This series keeps getting better and better! A mystery within a mystery. I want MORE!

This is a compelling mystery series and I can't wait to read more! It's not often that I want to re-read mystery books but I already sense that I will revisit Inspector Gamache again. This second in the series is about words--from hidden meanings to literally written on the wall. And the setting of Three Pines, Quebec, Canada, is as a character, too.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! It begins with the birth in 1945 and advances by sevens through the years of Cyril Avery's life. I laughed. I cried. I was outraged at the intolerance of society. I was drawn into the story. A theme of the novel is Cyril's homosexuality. A theme of the novel is love--family, friends, and romantic. It's a poignant and somewhat intense look at man's hidden desires, and in this case, the man is Cyril.

This is a stay up all night reading kind of book! Just when I thought I figured it out, it took a twisty turn. A satisfying noir-ish thrill ride. I genuinely cared about Anna Fox. Even the cliches felt fresh.

I picked up the book because I've read rave reviews of it. It features teenagers but it's not a YA book. It's about the burden of secrets--big and little. It's about family--big and little. The characters were well-developed, real people. I'm not sure why it's set in the 90s but it works.

A touching, yet difficult memoir. There‘s poetry, prose, and song. It‘s pieced together as a quilt is. The audio is well done.

I‘m not sure what to say about this book. It‘s beautifully written but I have no idea what it‘s about. Part of a series of seasonal books. I can‘t decide if I want to read more. It‘s nothing I‘ve read before, playing with time—so it‘s fluid.

It's a fun book--kind of rom-com. Kind of like Mama Mia with a holiday flair.

This is a fast-paced, can't put down book. I didn't like the materialism, it was way over the top. I don't think it's a mystery-thriller but it is a twisty book. Very entertaining.

This is an epic family saga. The writing is beautiful. At 640 pages (20 hours and 51 minutes), it's a bit long. There are gorgeously detailed snippets of everyday life.

What on earth took me so long to read this book??? This was a delight. A series of letters between an American writer and a British bookstore is any book-lover's fare. It's a book about friendship and books, wit and wisdom. I loved it!

This is a fascinating dual narrative. One thread is the compelling story of female spies of WWI and the second thread is mid-1940s, the aftermath of war. I will say the WWI section captured me more than the 1940s section. It's part road-trip adventure, part redemption story, and all about friendship. I am excited to discuss this with my book group--it's rich and layered, with incredible detail.

I'm glad I listened to this. It's a fascinating blending of 166 narrators. It's a blending of historical fact with a truly mind-bending fictional style. Because I listened to it, I don't know what it looks like on the page, I'll have to get my hands on a copy to see what it looks like.

This is historical fiction done right! It's part adventure and the wild west is definitely a character. I loved the unlikely bond between grizzled 72-year-old war veteran Captain and the young orphan who'd been captured by Kiowa raiders. It's complex plot and I love the characters--I wish my friends would read it so I could talk about the wit and wisdom. The audio is amazing!

This is an ambitious novel. I think the author is trying to say too much. Social commentary on anti-war movements, the cultural obsession with social media, gaming culture, and plagiarism are a few of the threads of the story. And the cast of characters bumps into each other in amusing plot twists. It's epic. The audio is fantastic!

This is one I never would have picked up on my own--but read it for my book group. The author is a local person and might be an acquaintance of the book group member that selected it. It's a docu-fiction work, based on letters, conversations, medical and other records that captures how schizophrenia influences a mother and son.

I don't quite know what to say about it. It's fascinating and heartbreaking.

This was a perfect vacation book! Snappy dialogue, a major fall from grace, a redemption story of sorts, and a glamorous setting. I liked the social media aspect, it is making me reflect on my own use! I liked that the secondary characters are as flawed as the main character. I especially like the quirky child! I liked that the story isn't predictable. A quick read that made me think.

I liked the set up of this book, once I realized there was nothing wrong with my audio--the narrative begins with Chapter 18 and unspools from there. That was cool. I didn't like any of the characters. Sometimes there are some gray areas with characters and you can find something to identify with, but not in this case.

I didn't love the book. It was ok. I kept thinking about The Talented Mr. Ripley. It's a teen version with a female lead.

The final installment of this trilogy--I couldn't put it down! It wrapped up a lot of the lingering questions I had from book two--The Invasion of the Tearling. I liked that the secondary characters were true to form. I didn't like that it was told in flashback as much as it was; I missed the action of Kelsea. Good storytelling!

Lots of humor, action, and interesting characters. I'd even go as far as calling it campy. As a first in the series, there are lots of plotlines open--will Serena find love? Will her Aunt Martha get credit for assisting? And will Serena's cat, Harold, catch a mouse? And most importantly: will Serena ever solve her grandfather's murder? I can't wait to read more in the series!

The sequel did not disappoint! This book had more fantasy elements than the first book, but they were woven into the narrative well, it was a progression not an abrupt shift. This is a darker, more challenging read than the first. Although this book gives more insight into the dystopian 21st Century USA, I still have questions. Hopefully the third book will it up. I couldn't put it down!

