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Oh, the little lies we weave that come back later to bite you on the bum. Andrew is a nice guy and he didn't mean to start this snowball of lies - he just didn't want to answer all those pesky questions from his office workers. So what if he invented a family and a nice house for them to live in that doesn't exist. It wasn't hurting anyone. Andrew has also seen his fair share of loneliness in his job as he sits in funeral services for people without family or friends and as he picks through their lives during a property inspection (shudder). He thinks he is prepared to be alone until a new coworker wakes him up to the possibility that he won't have to die alone and he tries to make peace with his estranged sister. Perfect for lovers of sweet romantic tales with quirky characters that lead ordinary lives (for the most part). 
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Daniel Hawthorne, Private Investigator and his sidekick Anthony (as in Mr. Horowitz) have teamed up again to solve the murder of a divorce attorney. As in any good murder mystery, there are more people with a reason to do in the kind attorney and everyone has secrets they aren't sharing. This is a solid story, fast-paced, witty dialogue and an entertaining read. I always enjoy the wit of our author as well as his relationship to the arrogant Daniel Hawthorne but couldn't figure out why the police always let Anthony breeze into the crime scene when he was clearly not part of law enforcement. Obviously, Anthony Horowitz is giving us a peek at what he hopes to be doing in his next life. If you loved the first book in the series, you will enjoy this one as well but if you are new I would suggest reading his other books first.  Sounds like simple advice but what I found in this clever semi-memoir, semi-advice book is that it doesn't come without some risk. These two clever podcast creators, friends, and partners in crime have survived addiction, family drama and more therapy than most people I know so they know of what they speak. The essays or chapters are irreverent, gutsy and completely unapologetic about giving it to the reader straight. I found myself relating to the chapter on always being polite no matter what the situation and why that is a stupid idea and thinking heck, yes! This funny, brutally honest feminista memoir should be placed in the hands of every young woman.  Emmeline lives with her father on a secret island away from the rest of the world. Life is wonderful and she grows up learning about the magic of the island and the wonders of scents which her father imprisons on paper and saves. Fairy tales must come to an end when she learns about the real world out there and suddenly she is thrust into the middle of it. The love and friendship of a special boy will become the family she has lost. This coming of age story will have your nose and brain working overtime. By midpoint, in the book, you will believe in the magic of scent and its ability to trigger memories. You will also see the best and worst in people and long for a secret island of your own. Perfect for fans of WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING.  Kate is doing a one-woman Broadway show when she gets the call from her brother - come now, dad is sick. She drops everything and takes charge of his care and deals with her mother's advancing slip into Alzheimer's. Her journey then takes us from her grandparent's story to her parent's to her own but more importantly, it is a love letter to her parents and a goodbye. She craves the blessing of her gruff father and because she is not one of his sons, has to fight for his respect and approval. Her mother and she share a special relationship but that might make it that much harder to watch it slip away. As the oldest child and a girl, I understood Kate's need for approval and respect from her father and I understand all too well the pain of caring for a dying parent as well as what it is like to be a part of a large Irish Catholic family. Kate and her siblings came from near and far to care for their parents but she had the most difficult task - helping them let go and say goodbye. Gut-wrenching but so full of love and joy and truth that you have to read it. There is a part of the book that everyone will relate to and I can only wish for half of the gift she gave them - love, respect, and grace.  Life is hard in the 1900's Oklahoma plains but you won't hear complaints from Elise and Lorena. They recite the local paper to bide their time pinned into a blanket on their trusty stead, Sandy who trudges off to school in weather that even the hardiest ranchers would cringe at. Elise possesses a rare wit while Lorena tries to be the model of decorum. The sisters are their own best friends until a young schoolteacher tears an unjumpable divide between them. This refreshing western does not read like a typical western but appeals to a much broader audience and is a must for lovers of Larry McMurtry and NEWS OF THE WORLD. Sweet, funny and completely Southwestern area tough, its delightful characters will worm their way into your heart forever. You have been waiting for a great western and now your wait is over.  A slave's story with a twist - she is accused of killing both her master and mistress. Frannie remains silent about what happened that night, especially in court, but she writes down her story in her jail cell. From her beginnings in Jamaica as a science experiment to what she thought would be her freedom in London, we learn her story. It is also interesting that the court proceedings and testimony are there which further widens the divide between free and slave. We witness the unspeakable horrors that befell the slaves from the torturous experiments to the more subtle reminders of power. One interesting side note is the comparison of slave and the wives of the monster owners. Frannie's voice and outwardly stoic manner blend seamlessly with her deep-rooted distrust and emotional wounds. The perfect companion to the male voice in WASHINGTON BLACK.  Catherine finds herself on a spaceship alone with no memory of what happened, and even when she gets back to Earth and miraculously reconnects with her husband and daughter after ten years, the missing time plagues her. Almost like a case of PTSD, she begins to sleepwalk and have violent episodes as well as voices in her head telling her to do things she knows is wrong. This starts out as a NASA mission into deep space and ends with a big warning. Do we really know what is out there and are we childishly thinking we can control the situation if there is something or someone else? Fans of 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY, THE MARTIAN, and classic Alien films need to read this.  Once again the magnificent Melanie Benjamin introduces us to a behind the scenes hero only this time it is a husband and wife team of hoteliers who help out the resistance. Claude and Blanche Auzello are the caretakers to the famous Ritz hotel in Paris which has become overrun with Nazi officers who have taken up residence there. Through subtle ways, the American born Blanche and her French husband seemed to be hospitable to the Nazis but behind the scenes took an active role in resistance activities without the other even being aware. Marriage is difficult enough but during a war, it is almost impossible. The bravery of ordinary people in wartime always makes for an interesting story but to see it from so many different people and backgrounds made this one special.  A charming tale of a newly divorced, retired man who is lost. Louis McDonald Jr. is waiting for an estate to be cleared and then he can live it up but he really doesn't know how. His relationship with his ex is a mess, his daughter doesn't understand him and even his best friend feels he has to bring him leftovers on a daily basis. He really doesn't know what he wants or how to get it until a border collie named Layla is thrust into his arms and his heart. She seems to be someone who can help Louis open the door a little wider and accept a second chance. This is a feel-good book that puts your heart on a roller coaster of emotions and proves that the right dog can save anyone.  |
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