Ugh. I do not get all the praise for this book. I felt like I was reading a first-time novelist with a bad editor. I was so psyched to read about the Vietnam war from a female perspective, and read so many good reviews, that I thought it had to be a winner. I abandoned it a little more than halfway through. Life‘s too short!

Another McBride excellent read. A poor community in a Pennsylvania town that‘s a mix of immigrant Jews and black people. In the opening, police find a body in an old well, and we don‘t find out who or what happened until the very end. The book isn‘t really a murder mystery; it‘s about everyone who makes up a community and how they intertwine. Laughs, insights, friendships… an outstanding book—masterful. Highly recommend!

(I am rereading books for the upcoming school year!) Such a mournful book, but it‘s beautifully done (as is almost everything by DiCamillo). A caged tiger, a motherless boy, and a girl who is a tiger are great characters. They all come together in a sad, but freeing, conclusion. Love this book.

An older book, but a very good read. Ultimately, it‘s about a lifestyle that was changed by colonization, and what the Ojibwe lost. We can, and still need to, learn so much from the indigenous people. A simple read, but with a lot behind it.

Such a good read! The Crafts were daring and strong in their escape, but this book also offers more about their life in “freedom” than just the escape. Excellently written, captivating, and a great learning experience. We need more books like this!

Really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I loved M, and several other characters. Good pacing, some humor, nice plot, and good ending. One little quibble: I want to know more about what M did. It‘s hinted at and a reader can infer, but I wanted to know. Maybe it‘s in the next book? Overall, I recommend it—especially as it‘s a trilogy! I want the next two…

I‘ve had to read for a class and was apprehensive about this selection, but this book did not disappoint. Definitely not a gooey mother-daughter novel, nor a depressing downer, it‘s a realistic look at four mothers‘ lives who all left China for America. The descriptions and relationships rang true. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this!

I recently reread this with a new eye for analysis; what a great book! Funny, insightful, and so many hidden and not-so-hidden names, symbols, themes, etc. It‘s a great examination of indigenous lives and the tug-of-war between heritage and modern society. A great read.

I wasn‘t sure when I started this book how I‘d like it, but it turns out that I loved it! It wasn‘t your typical friendship novel, but it was awesome. At times disturbing, at times lyrical, the language and writing was excellent. I might teach this book for a college class, so I‘m glad I chose it! 👍🏼

What a great nonfiction book! It‘s an unflinching look at what it is to be a poor, single mother in America today. Land somehow keeps it together when most would have crashed and burned. Her love for her daughter shines. The book is nothing like the tv series. This is a book everyone should read! It will open your eyes.

Great book! I sped through this in no time, just because it was so well-written and engrossing. The author owns a small ranch in SD and raised cattle. He doesn‘t like the environmental damage they do, so he switches to buffalo. It‘s a story of ranching difficulties, environmental practices, history, and how to be a land steward. Amazing writing, laugh-out-loud spots, and just a super read. Definitely recommended!

A fun read. I was expecting magic because the protagonist is a magician, but the most I got was picking locks! That was okay as this was a quick read with good humor throughout. The main plot is how communication can be used by evil to cause anarchy across the world. Not a flash-bang plot, but a good steady pace. It‘s part of a series, so don‘t expect “that‘s a wrap” at the end. Good summer read!

I‘m usually not a big fan of books written in first person, but this one was a happy exception! A wife who doesn‘t know her husband is a serial killer; she‘s accused of being his “helper”; she‘s acquitted and on the run—with their two kids; she has to pull up stakes often to get away from internet “warriors”; more murders with her husband‘s MO; she gets accused. Scary stuff, but a glimpse at guilt by association. I will look for more by Caine!

Another well-done mystery by Krueger. Although sleuthing out the guilty culprit wasn‘t terribly difficult, it kept me engaged. The writing is excellent and descriptive. Once started, I sped through it. I also learned about the Anishinaabeg people. As a Minnesota writer, Krueger has being there nailed.

It took me two tries to get into this, gritting my teeth at times while reading, and persistence to finish. It wasn‘t terrible, but I just could not connect with any character. The fictional story of two murders in a small-town in Texas was highly rated, but it was scattered with no central theme and the ending seemed too far out. I was disappointed because it was called one of the best of that year. 🧐

My impressions of West Virginia were borne out in this book! 😁 That said, the characters were well-drawn, the protagonist engaging, and the minor characters were compelling. If I have a quibble, it‘s that the killer was… improbable. But the feistiness of the protagonist and her relationship with the sheriff are believable and fun to read. I look forward to finding something else by this author soon.

