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As Monica's mom is wheeled into emergency surgery she delivers some staggering news - Monica's dad is not really her dad but is instead the love of her mom's life when she lived in Cuba. The news feels even more unnerving because Monica is very pregnant and not sure about her relationship with the baby's daddy and is dealing with her emotional past with her ex-husband. When Monica and the ex track down her birth father their lives get more like the Spanish soap operas she and her mom watch and much more dangerous. A touching story of the many ripples of love and family that resonate across time and cultures. Readalikes would include FAMILIA by Lauren Rico and THE BOOK OF LOST SAINTS by Daniel Jose Older. 4 stars 
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Cute romance about second chances at first love. Delphie is lucky that she is given a chance to find Mr. Right even if she doesn't know where in London he is and only has ten days to not only find him but also get him to kiss her. If she can't get the job done she really might stay dead. A fun quick read that will make you look over your shoulder for any potential soulmates but look both ways before you cross the street. Full of interesting characters worth a second look. 4 stars  Patch and Saint met as kids both outsiders toughened by a lack of understanding. When Patch goes missing after saving another girl from being taken Saint goes crazy trying to find him. There is evil out there and Saint won't rest until Patch is back with or without the Sheriff's help. The shell of the boy comes back haunted by a ghost girl leaving Saint haunted by the memory of the boy she loves. This is an intense story about true evil, longing , broken hearts and the crushing belief that you can fix people by vanquishing the monster. The language is precise, no emotion spared and no loose thread left undone. It is best read in short spurts so that you remember to slow your heart rate and breathe. Chris Whitaker gives us characters who wreak us emotionally but also prove that there is balance in the world. For every monster there is an unsung hero. Fans of tragic hero stories like Don Quixote, David and Goliath or WE BEGIN AT THE END will fall hard for this book. One of the best I have read this year. 5 stars  This is the story of Julia who feels unfulfilled- she has a lovely husband and two grown children but is constantly wondering where her life would have taken her and her past history. When she sees a woman who befriended her when she was a struggling young mom before dropping her, the discontent begins all over again. The first half of this book I just wanted to slap Julia and tell her to get her act together or get some help. The other characters were not much better. I really didn't like how mean her youngest was to her, how her oldest tried to shield her and how horrible her mom was to her as well as her lack of connection. Only her overly patient husband gave me a glimmer of hope. The second half of the book turned the corner as we see Julia try to navigate rough waters of her life and dog paddle to the other shore. It is deeply character driven and a look at how we cope with our own frailty and midlife disappointments or mask it in regret. I didn't feel like it was a glass half full kind of family but there was a glimmer of hope that it could become one. 3 1/2 stars  A small southern town gets an important wake up call when uber conservatives clash with liberals over book banning, tearing down a statue and the mayor's race. Lula Dean has named herself the savior of Troy Georgia by installing a little free library stocked with what she considers "clean" books for the community. When a book jacket switch is made and the town starts reading and learning all the things Lula has worked so hard to ban - chaos and awakening occur. Sadly, it gets ugly as the truth of the past is exposed and people get hurt in the process. The author takes serious issues and adds much comic relief making this book both lighthearted and meaningful. In this age of idiotic culture wars maybe we should make this book required reading. The bottom line is that awareness, compassion and understanding go a long way. 4 stars  Rocky and family are headed back to the cape for their annual summer vacation. A week of sun, fun, all the clams you can eat and reminiscing about their past beach time sounds perfect except Rocky is going through "the change" and their family is going through some changes as well. This slim novel is a beautiful mix of Ann Patchett soul searching mixed with Helen Ellis saucy humor regarding women and the world. Rocky is a hot mess and we love her anyway and her life is not that bad as her incredibly patient husband and kids would say. I really enjoyed the spot on witty banter between family members. A one sitting wonder of belly laughs, cleansing cries and tender family times that will have you digging out old photo albums. One of the best this year and I would listen to the audiobook (adult language and all) happily. 5 stars  Two high schoolers fall in love and vow to be together always after Elijah becomes a successful writer. When their reunion fails to happen Nakita stays on the reservation and gets on with her life. Years pass and Elijah returns his spirit crushed. Nakita has moved on, his novel didn't do well and he becomes a recluse. As Elijah tries to give up the love of his life he finds himself the only suspect in a murder. With a nod to stories of deep rooted connections between unlikely characters and great attention paid to beautiful natural surrounding. It is a coming of age story of longing, community and misplaced anger. This quiet but deadly mystery debut will appeal to readers of WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING. SPELLS FOR FORGETTING and stories by Chris Whittaker. 4 stars  20- year old Margo finds herself having to leave school minus the degree, unemployed, with a newborn and rent due. A "mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do" so she starts an OnlyFans site, welcomes her pro wrestler dad back into her life and gets on with life. Sex work doesn't agree with Margo's mom and soon to be stepdad nor her old college professor/ baby daddy and he is suing for full custody. While the work is somewhat fulfilling and there is a potential relationship with a client, Margo needs to figure out how to keep her son first. Clever and funny it makes you look at sex workers in a different light and just how tough it is to be a single parent at a young age. Margo is an original who deserves her chance at family and happiness. 4 stars  BECOMING TED is a sweet story of overcoming obstacles and daring to be who you were meant to be even if it means you might get hurt. Ted is a gentle soul who is managing his parent's ice cream shop, managing to keep his husband happy and managing to keep all his dreams and desires hidden. When he is dumped out of the blue Ted along with his supportive best friend think it might be time to find out who Ted really should be. A new start is scary but this is 50 flavors of positivity along with an extra scoop of the struggles that the gay community have faced and still face in some places today. It proves that love, supportive friends, an understanding family and a gentle kick in the pants conquers all. While this story features a gay man the universal themes of love, acceptance, personal growth and community are some that everyone can relate to and learn from. 4 stars  Happy book birthday to OUT ON A LIMB by Hannah Bonam-Young Winnifred (Win) meets handsome one night stand Bo at their friend's Halloween party. This one evening together yields a big surprise which Bo is more than happy to participate and support. Now Win and Bo must navigate the murky waters of friendship, being roommates as strangers and partners in every way. I loved that both Win and Bo have physical disabilities as well as emotional challenges and it doesn't change the story in any way. If anything, this delightful romcom is a reminder to the rest of the world that these challenges make people stronger not "handicapped". Heartwarming and a fun beach read. It does deal with some pregnancy issues that may spike anxiety in soon to be parents. Definitely a "when life gives you lemons you make lemonade" kind of story. 4 stars  |
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