Almost didn‘t make it through this one. The first half was so slow and too closely followed Huck. Felt like the author was more interested in being clever than writing something interesting. But once Huck was out of the picture and even when he came back, I saw what so many critics and others became enamored with.

Through 80% I thought, yeah, this is okay. Reasonable interesting, likable characters, well plotted. But then the last 20% was more creative, faster paced, and really filled out the character arcs. Great and highly recommended read.

A good start to October. A simple start, solid suspenseful build up, and a knockout ending. The ending was a bit unsatisfying and a lot unsettling. Recommended for a suspenseful light and creepy mystery.

Amazing account of two girls in 1500s China from different classes who grow up as best friends. One becomes a doctor, the other a midwife. Incredibly detailed accounts of life as a woman in this era. Wonderfully researched and artfully written. The doctor published a book of cases on which the author based the fictional, but historically inspired stories. High recommend.

Just… no. I get it. The publishing industry sucks. But this story, which had so much promise and so many interesting ideas, felt too much like a whoa-is-me semi-autobiographical editorial that I‘m frustrated I spent time finishing it. And the ending was just not what it could have been. Sad waste of good publishing space.

Book focuses on prevention of disease and building the capabilities to live longer and more healthy. Sections on exercise (cardio, strength, stability), nutrition, sleep, and emotional health include a ton of science, balanced with common sense and stories from the author's life. A very readable, usable, summary of what we believe about how to live a longer, healthier life. Strong recommend for middle aged folks starting to feel old. Fix it now!

I loved the characters & how their stories unfolded & intertwined. I hate the authors irritating habit of starting each chapter with a bunch of people you don‘t know, there only to provide backstory to a character eventually revealed deep in the chapter. It did round out the characters well, but it was exhausting to keep up with who was important and who was just a vignette of background. Still, highly recommended for the deep rich characters.

A highly fictionalized account of Madame Tussaud‘s life including an interesting take on the French Revolution. The writing style was interesting. It felt like reading a fable. The author is a playwright and YA author so that‘s likely why. Interesting characters, including some villains and a lot of people that are neither good nor bad. I recommend for anyone interested in wax figures, the French Revolution or just looking for something quirky.

Scary with a bit of humor. A family on vacation at a haunted villa in Italy. There could have been more character development but I appreciate that th faster pace kept the tension high. And the end wasn‘t as predictable as I expected. Recommended for a quick creepy read.

Rosemarys baby meets salems lot. Mostly tense leading up to the moment we finally know what‘s happening. Creepy and a little scary but nothing too gory. Easy scary read.

An interesting set of character development pieces that combine to reveal a side of the 1950s that isn‘t normally explored. McCarthyism, the birth control pill, and the presence of the nuclear bomb are examined from the impact to a set of women in DC. Not a typical action packed Kate Quinn book so rated lower for the lack of movement and action. But still an interesting and worthwhile read.

Fantastically written account of a shipwreck and the ensuing development of different factions on the island, plus the eventual return to England with competing stories. Very readable adventure story. Highly recommended.

The writing was plain and a bit simplistic. The characters were interesting but flat. The narration was also flat. Very much a male coming of age story and a good representation of the struggle for Vietnam vets. But nothing original or interesting. There are too many other more interesting Vietnam vet and coming of age books to recommend this one. Maybe for a Father‘s Day present.

Exciting story about two women from the French resistance in WWII who are sent to a concentration camp. Years later, they fight to find some of the Nazis that had escaped prosecution. Interesting story based on true event research. The actual WWII events could have been longer but still very interesting. Audiobook.

I am one of the few people I know who never made it through Little Women. But I couldn‘t stop reading this homage to it. Deeply woven characters with complicated choices and outcomes. Clear motives that lead to all the wrong places. Tremendous love, friendship, and heartbreak. Recommended to those with loving sisters or those who wish they had such relationships in their lives.