Quite enjoyable with a surprise ending in the way it came about. A commentary on women‘s lives as well as a murder mystery, this was an engaging read. At times the dialogue was sparkling, especially with an acid-tongued character. Many red herrings kept me switching guilt from character to character. Nicely done book!

I struggle with how to rate this book. It takes place at a bookstore in Minneapolis around the time of pandemic/George Floyd, so I am familiar with all places and events. I like the characters. I didn‘t hate the plot, but I kept waiting for “more.” Exactly more what, I‘m not sure. It wasn‘t really a mystery, nor was it just fiction. Unsatisfying? Meh? Okay? None of these seem to fit. I‘ll go with so-so head-scratcher.

Well done! Two stories in one book, not quite parallel, and both were great. Rang true on both ends. Murders and questions. Archeology woven into the story. A bit traumatic in a couple spots, but the queasiness is an added chill. It seems out of place when you first hit the trauma, but it ties into the story quite well and it‘s not out of place. A great Little Free Library find! Thank you to whoever left it for me to find! 😁

Well, this was a surprise! This book sucked me in with the story of Jack and his sisters. While it‘s a murder mystery, the children are the stars of the show. Bauer takes that trio and makes you care deeply about them; the adults are along for the ride. Those other characters are drawn well also (let‘s have more about Louis, please!) but the children are the reason this book was long-listed for the Booker.

Been on a run of good books, and this one was up there as pretty good as well. Set in Scotland in whiskey country, with parallel stories a century apart. Usually, I‘m not too much of a fan of that structure, but I actually liked the historical side of this more than the modern day side. Interesting turns, sometimes dragged a bit. Good atmosphere, and made me want some single malt—in Scotland! 😁

I had forgotten how good a playwright Miller is. The twists, turns, lies, and judgment of Salem were brought home in this classic. I read it to help my daughter with homework, worried I would struggle, and ended up thoroughly enjoying the play. Time went by so fast as I revisited 1692 Salem!

A good book with a twisty ending! If you live in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, then you‘ll really like this book as it‘s chock full of place references. And the protagonist is a smart-aleck, so it‘s fun to read. If you don‘t know the Twin Cities, you‘ll learn a lot!

I know I‘m way behind, but this was an excellent pick from start to finish. I was reminded that it was in one of my to-be-read stacks by a student who was reading it. Glad I opened it! Much better than Miller‘s Circe, which I enjoyed. Achilles was much more engrossing, better written, and more lyrical. A wonderful love tale of the great Greek hero!

A good book for fun, especially if you live in the Twin Cities. Written to keep you guessing as to who is the criminal, it was entertaining with a female kickboxing setting. Good read for a weekend!

This was a wonderful read, but brutal in places. It‘s a coming-of-age tale about a boy searching for his father who is in the Confederate Army. He finds him at Gettysburg. The writing is pitch perfect as far as characters and their voices. There are spots where it‘s not for the faint of heart, but it was so worth it. And it was a Little Free Library find (and returned)! A surprising find, that I recommend!

This was a lot of fun to read because of the two primary protagonists: a young, ex-circus girl and a whip-smart woman detective with MS. Set in the 1940s, but with some more modern thoughts and attitudes, Parker and Pentecost make quite a team. While the ending wasn‘t “I didn‘t see that coming!” there was still enough doubt to keep my attention. I‘m looking forward to devouring the next one in the series! Fun reading!

At first, there were so many characters I was wondering how to keep them straight. In the end, they all come together quite well. It was a bit formulaic—if you know Jance, you know what I mean—but that said, I enjoyed the new border control character and his sidekick a lot! I hope there is more of that pair!

Not a bad read, especially because it takes place in the Twin Cities so it‘s familiar. It was nice to just relax with something kind of easy but not mind-numbing. All in all, it worked for me!

Better than I thought; not quite as good as I hoped. First in a series, and I can see there is room to solidify and further develop the protagonist. I‘ll try another one to see if Stone is able to fulfill the promise…

Always a pleasure to sit back, read a cozy mystery for fun, and laugh at Pewter! Nothing difficult about RMB‘s Mrs. Murphy series, but always a good, escapist read.

Skipping over the a-little-overly-dramatic ending of one character, this was a terrific book. Her best yet. Loved that it was built on a true story, and it read true (except for the aforementioned). Loved the groom‘s story and the story of Lexington. Highly recommend!

A pretty good, fast mystery read. If you like a western-type setting, game warden protagonist, and a book where you don‘t have to think too much, you can‘t go wrong with a C.J. Box book!

Excellent book! Modern novel/mystery set in Sault Ste Marie on an Anishinaabe reservation. Strong female lead and a compelling story. I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to believe it was a debut novel. Strong two thumbs up!