I could not put this down. I don't even know how to describe it--it's both Young Adult and Adult, it's fantasy, it's political, it transported me.

The author does a remarkable job capturing the voices of teenage girls. The two main groups of girls are something I see in the halls at school daily: the flippant attitude, the struggle against stereotypical girl behaviors, the intense closeness of female bonding. The build up of tension in the dual narratives is well-pitched, too. The detectives' working relationship is carefully crafted and rings with authenticity.

I don't know why I put off reading this book--it was a charming surprise! The three central characters' stories blended together delightfully. It was funny, quirky, original, and musical. But the ending was weird.

I wasn't thrilled with the construction of the book, it flips from "present day" to the build up of and "THE EVENT" chapter by chapter. It was slow and drawn out. I couldn't relate to either of the main characters, either. Each is flawed and human, but neither is memorable, really. With all the build up to THE EVENT, it was actually predictable and a bit flat.

I don't often bail on books, especially for my book group, but I just can't read this.

I love the concept of the book group having themes for the year. The stories wove together beautifully. An enjoyable book.

An interesting premise that's well executed. I love these kids!

I like how the story is told from the dual narratives of David Drucker and Kit Lowell. I like the cast of secondary characters--that the adults are not necessarily stupid or bad. I may like David a bit more than Kit. It's quite a good book--quirky, full of ups and downs, heartbreaks and laugh-out-loud moments.

1. Cafe
2. Fictional character
3. Always cry a bit
4. Read a 1000+ history book (I'm a history teacher)
5. Never read the back cover blurb

I loved the range of emotions I felt with this book. I loved the quirky, fully developed characters. I loved the complex relationships. I loved the author's voice--quite like having a late-night, in depth conversation with a great friend. It's thought-provoking and eye-opening.

The story focuses on the Walsh-Adams family: parents Rosie and Penn and their five sons, including Claude and his struggle with gender dysphoria.

A book about books! It's a book about reinventing yourself. It's a book about taking chances. I want to read all of the books mentioned, it's a shame they don't exist. And now I want to go to Scotland! There are so many awkwardly funny characters, I loved it! It's a chick-lit rom-com and truly delightful.

I was captivated by the premise of an aging starlet revealing the person behind the glamor. I loved that Evelyn owned all the parts of herself--her persona, her fight to build that persona, and the reality of who she was away from the cameras. This book was better than I expected. I was drawn into the two narrative threads and came to care for both. And I forgot it's fiction. To me, that's the sign of great storytelling.

I love all things Bravo and Andy Cohen. This diary format has lots of juicy details and the audio version is like having a fun conversation with an old friend. Great summer reading

It's more like reading linked short stories instead of one narrative. However, it is so beautifully linked that it wasn't difficult to trace who was who. It's for my library reading group's August selection and I think we'll have a lot to discuss. It's wonderfully, almost painfully researched--no glossing over the history of Africans selling Africans into the white slave trade of the 1600s, to Jim Crow era US history

I loved this book--it's the first of a series. It's a traditional mystery, not quite a cozy, and the setting is literally close to home in Quebec Province, Canada. I love the unusual, eclectic characters--from the unhurried Chief Inspector Armand Gamache to his right-hand man, Jean Guy Beavior, to the arrogant young Yvette Nichol, all unraveling the threads of this web of deception.

I liked the flaws of each character--human and relatable. I couldn't put it down!

I won't compare this to the author's breakthrough debut novel The Girl On The Train. The narrative shifts from past to present, linking the characters through stories told about the women in the water. I'm not quite sure who the main character is--there are many different perspectives here (and sometimes I got a little confused as to who was storytelling). A story with many, many layers.

Mixed feelings about this book; it doesn't provide any solutions to the social issues it examines. At times it felt preachy. My book group is going to have quite a discussion about it.

Although Melissa's family was too dysfunctional, I can't wait to read more of the series!

This book is amazing! I couldn't put it down. The ending was totally unexpected and beautiful.

I enjoyed how generational characters interacted. Fannie Flagg captured small town, rural life perfectly. My book group will have lots to say.

I liked Amanda's voice. It's a coming of age story with a transgender central character. The author made some deliberate choices that made it a story rather than a transition handbook.

I couldn't put it down. I was immediately hooked and was laughing out loud and sniffing tears. I guessed the big twist but it didn't matter, because I was cheering on the characters. A great sister story.

Someone described it as Glee meets Agatha Christie and I can't disagree. It fully captured the high school music festival vibe--having attended many, myself. It's a twisty turny mystery with unusual and mostly unlike able characters, I was hooked!

A solid debut novel. Enough twists to keep me interested. The two narratives came together nicely at the end. Fun read.

My biggest complaint is that there were almost too many pop culture references. But they certainly made it an accessible story. Pandemics and a touch of fantasy wrapped in a love story.

Part of the Maine Clambake series, outside the usual cast of characters. A good installment to the series with room for more!

Book #4 in the series delivers! As a lifelong Mainer, this series rings true!

A gritty book, yet uplifting. I was engrossed in the story and even though it was challenging, I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for my book group to discuss it.