Two women born on the same day at the same hospital are now in the same restaurant celebrating their 45th birthday. Alix has a successful podcast and Josie thinks she has a great new story for it - her own and Hi, I'm Your Birthday Twin is born. They start recording episodes and get friendlier the more time they spend until a get together between the two couples sets a speeding train towards certain derailment. Suddenly you, the reader, along with everyone else is wondering what the heck is going on and just how much of it all is truth. Lisa Jewell knows full well how to ramp up the story so we must finish it in a single go and this plays to our new fascination with podcasts, true crime and armchair detective gossip sessions. This one will leave you with whiplash and will appeal to her many fans. 4 stars
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WWI has come and all over England boys and men are signing up for what they feel will be a quick war leaving women to fill in at the jobs they left open. At the same time factories are ramping up orders for machinery and munitions leaving the highest paying jobs and the most dangerous to the women. These same women are now supporting their family so these jobs were sought after. It was only later that the real dangers of ingesting TNT and other deadly powder as well as handling the very combustable bombs were realized. Hundreds of women took on a yellow hue and developed serious lung complications. On a side note, to relieve boredom and tension the women organized a football (soccer) league and played in the stadiums reserved for the men away at war. The author makes a statement about the sense of duty that demanded great sacrifices. These tough women in war developed intense friendships, support systems and took on tasks that proved just what they were capable of to themselves and the world at large. 4 stars
Ann Patchett is one of those writers whose characters and stories connect with people deeply. We are part of the conversation, sitting at the table listening to the story being told and feeling all the emotions that the others feel. This is a quiet story told by a mother to her three grown daughters about her first love during a season of summer stock theatre which changes the story they thought they knew. Even though it is told at a time of the pandemic lockdown when they are all hunkered down at the family orchards it matters little. A coming of age story we can all relate to and delight in how each daughter's appreciation and awe of their mother changes with a series of rippling reveals. Come pick cherries, swim at the lake and join in the poignant storytelling of a magnificent troubadour. 4 1/2 stars
Mother and daughter Ruth and Catherine Sterling only have each other. Single motherhood has not been easy for Ruth and she has spent her life keeping Catherine safe and loved. Now that Catherine is on the cusp of leaving to follow her dream of med school they get the bad news that Ruth has early onset Alzheimers. Just as shocking as this diagnosis is the nagging feeling Catherine has that her mother is keeping many more secrets. As Catherine digs further and Ruth tries to cover their tracks the threat is getting closer. This cat and mouse thriller examines those things we keep secret from our kids to keep them safe and just how long you must atone for mistakes you made in your youth. The lies and secrets get bigger but will the truth set them both free? This emotional roller coaster is an excellent choice on audiobook if you can keep your heart rate in check. 4 stars
A missing girl that literally vanishes from a dead end alley is DCI Days newest case and it is further hampered when she is blackmailed into planting evidence implicating an innocent man. She has a secret about her daughter that will ruin her family and it seems that someone knows it. Julia is first a mother and then a crack detective but can she be both and keep her reputation intact? Twisty mystery with a lot of turns and many characters. Told from multiple point of views it is easy to get confused and while not a quick read it is worth it for those who want a challenge. Her fans will be up for it. 3 1/2 stars
A boy on the cusp of puberty will always feel like a monster but when his grandfather comes to visit it is something more than hormones. The boy grows up happy to listen to his mom's stories of pirates, his quiet dad's talk of history and endless adventures on the beach with his best friend, his dog Teach. Suddenly a visit from his unusual and crusty grandfather has the family on edge and the boy feeling unsettled. As if overnight he craves salt water and has nightmares seeing his grandfather as a monster. His parent's relationship is faltering and his mom has turned a cold shoulder to him. Only Teach remains faithful but watchful. A slim novel that speaks to the horrors of change whether it is growing up or seeing our family in a different way or real monsters that lurk beneath the surface. For adults and young adults alike - anyone who appreciates a dark tale. 4 stars
Two women, one German and one American, are caught up in the same quest from opposite sides of the battlefield. Eva works at a German art institute in Florence and has been tasked with cataloguing all the art that is being taken out of Italy to save it from certain destruction. She truly believes that all of it will be returned at war's end. Jo is working for the American Monuments Men as they make their way up from the south of Italy desperate to find all the art they fear will go into Hitler's private museum or destroyed. Both women will have their beliefs challenged, both will find love and both will risk everything to protect the priceless art they know can never be replaced. Based on fact, peppered with art history, salted with a profound love of Italy and a pinch of romance, this is a sure bet for WWII history buffs, art historians and readers of stories of the brave women behind the men during war. 3 1/2 stars
In WWII there were women in every section of the armed forces even the intelligence agencies but until recently most of these women and their stories have remained hidden in file boxes. They fought discrimination on all fronts from not being given the necessary uniforms, supplies and training to pushback from higher ups in the field who clearly did not want them there or understand their purpose. Despite all of that, these women thrived. VALIANT WOMEN cannot tell all their stories but thanks to written documents now available and speaking to family and friends, Lena Andrews has compiled a montage of women in all aspects of the war in Europe and the Far East. I particularly enjoyed learning about the WASP pilots who not only had to find a way to deal with long flights with no bathroom breaks but had physical challenges guiding these massive planes. A great non-fiction addition to many of the historical fiction stories about some of these women. 3 1/2 stars
Helene is running away from a bad marriage and making a career shift by hiding out in remote Alaska to escape her ex and find peace to write the novel she has been itching to write. She spots a crab boat captain at a local bar and has an overwhelming sense of deja vu and a spark. That spark is quickly doused as Sebastien makes it clear he wants nothing to do with her. Circumstances throw them together again and she is shocked to learn that she is the reincarnation of Juliet and Sebastien is the immortal Romeo cursed to keep finding her through time only to lose her again and again. Curses be damned when the spark turns to flame but will it last and can they get rid of Helene's baggage ? This romantic fantasy is just what you need for summer reading and the author's real life experience that set this novel into motion is truly inspiring. Love conquers all even curses. Fans of Pete Hamil's FOREVER and the original story will find much to love. 4 stars
A family-centric tale of a Dominican Republic/ American sisters and cousins some born with a gift. When Flor, who can forecast when a death will occur, tells the family she wants to hold a living wake the sisters fear the worst. Chapters are divided to share the female family members stories and explore family, traditions, motherhood and resilience. Flor's daughter is collecting stories as research for her project and these stories mirror the experiences of many immigrants who straddle two countries and two cultures. While some non-spanish speakers may have difficulty with the language the themes come through clearly - family, love and searching for happiness. 4 stars
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