February Books

 Whispers at Painswick Court by Julie Klassen -- Anne is a surgeon's daughter who is hired as a nurse for Lady Celia. There she meets with friends from her youth and such. 

My Other Heart by Emma Nanami Strenner -- A good story about Mimi who was on her way home when her baby daughter was stolen at a Philadelphia airport. The book follows Kit and Sabrina's stories along with perspectives from Sally and Mimi. I enjoyed Kit's travel to Japan to find out more about her origins, as well as Sabrina's perspective as the daughter of a single mother from China. 

Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury -- Final book in the Angels Walking series; It features all the characters from the first two books. Mary Catherine is headed to Uganda despite her health while Marcus wants her to marry him when she gets home. Meanwhile Lexy is struggling with her need to fit in the neighborhood gang. 

The Bridesmaid by Cate Quinn -- Holly is a forensic scientist called to the site of a wedding where she has to figure out who killed a bridesmaid. Meanwhile Adrianna is determined that her wedding will go forward as planned. 

The Orphanage by the Lake by Daniel G. Miller -- I enjoyed this mystery featuring 30 year old Korean-American, Hazel, who lives in New York City with her childhood friend-turned-roommate Kenny. Hazel is a private investigator hired by Madeline to find out what happened to her goddaughter Mia who disappeared from a children's home by Lake George. 

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter -- Shelby is stunned when she finds out at her grandma's will reading that she left just under half the shop to her former boyfriend Gray. Is Gram trying to reconcile them from the grave? 

Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell -- I wasn't sure about this book when I plucked it off the New Books shelf at the library, but I enjoyed it! Lexie wanted to be a therapist, but time and money held her back. Instead she started working for a startup company focusing on bringing folks together for love. Her boss put her in charge of an interesting group: those whose scores deemed them as psychopaths...wow.  

A Murder in Paris by Matthew Blake -- Olivia is a memory expert in London who travels to Paris when her Gran has some issues with dementia and confesses to a murder after the last world war. Pretty good story. 

That's Not How It Happened by Craig Thomas -- Imagine writing a memoir about your life as a mom to a son with Down's syndrome, and that book being made into a movie. That's what this book is about, and it features the perspectives of Paige, the mom; Rob, her screenwriter husband; and her children Emmett and Darcy. I don't often find myself chuckling out loud while reading, but there were a few places in this book where I did find myself laughing. It has a lot of language (I don't care for that), but overall the book is good and different.

Blade by Wendy Walker -- I found this a fitting book to read just after I watched quite a bit of figure skating at the Winter Olympics taking place in Milano Cortina. Ana is now a lawyer who specializes in defending children accused of committing crimes. When she's called to help Grace at a skate-training facility in Colorado, it brings back memories of when she was thirteen and dropped off there to live as one of the Orphans. This book alternates between the present day and her time there. 

High Season by Katie Bishop -- When Nina was five she witnessed something that made a former babysitter go to prison for ten years. Twenty years have passed, and Nina is questioning her memories. Was Josie wrongly accused of killing Nina's older sister, Tamara, during that long-ago summer in France? 

The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage -- Lexi's life changed drastically when her father and brother were killed on a skiing trip. Suddenly her life in Tasmania - where she was halfway through a residency as a medical doctor - is no more. She is needed back in England where she has to decide whether or not to become the next in line to the throne! 

HBD, DBFIII! I<3U! 

January Books

 The Mad Wife by Meagan Church -- Lulu is a 1950s housewife living the best life - or trying to. But the pressures of life get to be too much after the birth of her second child, Esther. When her husband tries to help, well...what do men know about the pressures of the stay-at-home mom? 

The Intruder by Freida McFadden -- Casey is hunkering down in her remote cabin in the woods when she thinks she sees a face outside. Later she finds a young teenager, Eleanor, who seems to be on the run. Alternating between Casey now, and Ella "then," this was a fast read on this pretty day in early January. 

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker -- A virus that puts its victims into a deep sleep runs through a small California town. This book explores how it affects certain people. I thought for sure this was written post-covid 19 pandemic, but it was published in 2019.