I‘m a long time Koontz fan. I find his stories creepy, although unrealistic obviously, and a bit predictable. But they are like comfort reading for me. You get what you expect dressed differently for the occasion. But this one. This felt like Koontz stretching out, as if his retirement was nigh and he wanted to have a bit of fun for his last hurrah. I appreciate how he injected his own voice in parts and collaborated with us to tell a cute story.

A funny little novel about a mayor trying to save his town against all odds. Highly recommended as a beach read or an uplifting moment in your life!

Great characters, interesting mystery, a lot of race relations lecturing but plot generated and on point so not off putting. Recommended for anyone looking for a well paced and plotted legal mystery.

The pace of this was incredibly slow. But I love when a slow burn story reads with an underlying intensity that makes the time pass quickly. Recommended to those who appreciate historical fiction from the female perspective

Stay away. The advice is trite. But more importantly, the way the female is represented is insulting. Two people marry and leave corporate to start a speaking company together. After the woman has 3 kids in 2 years, they decide she should stay home. Ok so far. But then “Terri stayed home to manage the company while the HEAVY LIFTING FOR THE BUSINESS FELL ON JUDS SHOULDERS”?!? 3 kids under 3 and managing a biz but he‘s got the tough job? From 2008!

A solid quick mystery read. Seemed to drag in many places, most of the twists were predictable but aligned well. Not sure I‘d recommend to anyone unless they are a fan of the author or needed a simple beach read.

This has been on my TBR forever. Finally picked it up and am so glad I did. The drawings are incredible. They convey a sense of emotion with no words. The way they show time passing is unique. The story is touching and shows how immigrants have to feel their way through all new situations. I highly recommend for the strong emotional imagery.

Wow! What an amazing ride. Steady pace but relaxed for a haunted house book. Good characters, gripping scenes. Not your typical ending. A strong recommend.

Awesome read. Something about his style is so comfortable, like reading on a blanket under a big oak tree in the middle of summer with a pitcher of iced tea. The plot unfolds steadily and ends with a big finale. Characters you want to spend time with and meet again. Highly recommended.

Audiobook. A story about the women of the Vietnam war, at a time when women weren‘t know to go to war. About 2/3 was dedicated to the war, and yes they were as near to the front lines as possible without actually doing the shooting. The other third was about how difficult the reentry was for these women. Incredibly sad and yet somehow too compelling to stop reading. Binged it in three days.

Fun and crazy ride about an heir to a super villain and his exploits with sentient cats and dolphins. Plenty of gunfire and adventure, with a heavy does of humor. Loved it!

Always a fun ride, Koontz novels are simple and quick to read. No monsters in this one which is unusual, but enough suspense to make it a good story.

It‘s unusual that I think the second half of a book is better than the first. This book opens calmly and comfortably. The second half turns into a more dramatic mystery although still a bit of a cozy mystery. I appreciated the feel of the novel as much as the plot. The plot got a bit confusing at points but all made sense at the end. Would recommend for someone looking for a warm family mystery.

Fantastic listen! Great characters, fast moving intricate plot, great writing and a good narrator.

Fast paced. Good plot. Back to the basics Jack Reacher. Less intricately plotted than some other spy novels but always a reliable listen for a long car trip.

A quick fun read with a mystery, a few sharp pointy twists that I didn‘t see coming, a thread of King‘s Misery, and an ending that wasn‘t predictable.

Another story out of Just After Sunset. Middle aged man starts fitness routine after a lecture from his doctor. As you probably expect, things do not go as planned. So far, these stories are such typical vignettes of life, told untypically and almost lyrically. It was fun to watch King stretch his literary muscles with this one.

Harvey‘s Dream. Story 3. Read by Stephen King. Not a great narration, but interesting to hear it as if it were coming directly from his brain. The story was a simple but foreboding morning coffee conversation between an old married couple. A simple real life vignette, if your real life is created in Stephen Kings brain. Four stars.

A book of Stephen King stories to prepare for Halloween. Each story read by different narrators. The second, called The Gingerbread Girl, starts when a woman out for her morning run sees blond hair hanging from a car trunk and just has to take a look, and is predictably abducted by the killer. What follows is her harrowing experience at the hands of the man. A truely scary “curiosity and the cat” tale. A little over an hour listening time.

