever thought possible. He and his sister are on the lam, framed for a murder he didn't commit and being chased by one of the most sadistic mobsters around. Brody and Molly's only chance is to find any family or an old friend of the mom who deserted them when they were kids. Maybe things will work out if they can only stay alive long enough to find her. Lola is Sarah Conner from the Terminator on steroids - a badass killer with a soft spot and a whole lot of revenge on her mind. 4 violent action stars  |
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