The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf -- Jamie returns to Nightjar, Wyoming, as an ATF agent and is called to a ranch after a gender-reveal party ends in disaster. Meanwhile the hosts Madeline and Wes are questioned about why someone would want them or one of their guests dead. Pretty good. 

Heart.Life.Music by Kenny Chesney -- I saw this in the new books section when I was looking for other books, and thought I'd give this memoir a read. I didn't realize he was from the Smoky Mountains (near Knoxville, TN). 

Hell by Eitan Bar -- "Uncover the true meaning of 'hell' by studying it in its original context!" This book is written by a Jewish Israeli who believes in Jesus as his Messiah. He explains how people back in the day would have understood phrases and words that we've made into this doctrine of hellfire, especially the one with eternal conscious torment. I got this book for Christmas after my friend Marcus told me he was listening to it. I've discussed it a bit with him. 

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall -- Years after their parents were killed, sisters Juliette, Emma, and Daphne are still estranged, but when Emma and her husband return to the old home place, the sisters see each other again. Emma is still under a cloud of suspicion which makes Nathan wonder about this woman he married...naturally. 

Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury -- Recently my mom was cleaning her closet and returned several books that she said I'd given her to read a few years ago. There were a few I didn't recognize as having read so before I give them away, I decided to read them. I used to read a lot of this author's books, but hadn't in several years. This is part of the Angels Walking Series. Tyler skipped college in order to play baseball professionally, but a shoulder injury leaves him in dire straits. His former girlfriend Sami, meanwhile, is living a good life in California. A sweet, clean, predictable book, with a good reminder about God's grace. 

The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell -- If you enjoy time travel and magical hotels, this book might be a good read for you. Eve discovers these magical keys that allow her to travel back a few decades. Not my favorite type of book. 

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf -- Allison is released from prison early due to good behavior, but getting back into the world is tough. She really wants to reconnect with her little sister Brynn. Meanwhile Charm is taking care of her stepfather Gus, and they remember the little boy they saved years ago. 

My Sister's Daughter by Liv Constantine -- This and the next one are thriller novellas, part of the same book (222 pages total.)  When Ashley's sister is killed in an accident, she takes her daughter into her household. Strange things start happening. Is Serena causing this or is her daughter Luna acting out of jealousy? 

Silent Echo by Liv Constantine -- When Charlotte's little boy is part of a tragic school accident, she can hardly cope. Several months later she sees a photo online and is convinced Sebastion is still alive, but in another state! 

Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury -- This is part of the Angels Walking Series mentioned above. It's a pretty easy read during these weird days of Andrew's mom being under hospice care and spending time with his family and some friends dropping by. I've read bits of it most days recently. Mary Catherine and Marcus were in book one of this series though the focus was on their friends Sami and Tyler in book one. Well, this story focuses on them...surprise, surprise. 

December Books

 Fragile by Lisa Unger -- When a local girl goes missing, folks wonder if Char has merely gone to New York City to escape small-time life. Maggie isn't convinced - and her son, Char's boyfriend, agrees. Pretty good story. It's funny reading this book which is about 15 years old and seeing teenagers post on Facebook. At one point Ricky urges his mom to get on Facebook to reconnect with her old friends, and tells her about "status bar updates" which is where they look for clues about Char after her disappearance. 

Beneath the Surface by Kaira Rouda -- Richard is a ruthless business leader and father. He invites his children and their spouses for a weekend on his huge yacht. Paige is frightened of being out on the water, but goes along because she feels it's hers and Ted's chance to get in good and become the head of the company. John and Rachel have similar plans. Pretty good. 

Count My Lies by Sophie Stava -- As soon as Sloane introduces herself as a nurse named Caitlin to the handsome dad at the park whose daughter is stung by a bee, she continues the lies. But she admits that's what she does. After she meets Violet, mom to Harper the girl stung by the bee, she finds a true friend - and she seeks to dress and look more like her new BFF. Meanwhile Violet takes it all in stride, with kindness and helpfulness even. But is Violet lying as well?  Pretty cool! 

