A broad collection of short stories that highlight our need for connection and human frailty. It doesn't matter if it is a one sided love affair between an older rancher and the very young quirky horse wrangler or a quick romantic interlude between a gymnast and track and field hurdler at the Olympic games we see something in the characters that we can relate to. The comic moments are balanced with tragic scenes and we let Maggie Shipstead do what she does best and that is to introduce us to the best and worst sides of ourselves. 3 stars
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Andrea and Maeve are subjected to a strange upbringing in a motherhood cult until the cult is raided and they go their separate ways. Later as adults they are reunited and Andrea pushes hard for Maeve to give up her eggs allowing Andrea and her husband to have the child they are desperate for but unable to conceive. Maeve is going through a hard time and Andrea is more than happy to help for a price. Strange events and flashbacks of when they were young take the story on a course similar to HANDMAIDS TALE or ROSEMARY'S BABY. Horror, creepy motherhood cults and paranoia for all - this is a scary book that reminds us that mother is always watching.
4 stars 1964 Hollywood royalty go on a safari to celebrate the marriage of everyone's darling Katie Barstow to her Prince Charming. Traveling with them are their closest friends - fellow actors, her agent and publicist as well as her brother and sister in law. In addition to the friends they have a big game hunter and a small army of porters and guides. What could go wrong? The trip starts off well with everyone amazed by the splendor of the African savannah and the chance to see these creatures up close. All is well until it isn't. Russians seem to arrive from nowhere guns blazing and soon those who are left have been captured or thought dead. They come to a stunning realization that they are in as much danger from their captors as they are from what lies in the tall grass. These are dangers they are not prepared for as they are pitted against animal violence and human violence. An adrenaline filled nightmare with snippets of the golden age of Hollywood. This is the romantic landscape of OUT OF AFRICA, the violence and politics of Wilbur Smith's novels and the animal cast of John Wayne's HATARI - be prepared to think twice about visiting a zoo in the near future. This may be one of my favorite Chris Bohjalian books so far. 5 stars
Monsters are all around us lurking in the back studio alleys, the casting rooms and on the screen.
Luli Wei learned at an early age how to control men and took full advantage of that skill to land her screen time as a child actor then playing lesser background characters. When her chance at real roles came she didn't hesitate knowing that she would sell her soul to become a screen legend. The head of the studio didn't hesitate to take his pound of flesh either. We meet the men and women of Hollywood moviemaking in the 1930's where who you are, who you love and what you are wiling to sacrifice for a dream all play a major role. This is the land of monsters both good and bad. The historical side of this with all the discrimination, hiding of non approved relationships and the many ways to take unfair advantage by those in power is right on target. The other side of the story is about magic and monsters - those smoky shape shifting creatures in power and those who will give up everything for a taste of immortality on the screen. An atmospheric and unique look at the monsters around us and in us on and off the silver screen. 4 1/2 stars Sam, his brother Charlie and Persephone (Percy) are inseparable every summer at the lake. Every year Percy's heart does flip flops not from flinging herself off jump rock but due to the deep blue of Sam's eyes or his big smile at seeing her. They are best friends until it is clear it is more but then something happens that tears them apart. It will take the boy's mom dying and a request to attend her funeral at the lake to mend what might not be able to be mended. A sweet and spicy romance coming of age story that speaks to the power of summer romances at a lake and proves that the best love stories of our lives begin as friendships. This is a bit spicier than the average Hallmark channel offering but will still appeal to most romance lovers. 3 1/2 stars
Willy May's journey takes her from small town Texas, to England when she marries a beer baron, to her private yacht and finally to Mustique Island. It is the 70's and women are just starting to exert themselves but Willy has always been very private so why not celebrate a fresh start with a beautiful house on a privately owned island. Willy May does her best to straddle the extravagant lifestyle of the Brits who live there including Princess Margaret with the islanders who she has grown to love. When her grown daughters come to join her on Mustique she hopes they will stay but they are looking for their own version of home. This colorful and wild story is based on the very real guests of Mustique Island and the very real issues of class, race and the cost of tourism that accompanied them.
It is a warm human story blended with historical gossip and an armchair chance to rub elbows with British royalty and rock legends. Fans of DAISY JONES AND THE SIX, SISTER STARDUST and MARY JANE will find much to reminisce and love hers. 4 stars Hannah has grown up with certain truths - her mother is fragile and is now battling cancer, she has only known her father through her mother's diary and she wants justice. Her plan is to infiltrate the Innocence Project at UVA and become part of the team who are looking to free a killer who has been in prison for 11 years. The attorneys and fellow law students want to see an innocent man freed but Hannah may have other ideas. Legal hijinks and smart writing with twists similar to John Grisham, Dervla McTiernan's novel delivers a strong willed young woman who desperately wants to see justice done for the wrongs committed to her mom. This is a great pick for legal eagles, those who love mother/daughter relationship stories and our favorite unreliable narrator stories. Full of flawed but good hearted battling the truly evil characters this will wring your heart dry. I also listened to the audiobook version and truly loved the story in different ways. 4 stars
This beautiful story is full of complicated relationships , flawed but likable characters and one remarkably bright octopus. Tova is a 70 year old with no family left with the deaths of her husband and teenage son years ago. She is stoic, keeps to herself and is a spotless cleaner both at home and at the aquarium where she works each night. There she makes friends with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who has a habit of escaping his tank and getting into mischief stealing sushi from what is available in the other tanks or seeking treasures from the floor to add to his collection. Tova also befriends a young man who comes to town in search of the father he has never known and ends up working at the aquarium. In this small town where everyone knows your business sometimes better than you do, Tova and Cameron will learn about trust, family and relying on others for help when you need it most. A feel good story of the first order , this publisher Lead Read has a message of understanding and finding friendship in the strangest of places. Marcellus will wrap his tentacles around your heart! Perfect for readers of Fredrik Backman and all those lovely quirky characters as well as those stories with deep human/animal relationships. 5 stars
Charlie is smart, tough and makes a mean cocktail as well as being an accomplished thief. She doesn't trust easily and has a tough time when her boyfriend turns out to be not worthy of that trust.
Secrets emerge about who and what Vince really is and his connection to a book that Charlie is tasked with stealing. THE BOOK OF NIGHT is what is used by gloamists to manipulate shadows and turn them into something deadly. She tackles it head-on fighting both her own demons and monster alike to uncover the truth and protect those she loves. Immersive fantasy with a rock solid heroine and the best cat name ever - Lucipurr. Holly Black is well known for her countless middle grade and young adult novels and she easily bridges the gap to entice a whole new flock of adults. The start of what I hope is a new series will have you jumping at your own shadow and wanting more. Fans of NINTH HOUSE and ATLAS SIX and Peter Pan retellings will love this. 4 1/2 stars In the Bronx people go missing all the time but when teens start to disappear that Raquel knows and her mom ends up in a hospital bed in a coma after dealing with one of the missing, Raquel can no longer sit and wait. Raquel and her crush/friend Charlize begin to look for answers and find that the missing people playing a scary urban game. The Echo game starts on a subway train where you must take a route during a certain time going in the same direction and follow the rules to the letter or get pulled underground. Deciding to play will draw them deeper into the depths and take a dangerous turn. It feels like a cross between Inception and a urban zombie horror movie. Nightmares, scary demons, and miles of rotting subway tunnels are all part of this YA horror story linked to the Bronx racially divided past. Anyone who loves stories of New York's famous Burroughs standing in solidarity against scary monsters like THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin will love this. 3 1/2 stars
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