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There have been love stories that revolved around music before but this is one that straddles the line between partner and lover, obsession and critique. Percy and Joe seem like oil and water. He is the artist and Percy is the critic. Throughout their collaboration they dance between friends and lovers with their edgy obsession to the music and each other. Along with Joe's girlfriend/ex Zoe they form an unusual friendship triangle. Afraid to ruin the one great thing they have - making great music. Nostalgic, smart and deeply soulful this will appeal to DAISY JONES AND THE SIX FANS and will make you pull up every song that they analyze - great playlist. 4 stars 
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Mina is lost in a sea of grief after losing her brother as a child. Bereavement groups do no good and she is working as a child psychologist when she meets a journalist (also grieving) who invites her to tag along on his next assignment. A young teenage girl thinks she has been possessed by a witch and the small superstitious English village is not helping anyone think otherwise. Mina and Sam move into the girl's home and begin to get a feel for the situation. While Mina searches for a logical explanation the family seems unable to stop the growing gawkers at their door and the strange events happening around Alice. Mass hysteria or deeper psychological problems ? Spooky and laced with a glimmer of old witch-hunt violence as well as other troubles. The narration and pace of the audiobook was perfect. 3 1/2 stars  We all know the famous LITTLE WOMEN books penned by Louisa May Alcott featuring her family. In those stories the sisters all had talents but only Jo (the writer) came across as a rebel. In this clever retelling we glimpse a different side of the remaining March sisters - Amy honing her artistic talents and husband shopping in Europe, Meg who finds herself with twins and a desire for a purpose outside of the home and Beth who from an early age has felt less than due to illness and impending death. Three writers give voice to a sister adding a fresh perspective while keeping true to the original. Feminist thoughts, doubt about one's worth, hidden desires and the many complicated forms of love come together in this story of young women trapped in the tight corsets of polite society. This would be the perfect companion to the original LITTLE WOMEN or for readers of MARMEE by Sarah Miller. 4 stars  A new mom about to return to work wakes to find her husband not at home. Her day gets much worse when a police negotiator calls to tell her that her husband is holding hostages at gunpoint. Who is this man she thought she knew? Years pass and Cam and Niall the police negotiator can't give up the feeling that Luke was not the bad guy in the situation and continue to search. Loved the subtle clues, the deeper look at the hostage negotiator's emotional toll and the less than obvious twists in this thriller. 4 stars  Elinor thinks she is marrying for love but sadly learns that it was her father's money for the estate that was the attraction. Even though she was raised to think for herself and has a good head for business her new aristocratic family has reduced her to birthing the next heir and party planning. Even her elation at motherhood is dashed when she learns that she will only be allowed minutes in his life. A voyage to America on the Titanic proves to be a nightmare for most but gives her and her son a chance at a new life under a false identity. While the horror of that sinking plays a part in the story it is more about an enterprising woman who wants nothing more than a fair shot at happiness. The huge divide between the classes and the immigration story of opportunities and struggle in America make up the bulk of the story. Once again the story centers around strong women who must outwit their male counterparts to succeed. Readalikes would be THE TITANIC SISTERS by Patricia Falvey and THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI by Helene Wrecker. 4 stars  A rich imagining of the world of Charles Dickens particularly OLIVER TWIST. Jacob Fagin grows up living hand to mouth with his hard working mother. When mother's death leaves him an orphan he finds that his light fingers earn him a living and new family among thieves. Fagin begins to take in other orphans training them and trying to protect them from the dangers of the streets. One of them becomes more dangerous as the role shifts from teacher to friend to uneasy partner but still Fagin tries to do right by all of them. Some see Fagin as a hardened thief, others a trusted ally, but to the boys he takes in he is a father figure in an uncertain and dangerous world. The underbelly of London is a microcosm of morality, fear, love, loneliness and unique families with Fagin at its center. Allison Epstein has uncovered a heart of gold in Fagin breathing new life into an underwritten character. Fans of reworked classics such as JAMES by Percival Everett will find much to love here. 4 1/2 stars  A dual timeline story of the famous paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey. Chapters alternate between the young Mary as she falls for the very married anthropologist Louis Leakey following her heart and him to Africa. The other story is in 1983 of an older Mary who is on her last trek to Africa and the young woman she helps find her path in life. Grace is angry at her estranged father who has dragged her to the African savannah on a dig but when she meets Mary Leakey and a troubled semi-tame cheetah her life takes a new and perhaps very dangerous path. Mary expands Grace's world and career path teaching her about the fantastic place they have come to and the wild animals all around them. Penny Haw paints a picture about two women who take control of their lives in the beautiful and very dangerous setting of Africa. This adventure story will appeal to those interested in early discoveries of ancient mankind, the vital ecosystem of the African savannah and animal conservation as well as stories of women going against the system to forge an independent path. 4 stars  A psychiatrist and his patient share an unusual bond that is difficult to describe. Jane is a single parent raising an infant son when she suddenly disappears for days only to wake up not remembering anything from when she mentally blacked out. While it appears to be dissociative fugue some are not convinced. She possesses incredible recall of events dating back years to the day and also has insight into her doctor's days as well. Memory and the mind are tricky things and Jane and her doctor must try to understand what is happening and if these hallucinations are warnings or her mind playing tricks. I will share that nothing bad happens to her son and it isn't meant as a spoiler but to comfort readers who may shy away from the story. Her doctor is grieving the death of his wife and finds solace in Jane's memories which makes him want to solve her case even more. It makes you question how much the subconscious mind knows and goes into fascinating detail about dissociative fugue. Readers interested in psychiatry and THE SILENT PATIENT will find much to ponder here. 4 stars  The sisters were fine other than a bit of bickering here and there. They tended the garden, fixed the wall, followed the almanac and never ever went beyond. Everything changed when the boy broke in and they kept him. No longer alone in the crumbling house that has been their sanctuary for their whole lives as fear of what lies on the other side of the wall and distrust settles in. Impossible to put to a time, place, fiction or fever dream, this is a quiet horror tale. 4 stars  A mesmerizing fairy tale of love and loneliness in the wilds of Alaska. Birdie is a single mom who is working hard to keep it together for her little girl. She is attracted to quiet unassuming Arthur who appears out of nowhere and disappears back into the woods just as silent and quickly as he came. She falls in love with him even as she tries to understand his strange habits and disappearances. Not heeding the warnings of his parents and community she moves herself and Emaleen to his remote cabin in the high country. The author does a fantastic job of illustrating the beauty and danger of Alaska and what living off the land really entails. A touching story of love and loneliness as well as caring for family as best you can. Readers of PEARLY EVERLASTING and THE GREAT ALONE will find much to love here. 4 1/2 stars  |
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