The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle Shocklee -- An interesting story about a "secret city" within the US during World War II. The workers in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, didn't know they were helping enrich uranium that led to the atom bomb being dropped in Japan. This follows the story of Maebelle as she left her coal mining community in Kentucky to get one of these better-paying government jobs. Thirty years later her niece Laurel returns to Oak Ridge to interview folks in the community about their experiences and thoughts on what happened. 

Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose -- I've liked the other three books from this author so I gave this a try despite it having zombies in it. Uhhhh, thankfully it was a pretty-fast read, and I skipped over a few paragraphs because zombies aren't my thing. Not sure I'll read a book two of this type. 

A Mother Always Knows by Sarah Strohmeyer -- Stella was ten years old when she left a cult. Her mother was murdered, and Stella was unsure who killed her. Years later her family's story is back in the news and Stella is looking for answers. 

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce -- Four siblings - Netta, Susan, Goose (short for Gustav), and Iris - gather with their 70-something father in a noodle bar where he tells them he's getting married to Bella-Mae, an artist who is younger than the four of them. (She's 27.) Later the siblings travel to their family's villa on an Italian island where they discover more about Bella-Mae, each other, and themselves. 

The Unveiling by Quan Barry -- I heard this author interviewed on an NPR program so when I saw her book in the library, I decided to read it.  I enjoyed the trivia about Antartica, but I didn't really love the main character Striker who is scouting film locations. She's the only Black person among several white folks...except for Hector who is brown. Maybe I just didn't understand the book all that well. It wasn't terrible, but not one I enjoyed.

The Bachelorette Party Camilla Sten -- Tessa doesn't want to attend the bachelorette party for a childhood best friend, but when she hears it will be in a place where four friends went missing ten years ago, the possibility of solving a mystery ... well, suddenly she's OK with going to this event. She's always been a true-crimes fan, and now she needs to redeem herself so maybe she can figure out what happened to Matilda and her friends ten years ago. 

In the Time of Five Pumpkins by Alexander McCall Smith -- another story featuring Precious and Grace and other loveable characters from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. 

The Fault Between Us by Stephanie Landsem -- This was an interesting way to learn about living near and working at Yellowstone National Park in the 1950s and the Hebgen Lake Earthquake. The author draws upon real-life stories her mom and aunts shared about their experiences there. I enjoyed the upbeat message as well since I tend to read a lot of thrillers with less-than-upbeat themes. A couple of things I wanted to save for my own reflection: From the discussion questions on page 341: "Do you sense God's love through the wonders of nature?" and also from the last page of the story, "Courage arose out of fear, faith emerged from doubt ... and hope transcended despair" and as well as "...what they'd been given in their darkest moments. Holding on to hope." (pg. 336)

The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards -- Six friends from 1999 are brought back together 25 years later when the professor who tasked them with creating a new dating site, died and one of the couples hosts a dinner party. This book goes from now to back then telling the story of Lily, the genius who writes the code, as well as the narrator, Will, and the other pals, Rohan, Sophie, Georgina, Theo. Pretty good. 

The Highly Effective Detective by Richard Yancey -- First book in the Teddy Ruzak series...he's a pretty likeable guy, but I'm not sure I'll read more of these books as he's a bit too wordy for me at times. We'll see. He is hired to find who killed six goslings (yes, really), but that leads to something more serious. 

I Can See in the Dark by Karin Fossum -- This book is translated from Norwegian so it was kind of cool learning a bit about Norway just by the setting of the book. Riktor is a nurse in a care home for mostly elderly people. He has a fascination with death and he is a bit of an odd fellow. One day a police officer shows up and arrests him for a murder at the care home. Riktor maintains his innocence. 

The Resting Place by Camilla Sten -- A mystery/thriller concerning Eleanor who has prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize a familiar person's face, and her grandmother Vivianne's secret house. She travels to this remote location with her boyfriend and a lawyer and her aunt Veronika shows up. Weird stuff happens. Pretty good. 

Itchy Boots Season 8: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and barely into Kyrgyzstan

 Last I wrote about Itchy Boots, she was on a break from her travels in Asia during her book tour in the UK. She showed us some nice videos of her exploration there. By August, she had resumed posting about her travels for Season 8.