Follow up story about Holly now that Bill Hodges is gone. Good to spend some time with her, Jerome, and Barbara. Some people were frustrated with the liberal views here but Hollys views and quirks were true to her character. If you let politics stand between you and a great story, your loss. The mystery here was good, the characters were well done, and I liked the pace of the narration. The ending was all that I wanted it to be. Recommend.

Patchett has such a way of letting her stories grow. I get pulled into each character‘s life so slowly that I don‘t recognize the moment when they become old friends I don‘t want to let go of anymore. This tale of a woman working on the farm with her three daughters turns into her telling her life story to them, including her affair with a young movie star and the different paths they followed. A slow build but a solid recommend.

Excellent fictional account of three young men trapped on Bataan during WW II. Based on true stories, much of the book felt familiar but the characters were fresh and their backstories so well plotted that the whole story was engrossing. The writing moved quickly, interspersing touching stories of the boys growing up in Mobile with the horrors of their time in the Philippines. Listened to the audio which was also well executed. A strong recommend.

Really enjoying this story of a woman telling her story to her three daughters as they‘re picking cherries on the family farm one summer during the pandemic. I appreciate that the pandemic is the reason they‘re all together, but that it doesn‘t take such a central plot piece of the story. Interesting to see how authors are beginning to recognize the pandemic without relying on it as a core element of the story.

A light read about a young woman finding her way in life. Nothing deep, just a fun little romp that includes a secret bookstore, a tiny bit of romance, and a bit of a feminist twist. Fun summer read.

Listened to audio. Ray Porter is a perfect fit for this series. Once the action starts, it‘s a fast paced ride that‘s hard to put down. Every book is extending the very long backstory though so it‘s getting harder and harder to get into. Lots of detailed explanation of weapons and cars and governments, but that‘s also pretty typical. If you liked the first ones, this is the next one.

A surprising short novella about a math professor who can only remember 80 minutes at a time after an accident. A housekeeper and her son form a friendship that changes all of them in unexpected ways. Interesting little stories are included about the beauty of math and numbers, which enhance the story‘s progress as it does the characters.

Two smart and strong female characters start as enemies but the mystery of a dead body pulls them together, with each seeking to figure out the other along the way. It was a fun enemies to friends mystery.

A story of a boy & his horse, laced with historical facts, tinged with racial tension, & complemented by strong characters. The weaving together of different factual events - a painting recovered from the curb, the rediscovery of a horses skeleton, the death from a car wreck of a famous painter - all so skillfully researched & embellished. From the afterword, “this novel could not merely be about a racehorse, it would also need to be about race.”

The story was interesting. The characters felt a little flat to me and the writing was a bit monotone. I‘m likely a little too old now to read this much teenaged angst.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of a retired female pirate dragged back into service to find the daughter of a former shipmate. Fun characters and a simple but well crafted plot, including a bit of fantasy and a whole lot of action.

Nice discussion by this female pirate about the paradox of both loving your children and loving a job that takes you away from them.

“Men find it easier to believe they have been swindled by a witch than outwitted by a woman.”

This prequel to The Pillars of the Earth was like returning home to learn all about your grandparents over summer vacation. Spanning a decade, it follows several characters through the turn of the tenth century in England. There are Viking raids and bad antics by church bishops. There are royals and lepers. So little happens in a day and so much in a decade! Recommended for those who want a long but simple, cozy but challenging read.

A book you feel as much as read. When the weather turns sour, two old women are left behind by the tribe. The book follows their journey, which is both emotional and encouraging. This is more of a novella than a novel, so a very quick read, but a very long-remembered story.

I love when you find an amazing book for vacation. I loved this story of finding family, whether from old connections, new friends, or even a mysteriously intelligent octopus narrator. Highly recommend this one for anyone looking for something heartwarming and creative. Amazing especially as a first novel for this author!