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In the near and distant future the Earth has been ravaged by mega storms and blistering heat tearing families apart and new communities to form. Some were lucky to get a place in safe enclosed society but most were left to survive on their own. Violence from weather and humans is always a threat and trust is a thing of the past. Readers jump back and forth in time and characters through several time periods focusing on tough women who push through to find those they loved and lost. It is a bleak future that might make you want to brush up on your survival skills. I listened to the audiobook and while it takes some time to acclimate to all the time and character jumps the author's writing and narration is riveting. 4 stars 
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Harriet has lived under the thumb of her abusive father and shunned by the villagers after the strange accident that killed her mother. Now grown she spends her time in her garden connected and comforted by the ivy, trees and flowers. Her father seems to have abandoned her and she gets taken in by a marriage proposal. Only her young housekeeper seems to understand what she is going through as her husband exerts more control and Harriet as his wife is powerless once again. A perfect example of a gothic setting, an outspoken woman threatened with being locked up for madness and a touch of natural magic that provides the reader with both darkness and hope for a light at the end of the tunnel. Readers of magical realism and gothic mysteries will enjoy this. 4 stars  A complicated whodunnit filled with layers of secrets and a roster of bad people who have dirt on more bad people who preyed on good people in the past. The only ones I felt sorry for were the kids that get pulled into their parent's messy past, divorce and now their father's death. Everything happens at a dizzy pace with narrated chapters from Allison (wife number 2) and the scummy husband. If you are looking for total escapism this is it. Be forewarned that you might not think much of any of the characters. 3 1/2 stars  The late 1960's were turbulent with calls to action protesting the war in Vietnam, the oppression of Black people and women's rights. What began as work organizing and helping the Black community by feeding children and offering health clinics led to the rumblings of revolution and the birth of more radical groups such as the Black Panthers. They were not content to wait for scraps to come their way and sought to fight for real change in any way they could. This of course put them on the radar of police and FBI. Nettie meets Melvin as she is about to go to medical school. He is passionate about the Panthers and her so when she finds herself pregnant and he wants to be a family she joins him and the cause in Chicago. Even with the friends she has in the women in the community and her job at a clinic she still has a hole in her heart and a fear that everything is getting dangerous. Nettie must decide if Melvin is as committed to her as he is to the group or get out before it is too late. Riveting historical fiction of a violent time in our history meshed with the deep connection to family, community and friendship. 4 stars  Two soul sisters are joined by ancient magic that allowed them to transform their snake bodies into human ones. They have existed in this state for a thousand years but have not lived in the same place for much of that time. Su lives in Singapore and is the dutiful wife of a government minister while Emerald lives the wild life slithering between sugar daddies in New York City. Even though they are ying and yang, oil and water and green and white snake they are as dangerous to each other as they are protective and Su rushes to Emerald's side when she is shot in New York. Bringing Emerald back to Su's orderly and placid life does not work for Emerald or for Su's husband Paul. Based on a Chinese folktale this is an interesting look at the horror of being yourself, freedom and family loyalty. While not quite a retelling of a fairy tale or completely a shapeshifting horror story it does offer both a scare and a cautionary message. 4 stars  Claudia works for a company that verifies information given to online matchmaking programs. She and her partner along with a tech nerd named Squirrel take on a client who is freaked out that there is a twin dating profile on several dating sites. As they dig deeper into the mysteries of matchmaking and A.I. involvement the danger level rises considerably. Claudia is also at odds with her family, possibly interested in a closer relationship with her work partner and seeing a client's former girlfriend by accident (not really). Juggling her personal life with the uncomfortable feeling that the people they are talking to are being eliminated if they get too close leave Claudia and the reader with elevated heart rates. While the story is best understood by the tech savvy even a novice will enjoy the banter, multifaceted characters and interesting storyline. This is the second in the series but it works as a standalone. 4 stars  A one hit novelist in L.A. needs a boost to her failing career and finds it in an old flame now movie star. Zoe thought Zach was a jerk when he didn't call years ago but he seems to really want to rekindle what they started. But first - sign this NDA. Zoe intends to use everything she sees, hears and does in Zach's celebrity world as book material until a stalker begins harassing her by using scenes from her first book. Spoiler - it didn't end well for the main character. This is one of those thrillers where you don't know if any of the characters are a good guy or bad guy because they all have their own agenda. That is exactly what makes this book work - the pace is fast, the information is sketchy and Zoe isn't the most reliable narrator and trying to control the narrative while it is clear that others are firmly in control. We learn once again that you need to deal with the devil to make it in the City of Angels. Fans of BIG LITTLE LIES and MEET THE BENNEDETTOS will love this. 4 stars  Beth is still hiding in the little town of Benedict Alaska from her former kidnapper. She has been completely accepted by the community of loners who don't ask questions even though she has upped the drama level since her arrival. They are all still wary of Beth's kidnapper who remains at large and are very protective of her none more than her boyfriend Tex. While hiding out Beth and Tex uncover strange deaths near a mining community and of course think the worst. I fell in love with these characters from the first page of the first book and am happy to report I am just as invested now. A tightly wound mystery, element of danger from wildlife, people who are hiding for a multitude of reasons, a kidnapper on the loose and the most colorful assortment of characters you will ever find make this series stand out. Fans of Alice Henderson and Peter Heller will love this series. This book can be read as a standalone. The audiobooks make a long roadtrip much more enjoyable and tend to be mostly family friendly. 4 stars  A collection of stories of women. Some are new parents, some are mothers with grown children, some are just tired. Each one left me hanging somewhat which is probably why they feel true. Each one is a jagged raw edge and will feel authentic to women going through similar stages in their lives. 3 1/2 stars  I would have rated this higher but I was lost between the various realities which is on me. For an avid Murakami fan this would not be a problem. A teenage boys falls in love over time with a girl who tells him that her "real" self is in a walled city. When she disappears without a word he tries to find her in this other reality where people have no shadow and he becomes a dream reader. When that doesn't feel satisfying he goes back to the other reality where he eventually leaves his job and relocates in a remote town well outside of Tokyo. He works in a library there that is very quiet and spends most of his time with a ghost and the story circles back. Short chapters and simple prose keep the illusion of nothing feeling real or permanent (especially relationships). A love of libraries is clear but the two cities - shadows, ghosts and characters are wispy and hard to grasp. 4 stars  |
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