August 3, 7, 11, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, and 31

We watched episodes 66-74 which took place in Pakistan

She told us that she had Frankie (her motorcycle) shipped from the UAE to Kirachi by air, and it took the longest time getting into the country due to three days of paperwork. She was there from 11 to 7 every day trying to get the paperwork completed. It was extremely hot at 111 degrees F.  She had a police escort every few miles which she didn't like because they often rode so slowly.  In Lahore, she showed us a pretty mosque, fort and Moghal palace. Islamabad was very peaceful, green, and had mountains. (By contrast some of the other places were chaotic with their traffic.) Later on her journey, she showed us a waterfall, broken roads and beautiful sand dunes (eps. 73). In the next episode, she took a scary narrow road into an area to see gemstones. I loved the hospitable people she met.

September 2, 7, 10, 14, 17, 22, 24, and 29

We watched episodes 75-82 which took place in Pakistan

Noraly was looking for yaks and enjoyed tea on the side of the road. She came across some scary bridges and shared some drone views of the glacier. I enjoyed the lovely people in the villages (ep. 81). After being in the mountains where she didn't have police escorts, eventually she was in the city and the escorts resumed.

October 2, 6, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, and 29

We watched episodes 83-91 which took place in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan

It was extremely interesting to see Afghanistan - the busy streets, the Taliban checkpoints, Noraly buying scarves and ice cream from vendors. She went to a bird market in Kabul (no women that I saw apart from her). She saw a large Buddha statue, a fort, and lots of tall mountains. I noted a lovely plateau in episode 87, and a very good episode involving a room with a massage chair among other things that I liked in this one (90). 

On November 2, she aired a one-hour special from The Netherlands recapping her seasons with her different bikes and highlights. She used a couple of local guys to interview and video her which was a departure from her usual solo videoing. She was celebrating and thanking everyone because she had recently hit 3 million subscribers on YouTube. 

November 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, and 30 

We watched episodes  92-98 which took place in Tajikistan 

She started off with getting Frankie serviced, doing some logistics, and enjoying some good food. I enjoyed the nice people (eps. 93). In the following episode she loses her drivers license and registration for Frankie. There are many cool drone shots of little green valleys among these tall, gray, rocky mountains. In many shots you see the rushing river which tends to eat up some of the road.  I loved episode 97 with the wedding cake, dancing, and the homestay owner showing her the vegetables he grows there. The next episode shows more village life and Noraly talks of the people who brought trees and planted crops and removed rocks in order for the current residents to live there. 

December 3, 7, 10, and 14 

We watched episodes 99-102 which took place in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan 

I loved seeing Noraly celebrating with the villagers and dancing with them (see episode 99). The deep river crossings were something else. I'm glad she had a couple of guys with her as they were literally building roads for her bike as they went along that stretch. In episode 102 we find Noraly crossing into a new country where she has a bit of trouble with the bad fuel and damage to her important waterproof bag. She also stops to video the marmots which she sees often along this stretch. She showed a couple of flashbacks to when she crossed this region in 2019 when it was snowy and bitterly-cold.

November Books and a Movie!

 The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose -- Imagine your 2016 as a thirty-something adult who hasn't been able to land a permanent job, and somehow you wake up to your 2002 self as a college student. But instead of your body going back to that time, you are thirty-something you AND you meet yourself as that college student. What lessons could each of you teach the other? This is basically what happens to Alexis, and it was a pretty cute, fast read on this first day of November! 

The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks -- This is a mystery featuring Zelda Fitzgerald and Morris Markey told from the perspective of the latter as he seeks to find out what happened to Joseph Elwell. Eh...not my favorite. 

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley -- Jane and Dan are eating at a very expensive restaurant on a secluded hill when the restaurant is taken over by domestic terrorists. Oddly many of the details follow the novel Jane published many years back. This book isn't as scary as it sounds; thankfully the terrorists aren't very terrorizing, and it was actually a bit of a lighthearted book. 

Catch Her When She Falls by Allison Buccola -- Micah still lives where she grew up, but now she owns a coffee shop. Ten years after her senior year in high school, she revisits the past when her best friend was murdered by Micah's boyfriend. 

