I was very disappointed with this book described as unputdownable but I shouldn‘t have finished. The pacing was weird and I didn‘t feel like there was a twist- maybe I just figured it out early. Didn‘t even feel creepy. A miss for me.

Loved this book. It transported me to a small town in India full of caste, religious and gender struggles. The characters were great, including the rescued dog, Bandit! So glad I found this tale of surviving and thriving with the help of your friends!

Loved this clever graphic novel about exercise, aging, life‘s troubles, relationships, creativity and philosophies. Bechdel is a honest viewer of life.

Diaz creates a wonderful structure to explore the truth of a financial power couple who went through the ‘29 crash. However it evokes the period beautifully and explores stereotypes of gender, power, class and intelligence expertly! Great reading start for 2023!

I finished this book on my plane ride. Honestly this was so well imagined and terrifying. I loved this author‘s voice and the family these people found from each other.

Third installment in this series which ended as if we should‘ve expect more. I like the characters and premise of an author getting caught up with bad people but this one felt a little more forced than the first two - the set up really dragged this time. So a pick for me but less so than other two.

This was very good. Reid seems to know how to invent a great story and let it seem like it‘s telling itself. Evelyn and her biographer juxtaposed nicely. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I enjoyed the first one but I really didn‘t need more from this family. I finished but this one while it can stand alone was not for me,

Another book long waiting tbr— fantastic study of a year in the 30s in New York and a look at what people do to endure, to “improve” themselves. Great mostly likeable characters from all classes and circumstance. Everyone of them was more complicated than they seemed and while the theme of class was very important, not all assumptions of how people behave are. I loved the references to art and culture of this era. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The was on my bookshelf forever. There were times I was very disturbed by this tragic event but I thought that it was well done focusing on the outsider who was likely the most reliable. All had their issues but sometimes it is something simple that drives the action. The reason for the accident tragic and simple.

A strange gothic tale- kind of a combination of Rosemary‘s Baby, Yellow Wallpaper and the Ruins. Noemi is a brave heroine but what a strange group of people and the property- creepy haunted house!

October was a great reading month! I had five incredible choices and the rest were right behind. Starting in the mythology retellings and Ng‘s new book-wow plus Strout is a national treasure. Carrie Soto and Violin Conspiracy were both about passions of mine. I have a state of Maine theme right now and Killers, Kiss Curse and Nora were all perfectly fun- particularly Nora. Loved all the characters in those books. On to November!

This was fun. The plot was a little thin but the characters immensely likeable. Not sure I will read the next installment but I love this world of Graves Glen and Gwyn is a perfect witch!

Strout is masterful at expressing the deepest feelings about relationships through sparse prose and simple ordinary day to day dialogue. Her observations ring so true and through Lucy we identify with all of our anxieties and feelings through this pandemic. Really a wonderful book!

Another surprisingly delightful romance. I loved that the main character struggled with her ending with her new screenplay but the ending of this book is just perfect! For the bit when she seemed to be ghosted it made no sense. Ah but a happy ending for sure!

I finally got to read this wonderful retelling. It was beautiful and full of character development. I loved the narration perspective and the kind love in this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another great family saga set in Midcoast Maine! Loved the accuracy of location and the well developed family members and those surrounding the family. This book takes a secret and spins it out revealing differences in class and how decisions effect everyone. Great ending. Moore is great with kids! They kind of steal the show with their letters to dad.

This book was so well written. A young black man grew up in NC with an extraordinary talent and passion for music and playing the violin. He also had a beautiful kind and wise grandma who had her pop-pop‘s fiddle that she gave to him that she encouraged him to play to make her proud. The story is about the extraordinary challenge of racism in music and life and also how money changes everything. Ray was a wonderful protagonist. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is about the greatest female tennis player and her comeback. It was also about love, loss, family and ambition. I played competitively through college and played 4 x a week into my late 30s, and TJR did the tennis writing so well and technically accurate. If you aren‘t a tennis fan it still would be compelling I believe. This book felt like it was written for me. Thank you! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A beautiful reality based dystopia where nationalism takes over a Chinese become the scapegoats. This is a story about a mom‘s love for her son and how reluctance to be involved can turn to a need to tell the stories of those affected by hatred. This book is very quiet but the violence is quite disturbing. Ng is a tremendous writer who understands the importance of words in society.

I liked this one with the aging female assassins. It was fun and globetrots a bit. I enjoyed their banter and imperfections!

This beautiful book deserves all its hype. Intelligent look at how a woman often fairs in a male dominated industry and possibly in most career paths even to this day. We all have had struggles only because we are female from wages to harassment. Garnish takes it on with humor and playfulness but conveys her serious topic. As for women in science, I went to an all women‘s college where scientists have excelled for decades-now I get why! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finally read this one. It told an interesting story of two sisters and their roles in Occupied France during WWII. As historical fiction this was quite good and very emotional at the end.

End of summer read. I love John Hodgman‘s observations of aging, Maine and western Mass. Essays on family and work and garbage. The audio is great too!