Got this from a Little Free Library, and am really glad I did! A damaged protagonist, a damaged dog, an excellent plot, and a little-known group—the Irish Travelers—made this an excellent read that I sped through. I learned about a minority group I had never heard of, and the writing was well done. The only difficult part is that now I have to find more of the series! Enjoyable read.

Fast-moving, interesting protagonist, and with a tiny dip into extremism from a few decades ago. Barnes did a good job tying everything together: past and present. Fun things along the way with some good similes that I noticed, and a plot that was plausible. A good, fast read!

Just good enough to like. I like the protagonist, but the plot was a little loose in spots, and the climax wasn‘t high enough to warrant “will she, or won‘t she”? I think this is the first of her books, so we‘ll see if the author gets better. Good, not great. 😁

I had a hard time rating this. I loved the character of Nina, who was a member of the Russian “Night Witches” in WWII. I had never heard of them, but will definitely be reading more about them. The other characters were a bit stereotypical, which knocked the book down for me. Not a bad read, but I only kept reading it for the story of Nina and her role in the Night Witches. I‘m off now to read more about the Night Wiches!

An engrossing book! Voigt takes the reader through her journey in search of an Asian arowana in the wild, a rare fish and becoming even more rare as aquarists jack up the price. It‘s nonfiction, but reads like fiction. You‘ll learn about the haphazard way endangered species are listed, and I loved how she presented some of the real quandaries of protecting wild and rare species. Highly recommend!

A touch of sci-fi, a bit of a love story, dystopia vs almost utopia, and magical beings all wrapped up in a great story. So many things about acceptance of differences and learning to open up to love. Really enjoyed this book and I will offer it as a choice book for my students (high school age).

I rated this book a pick because I love how Cleeves portrays the protagonist, Vera Stanhope. At times a little hard to follow, but a good read if you like Brit mysteries. I love the TV show based on the books, “Vera.” I think the rhythm of the words and phrasing is my favorite part. Nice, summer read!

This was my favorite Inspector Gamache book by far. The author‘s writing at the end heightened the tension (even though we all know how these things end). The book held me from start to finish!

The writing was fine and the pair of protagonists was good, but the plot just kind of petered out. I don‘t expect mystery plots to always be fantastic from start to finish, but the last fourth of this book just didn‘t fulfill the earlier promise of the plot—and the identity of the killer was easy to guess after the first meeting. I left it in a hotel room for a bored traveler to pick up!

As always, when I want a light, fluffy, fun mystery that anthropomorphizes animals, Rita Mae Brown is my go-to. Her books with Sneaky Pie are my “Give me something well-written that I don‘t have to think about” books. This one was better than the last one I read. Go Sneaky Pie, Tucker, and Pewter!

Amazing! A true story, well-researched, wonderfully written. Captivating. An American teenage flautist steals hundreds of thousands of dollars of bird skins from a British museum, some more than 100 years old. The author‘s obsession with finding the skins showed just how engrossed he was in the topic. This book was hard to put down. I learned a lot about birds and the fly tying community. Hard to believe true story. Absolutely loved it!

Excellent read. A widely varied group of Indigenous people on the run from people who want their bone marrow to restore dreams. At times heartbreaking. The author is Metis, so the characters are well-drawn. A quick read, it makes you think long after you finish.

I cannot give this enough thumbs up! A boy, a gun, an elevator, and ghosts. I want to add this to my curriculum so much! Told in verse, a fast read, but so wonderful. And the ending is mind-bending. A teen book, but any adult would love it!

I did have a class (gr 10-12) read it, and they loved it. We had some good discussions, and the kids saw a different side of America they don‘t get to see.

Read this on advice of a ninth-grade student. Fast-paced, interesting book. Engaging for youth, especially a young boy. This book had enough to keep me interested. There‘s nothing deep or over-thinking things, but I think a lot of boys would like this book. I would read another book by this author!

I am a huge PJ Tracy fan, but this book got a little long in the middle, and the ending was a head-scratcher, a brush-by, an “I‘m not quite sure how to tie this all up in the last bow,” disappointment. I also finished wondering who was the main character. There‘s real possibility in the characters, but they floundered a bit. It could become an excellent series, but it needs more focus. OTOH, if you haven‘t read “Monkeewrench” DO IT NOW!!!

I was looking forward to this based on reviews, but I just couldn‘t get into it. I was not engaged at all and couldn‘t find a thread to follow. I have liked other of her books, but not this one. Not my style. Watching the tv series now… so far, it‘s better than the book!