The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron -- This book goes back and forth from Kat during her time in France during World War II to a few years later when she returns to find her missing brother Gavin. 

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing -- I guess it's a sign of our aging population, but I've noticed an interesting "genre" the last several months: older women murders. And usually the books are actually funny in many ways. In this book Lottie tries to dissuade Plum (yes, Plum) from her docuseries about Lottie's life. When Plum insists she will make the docuseries with or without Lottie's help, wellllll, too bad for Plum. 

The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans -- Estella Emily Ecker who prefers to be called E or Dr. Ecker if you are one of her students, teaches English at a college, and she wants a better position, but you know how tough that is for women to achieve in a man's world such as 1940s USA. After her father dies, she explores her house to learn more about her family. Pretty good story. 

MIdnight Is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead -- Ruth is the good girl, preacher's daughter, shy and quiet. Things change the summer she and Everett become friends. He was always the outcast at school, the unchurched son of a drunk. This book flips between THEN and NOW telling of these two young people in southern Louisiana. 

The First To Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan -- Ellie is a reporter for a new news channel, and she's investigating a company linked to faulty medicine. Meanwhile Nora is going undercover trying to learn more from women affected by this medicine. Then there is Meg. This book was a bit confusing for a while, but I gradually got into the story. 

Four Wives by Wendy Walker -- Four women - friends to varying degrees - Janie, Love, Gayle, and Marie come together to plan a gala,and deal with various issues in their own lives and families. Pretty good. 

My Beloved by Jan Karon -- I've not read one of the Mitford books in many years so I would have enjoyed this a bit more if I remembered more of the backstories, but it was a sweet book. I especially enjoyed around the 287 page mark when Pauline visited Cynthia. There was some tough love, but some grace and kindness, too. And this book title speaks to me as well. Sadly, the author mentioned losing her only child to pancreatic cancer and how that impacted her for quite some time. My heart goes out to her. 

Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton -- Kiki, a reporter, and Elise, a police detective, search for answers when a lady named Karen is found dead in the woods. This book deals with dating apps and disastrous outcomes. Good mystery-type book!

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben -- Maggie is a former surgeon - she lost her medical license after she took too many pills to dull the pain - and she's intrigued by a former mentor's offer to meet with her in New York City. There she is hired to fly somewhere to perform surgery for a billionaire. Intriguing, right? 

MOVIE ALERT:  I so seldom watch movies that it's noteworthy enough to report that Andrew and I watched  A Walk in the Woods on YouTube "free with ads" on Wednesday. We read this book years ago, and I think I watched this movie already, but I watched it again. It's about Bill Bryson's walk on parts of the Appalachian Trail. 

Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf -- When Cora ends up by the train tracks, stabbed, her family wonders what happened. Were Jordyn and the new girl Violet involved? The reader hears from Violet's mom's perspective as well as the psychiatrist and excerpts from Cora's journal and an online chat she had with an unknown someone. Pretty good. 

October Books

 The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose -- This is the book I should have read before reading The Perfect Divorce a few weeks ago. Because I read them out of order, I knew most of what happened, but it was good to read how they got there. Sarah's husband was cheating on her, and when his mistress is found dead, he is charged with her murder. Sarah is the best defense attorney around, but will she (or should she) defend her cheating spouse? 

Tilt by Emma Pattee -- Annie is in IKEA looking at cribs for her first baby when an earthquake changes her plans. Without a phone or transportation, she decides to walk to look for her husband. Along the way, she tells Bean (her unborn child) some of her story. 

The Death of Us by Abigail Dean -- This book alternates between Edward and Isabel's perspectives. Years ago, they were happily married when an intruder did unthinkable things. Years later he was caught and the couple (now divorced) are part of a group confronting him by telling him what he took from them. I enjoyed the dry humor though this book's subject was hard. 

Ruth Run by Elizabeth Kaufman -- Ruth is a hacker who has been found out. Mike is the guy she's trying to elude. This book is told from both of their perspectives, and was a fast, somewhat-interesting read.  