This is an incredible debut set on the Midcoast of Maine. There is some crime and some good writing on class and small town dynamics but in the end this book is about what we would do for those we love and it‘s cost. When you do something wrong for a good end how wrong is it? Probably pretty wrong.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sarah Moss creates such an oppressive atmosphere with her words and really nails some of our feelings, worry and insanity during early COVID times. I find she is a must read author for me. She does so much on just a few pages.

I have meant to get to this one for a while. It is well written with well formed characters confronting science and religion and gender roles of the era not to mention class. I think it plodded on a bit but still I‘m glad I read it. Now time to watch the limited series with Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston.

Beautifully written family saga with lots of secrets and history. Loved the mom‘s post death communication to her kids to explain what was dangerous for everyone to know. Excellent book!

I love a story of a con and it is always remarkable how the con artist justifies their behavior. Set in a small town and the art world, it was interesting how she got away with it for so long. Parts dragged a bit but overall, I recommend!

This was another great modern romance. I do like the fake boyfriend trope and I felt the academic setting gave a little substance to their daily living and smart interactions with their friends. Speed through this one.

This is a coming of age memoir set in the glory days of the glossy magazine. The Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter took a chance on Dana Brown and gave him the opportunity of a life time. Sometimes it is all someone needs is for someone to believe in them more than they believe in themselves. Brown is a keen observer and captures the day to day working of Condé Nast and VF, full of personalities and pop culture references. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I did not realize how similar in theme this book was to Babyteeth, a book I loved. This one was quite good as well— the whole nature/nurture together with a possible unreliable narrator makes you start second guessing everything. I think most of the voice worked but I‘m not sure the family history worked for me. Good treatment of these topics- if you like this definitely read Babyteeth-it does better with the child behavior reasons.

Another female revenge story. It was good but not great. Thought the “con” was a little slow in its execution. Liked the characters pretty well.

I should have bailed. I liked the premise and I liked alternating POV but not timeline as much. All unlikeable which doesn‘t bother me but it was hard to fathom how bad everyone really was. Too many loose ends and conclusion felt rushed.

Mary Roach is the best. The chapters on human animal conflict were each so interesting. She is so engaging as she becomes an expert as she dives deep on each topic! Good summer non fiction

Another quick summer read, a follow up to his previous book, The River. I liked it. It went off the rails at the end but it was entertaining and Heller writes beautifully.

I read this in one day Not something I ever do. Loved Holmes‘ first novel and this is even better- snappy real dialogue, nice people, cute plot and Maine and how to figure out “together” and “apart” that works in a relationship. Right book for me right now! Thank you!

This novel is really between a puck and so-so. It was a little plodding and repetitive in the chapters leading up to the ending. It was not the mountaineering that weighed it down but the problems with people dying…but the ending was good and exciting. If I had read this quicker I might have enjoyed it more. Still glad I finished!

1. 🏔🌬🦙🧗‍♂️💀🇳🇵📓⛺️. 2. I would love a sequel to The Maid. 3. Black Cake ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨@eggs #wondrouswednesday @NatalieR @JenReadsAlot @ClairesReads sorry I‘m late it‘s Thursday. Thanks for tagging me @Sparklemn

Enjoyed this follow up of Maud‘s activity. This installment looks at her current situation and looks back to situations in the past that called her to action. Just when you think maybe she is unredeemable her plans for the future seem hopeful and bright.

I found this account of Amy‘s husband and his desire to end his life after his Alzheimer‘s diagnosis so raw and truthful and sad and joyful all at once. This book is nothing short of beautiful.

Great feminine power book mixed with quite a bit of revenge. It was a quick fun but dark book that read very quickly. I liked all of the female trio!

I‘ve read Otsuka‘s previous work but this one is my favorite. I love how unsettling the shift from pool life to “after the crack” is and how the shift became so meaningful, sad and personal. She is a keen observer with so much packed in few words.

This is my favorite by Emily Henry to date. She writes banter so well and you will likely enjoy all of these nice people. Read this one quickly. And I will read anything this author writes at this point.

Loved this story and the detective work the disappeared man‘s daughter and wife had to do to figure out who they needed protecting from. Reminded me slightly of early John Grisham. Read this one quickly. It is going to be a limited series. Should be great.

I can see this title is somewhat divisive but I really enjoyed this chilling parenting tale! I can imagine this when I see how some kids are with their parents. This one is like watching a train wreck. Very well done.

Clever story of those that are brought together at a storage warehouse facility. Good lawyers and bad, artists, person hiding from ICE, victim of abuse, and those trying to improve their lives. Lots of interesting events bring the people together and it has a good ending. Publishing next week, I believe. The warehouse provided a structure for the various narrators. Received through bookbrowse.

More of a pick than not. The structure was ambitious, the characters were ok but the plot and mystery was good. I enjoy Lucy Foley‘s stories and the setting was very creepy here. Jess was ok but the rest were a little unbelievable. I think we maybe would have been more vested if we knew more about brother, Ben!

I loved Louise Erdrich‘s most recent book set partly at her bookstore during the pandemic and George Floyd murder. She writes beautifully and observes and contemplates thoroughly. It is a beautiful book with bonus booklists!

This modern romance was just great. I loved the premise DNA soulmate matching (if only) and the characters were all quite endearing. This is not my go-to genre but this was smart, sexy and I loved it!