Three siblings owe their screwed up childhood and somewhat troubled adulthood to their artistic photographer mother and blindly ambivalent father. They were photographed in the nude from toddler to teen and displayed in the infamous Marx nudes. Bea and her remaining brother Henry have been trying to forget about the photos as well as their brother, mother and now father's death for decades but now MOMA and others are kicking up the dust again wanting to own the collection and the creation of a film. Bea is charged with making the decision to drag the photos and everything else up to the surface again but first must come to grips with her past, troubled relationships and general distrust of the world. The book reads like a bombshell memoir - abuse, psychological manipulation and deep family secrets make this a riveting look at unwanted fame and a painful childhood. Readers of deep dives into childhood trauma as well as those who love tell all memoirs of the hidden lives of children of famous people will enjoy this. 4 stars
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You don't think of happily ever after when the bride gets dumped at the alter. You also don't think that the childhood friend you reconnect with all sweaty at the gym will take you up on your offer to have him come with you on the honeymoon to Australia your never-to-be inlaws insisted you still go on. That is exactly the background of this story and while it sounds like the worst break up and bad idea trip, they agree to go as friends. But we, gentle reader, know that this wouldn't be a romcom if some spark wasn't there. Sometimes the worst life can throw at us has a silver lining. No rainbows without rain right mate? Good old fun romcom in the style of Emily Henry and all those other lovers of love. Beware, you may find yourself thinking about booking the places in Australia they went to. 4 stars
A group of friends plus an actor gather at a house in the country outside of New York City. They are an international eclectic group of artists, writers, a doctor and one very adult eight year old. Everyone has been friends for years except for the actor who serves the same purpose as a mosquito on a summer day or ants at a picnic. It is the beginning of COVID and it seems that only the hostess, Masha is concerned and taking precautions. At times this story reads like an international version of THE BIG CHILL with themes of old friendships, jealousies, secret relationships and betrayal all playing a big part. Sad, funny and bittersweet when thinking about the start of the seclusion and how we would all be affected by it. Gary Shteyngart has a warm writing style that makes you feel like you are part of the group from the first chapter. 4 stars
I just love this series! It is original, witty, and you care about the characters. Claire is still battling for her library of lost souls with Hero ( an escapee from an unwritten book) and a quirky cast of fallen angels, muses, etc. The wicked witch of Hell ( otherwise known as General Malphas) is gunning for them and it will take a band of misfits with one courageous Librarian to save the libraries from down under from going under.
This is the third book in the series but if this is your first one you will still enjoy the story. 4 stars Grief and anger go unchecked when your child is killed. Common sense and behaving badly in public are second nature when all you want is justice and revenge. Camille knows these feelings all too well after losing her teenage daughter and seeing her daughter's killer go free. After an embarrassing public display she hears about what she thinks is a grief group made up entirely of mothers who have lost their children but The Collective turns out to be so much more. These mothers take the law into their own hands and to join them means complete obedience and sworn to secrecy forever. You are making a deal with the devil but it is one that Camille makes willingly. This intense nail biter of a thriller has you working along side Camille desperate to figure out the identity of the puppet master and hoping she can stay one step ahead of it all. These are moms you don't want to mess with. 4 1/2 stars
Imagine having to identify your beloved grandparents who raised you at the morgue. Then imagine being told that there is a suspicion that your grandfather had been a Nazi and was hiding something which is why they were murdered. Juliet doesn't believe that her mild mannered Opa had been a Nazi and fled Germany to come to Australia but she can't just sit by and let the police handle it either so she begins to investigate on her own. This leads Juliet to her estranged sister but soon others are after both of them and she doesn't know who she can trust. Her life and her relationships are quickly unraveling. With every piece of the puzzle they uncover, they find someone else on their trail. A tense crime thriller mixed with an unusual historical story about those refugees who left Europe after the war to settle in Australia makes this much more interesting than the usual WWII book. This will appeal to crime lovers as well as historical fiction readers. 4 stars
There are rules to be followed in the family - you are loyal, you do what you are told and you never, ever leave. Sofia and Antonia are best friends growing up until Antonia's father "disappears". After leaving high school both their lives fall into a similar pattern and they are once again best friends. Both of their husbands work for the family but at some point it all becomes too much causing loyalties to be tested and rules to be broken. This is a classic Godfather story where the ambitions of young people to do things differently than their parents weighs heavily against their ability to escape the same cycle. Themes of immigrant families, crime and friendship are all included in this historical debut look at New York. For Mario Puzo fans as well as other Italian American sagas. 4 stars
Benji is working aboard a luxury yacht hosting a floating think tank for billionaires and scientists. After the explosion he finds himself among the fortunate few survivors on a life raft. A few days into their plight a man is pulled aboard seemingly out of nowhere claiming to be the Lord. As the days pass and the chance for rescue slips further away their willingness to believe the man's story and their faith will be tested. Mitch Albom asks us to examine our own beliefs and take our spot alongside those on the raft. Would we trust this stranger? Thought provoking up to the final page -this will be a great choice for book clubs as well as his many fans. 4 stars
In Edwardian England but an alternative version filled with magic and secrets, something sinister is afoot. Robin is dealing with his family's demise when he is given a position he is not familiar with as a liaison to a magical society. He must work with Edwin who makes it clear that he is not happy about the situation. Both find themselves equally irritated by and strongly attracted to each other. They must now navigate old family secrets, magic, curses and a lot of danger all before drinks at the club. This will appeal to all those lovers of magic, alternative history and hot romances with a healthy nod to traditional British storylines and wit. 4 stars
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