The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle -- I enjoy her books because, although she's American by birth,  she lives in Amsterdam, and I learn some cool stuff about the Dutch in her books. Noraly of Itchy Boots fame is also Dutch so I often think of her. In this book two American women meet. Willow is married to a Dutch gemologist, and Rayna is a travel journalist trying to find her way in a new country.  When Rayna ends up with a guy who is murdered, Willow tries to figure out what happened to Xander. Is Rayna involved in his murder or is she innocent? 

Picking Cotton: A Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, Ronald Cotton, and Erin Torneo -- In the mid-1980s an Elon College student was raped in her apartment at knifepoint. The composite the police drew put suspicion on Ronald Cotton who went to the police station to clear himself. Instead he was arrested and Jennifer picked him out of photos and a lineup.  He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.  Ronald declared his innocence throughout all of this, admitting he wasn't perfect, but had not raped anyone!  This all took place in the county I've lived in since I was five or six, and I remember reading Ronald Cotton's name over the years. 

"As of this book's writing (it was published in 2009), 223 people in the United States have had their convictions overturned by DNA evidence: Ronald Cotton was number 23. Over 75 percent of these cases involved mistaken eyewitness testimony, making it the leading cause of wrongful conviction." (pg. 283)

The reason I read this memoir now is because my friend Marc saw it in Goodwill, and asked if I'd read it. He highly recommended it so I got it the next time I was at the library. It was a quick read this weekend (Oct. 10,11), and I "liked" that I recognized so many names and places since the events took place where I live. 

Welcome to the Honey B&B by Melody Carlson -- Jewel and her daughter Cooper decide to move to the farm where Jewel grew up in order to help Jewel's mom take care of her dad who has FTD (not a florist). Cooper doesn't want to leave her friends and the city life, but she's dragged along because she's only thirteen. This was an easy read and lighter and wholesome as this author's books tend to be.  

If You Believe by Kristin Hannah -- My library must have gotten some new old books because this one was on the New Books page online, but then I see it's from 1994. Anyway, it was more of an old fashioned romance book. Mad Dog is a drifter who fights and then hunkers down at a job for a while before drifting off again. When he sees an offer from Erasmus "Rass" about helping at his farm, Mad Dog meets Rass and his spinster daughter, Mariah. Also, there is Jake the teen who has been following Mad Dog from place to place. 

A Stranger in the Family by Jane Casey -- Well, I kept at it and have caught up in this series. The library has the newest book On Order, and I have none left to read before then.  In this book Maeve and Josh and the team investigate the murder of a couple whose daughter disappeared 15 years earlier when she was only 9.  

With A Vengeance by Riley Sager -- Anna and Seamus have a plan to get together the six people they blame for killing their family members. It involves Anna buying out all the train's tickets and... well, it's one of those thrillers where everyone is at a secluded cabin during a big storm, only it's a train...choo choo! 

All This Could Be Yours by Hank Phillippi Ryan -- Tessa is on a book tour for her bestselling novel. Everything is going great, until she starts having too many personal questions about her childhood. And then there are indications that folks have gotten into her room and her luggage is missing. Pretty good story. 

A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen -- The final book in the Devonshire Shores series. This book features Sarah and Georgie as they prepare their home for a festive Christmas season. Callum Henshall and his stepdaughter Effie join the family having traveled from Scotland. I often wish I recalled details from previous books better, but I remembered enough and there was some background info that helped. 

The Wedding People by Alison Espach -- Phoebe is escaping her failed marriage, her failed life and checks into a fancy place where she hopes to enjoy one last good meal and then end her life. She doesn't count on the place being fully booked by Lila and Gary's wedding party. When Lila finds out about Phoebe's plans, she insists Phoebe not spoil her wedding week by offing herself. What results is a friendship where Lila and Phoebe confide in each other - strangers who end up friends, of sorts. 

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson -- When Jet is attacked in her house, her childhood best friend Billy is the one who found her. She's relieved to wake up in the hospital because, hey, she thought she was dead. But then she is met with the bad news of how serious her condition is. She has about a week left to live and wants to solve her own murder. Yes, really. Pretty cute book. 

The Love Haters by Katherine Center -- Katie is sent to Key West to create a promo video for the Coast Guard's rescue swimmers. There she is supposed to trail Hutch - her colleague's brother. Cole didn't want to go to Florida to highlight his perfect brother so he talked Katie into doing it in order to save her job. Her books are pretty cute Rom-Coms if you like those! 

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead -- While grieving the unexpected loss of her father, Jane finds herself drawn into true crime threads online - and getting involved in solving murders. She finds herself with a knack for it, and joins an exclusive club, of sorts. Enjoyable story! 

In real life the author is also grieving the sudden loss of her father, and I wanted to note this from her.

"Jane may not be able to hug or speak to her father, but nothing, not even death, can diminish the love they shared. Death transfigures a relationship; it does not end it." (pg. 453)

The Ascent by Allison Buccola -- Ophelia, now often known as Lee, grapples with her past - she was the only "survivor" when a cult she lived with disappeared twenty years ago when she was twelve - and she deals with being a wife and mother to a baby who refuses to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time. Pretty good story! 

This Promised Land by Cathy Gohlke -- Ginny Dee is weeks away from leaving for an adventure in England when she gets a letter about her brother's death and her need to return to Virginia in order to straighten out some affairs. Thinking she can wrap all this up before her trip, she heads to the Christmas tree farm where she grew up. A sweet, cute story. I like the reminder of the prodigal son story, too. 

The Break-In by Katherine Faulkner -- While hosting a playdate, an intruder meets his end when Alice is desperate to protect everyone and hits Ezra with a stool. As she comes to grips with her killing this troubled teen, she meets Ezra's mom and twin sister. Meanwhile her child's longtime nanny puts in her notice and ... everything is just a bit weird. This was a pretty good story to end the month.

September Books

 On Her Game by Christine Brennan -- "Caitlin Clark and the revolution in women's sports" -- that pretty much sums it up. Interesting, quick read focusing mostly on Caitlin's rise to fame in her college years at Iowa and her first year in the WNBA. It's a little weird reading this now since the Indiana Fever have a new head coach, Caitlin's been out much of the season with injuries, and several of the teammates mentioned are no longer on the team although the author did touch on these things towards the end of the book.  

Cruel Acts by Jane Casey -- another in the Maeve Kerrigan series; In this book Maeve, Josh, and the team investigate someone released from prison because a juror wrote a memoir claiming he and another juror broke the rules so this prisoner gets another chance to be tried. Did the team get the wrong guy all those years ago? If not, can they convict him again? 

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware -- Finally the author was convinced to bring back characters from a previous book - the one that made her into the writer she is today. The Woman in Cabin 10 featured Laura "Lo" Blacklock and Carrie among others who were aboard a ship. In this book Laura is living in New York with her husband Judah and their young son when she gets invited to a fantastic resort in Switzerland. Judah convinces her to go as she's trying to get back into journalism, and she's shocked to find people from that trip a decade ago on the Aurora.  Interesting to see what Carrie is up to these days! 

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown -- Naomi and Maya are sisters who attended Princeton about ten years apart. When something happens to Naomi just before graduation, Maya looks for clues and realizes they were both part of a secret society. 

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova -- Sarah has a busy life as a consultant, wife, and mother of three. One day she takes her eyes off the road for a flash, and ends up in the hospital. She has to learn to deal with life with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and her son Charlie is diagnosed with ADHD. I like learning about brain "issues" from this author. 

The Tenant by Freida McFadden -- When Blake suddenly loses his job with no chance to explain himself, he's stuck at home hoping to find some work. His fiancée Krista suggests that they rent out the upstairs room so reluctantly, they get a tenant. At first Whitney is the ideal renter, but when Blake finds she eats his favorite cereal and uses all his soap, he confronts her at her work. He admits this might have been a step too far, but suddenly Whitney is the tenant from hell. Quick read! 

Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh -- After Lindsey left her university after two years, she taught in Beijing with her boyfriend Zach. Unbeknownst to her parents in Massachusetts, she ends up in Shanghai where she was struck by a car. When her mom and dad, who are divorced from each other, arrive, they are puzzled why their daughter is in a city 800 miles from where she taught. Meanwhile Lindsey's little sister Grace is at camp back in the States wondering what is going on. 

Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda -- Jack and Jill are married, but Jack is wanting out of the marriage. Jill doesn't want Jack to leave, and starts reading to him from the notebook she's kept of all the things he's done. A fast read.

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter -- After several fast reads, this was not. The first in a new series, North Falls, this book features Sheriff Gerald and his Chief Deputy who is his daughter Emmy.  The police investigate the case of two missing fifteen year olds. Then the book skips ahead a dozen years, when another girl goes missing. An OK book. 

You Deserve to Know by Aggie Blum Thompson -- Three couples live in a cul de sac just outside of D.C.  Gwen and Anton are the new arrivals, and Lisa feels threatened by Gwen's friendship with Aimee. Afterall, Lisa and Aimee were friends first. Gwen is hiding secrets, and Aimee just wants to figure out how to help her daughter Noa who is struggling in school. Good, fast read. 

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel -- Colette's mom is a descendant of Robin Hood, or so the story is told and passed down through the generations. Her mom trains her to steal jewels - not from just anyone, but from those who have victimized others or support unworthy causes (like the Nazis.) In this way, Colette has founded Holocaust Remembrance centers and such, and her mom funded the French resistance during World War II.  Pretty interesting story! 

The Close by Jane Casey -- Somehow I skipped the next book in the Maeve Kerrigan series and got this one instead. I realized my mistake when the first pages alluded to something that had happened to Maeve that wasn't familiar to me. In this book Maeve and Josh work undercover by living together in Jellicoe Close. They are posing as a couple taking care of a friend's dog and house while the friend is on an extended trip. 

Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden -- After Quinn kills her husband in self defense, she flees during a snowstorm and makes it to a shady motel where she gets a room. Thankfully the owner Nick is helpful and she meets Greta, the long-term resident. Perspectives from Claudia, the sister, and Rosalie, Nick's wife. 

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda -- Beckett is upset when she learns her daughter applied to the college she attended and place where she grew up. Delilah was never told why her mom didn't enjoy going back there as Beckett chose to keep those reasons secret. When Delilah goes missing one night, Beck returns in order to find her daughter. 

Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza -- Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college, but when Bex married, suddenly she didn't want anything more to do with Lizzie.  Years later, Lizzie is contacted by Bex, now Rebecca who has a big following on Instagram as an influencer. Lizzie agrees to meet Rebecca at a mom conference out west, and comes into a bit of a mystery. 

The Hospital by Leslie Wolfe -- Emma finds herself in a hospital, and struggles to remember how she ended up there. Eventually snippets of her memory return as she tries to piece things together. 

The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger -- Mia and Daniel are getting a divorce, and Mia has hired Sophie, a criminal attorney who did the intake for the firm's divorce attorneys. (They were busy.)  This book consists of emails and memos, case studies, and more correspondence between the parties. This is how you learn about everyone's backgrounds, settlement issues, and so forth. Different! 

Every Note Played by Lisa Genova -- This author informs readers about neurological disorders in novel form, and this one focused on ALS aka Lou Gehrig's disease. Richard is a world-famous pianist in his mid-forties when he starts experiencing symptoms of this terrible disease. The book follows this quick progression.  A former teacher's father had ALS, and lived much longer than expected - and with joy and accomplishment, but what a journey. This book is informative and interesting. Not my favorite of hers, but good nevertheless. 

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen -- Mandy is starting her day when a phone call from a public defender changes her life. He knows she is adopted - not a big secret, but one she doesn't tell everyone - and says her sister wants to see her. Her sister whom she's never met, and even more surprisingly, her twin.  Even better. that twin sister is locked in a psych ward at the hospital after being accused of murdering someone. Georgia claims her innocence, but isn't that what they all say? 

The Cutting Place by Jane Casey -- I went back and read that Maeve Kerrigan book that I'd skipped. Maeve recently got a new boyfriend, Seth Taylor, who plays a role in this book. Also, the team is looking into a club for men after a journalist's body is found along the Thames.