July Books

The Return by Rachel Harrison -- Elise's friend, Julie, was gone for exactly two years before she reappeared. Most everyone thought she had died after disappearing from a hike, but Elise had a gut feeling that her best friend was alive. Elise, Julie, Mae, and Molly agree to reconnect at a resort and Julie's appearance shocks the other friends. Strange things keep happening at the hotel, with the staff's disappearance, and this book takes a really weird turn. I liked it OK, but then it just got a bit too weird for my tastes.

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier -- A parent's worst nightmare - Marin's son is kidnapped while they are at a crowded market days before Christmas. As she works through this nightmare, the private investigator she hired finds out that her husband is having an affair with someone named Kenzie. Marin gets advice from her best friend, Sal, on what to do about Kenzie. Meanwhile Kenzie is trying to see how she can advance her status in life with her rich, married boyfriend. Sounds terrible, I know, but it was actually an interesting story if you like this sort of thing.

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones -- most all the books I've read recently are New Books that I put online at the library pre-covid shutdown. Most were still On Order, but have come in in recent weeks so I have had lots of holds arrive...and most of them are decent. I read two from this author earlier this year, and this was pretty good as well. It begins with Kate and Lauren with their families visiting their mom for the traditional Sunday lunch. Kate is struggling with getting pregnant, and Lauren is struggling with her bully of a husband. What else does the family need than a knock on the door with a young lady claiming to be their half sister (thanks to a DNA match on an ancestry site.)  Kate thinks there is no way that her beloved father had another child while Lauren doesn't seem surprised. 

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty -- I've found another author whom I enjoy a lot! I've only read two of her books, and am happy that more books exist so I can get to them eventually. In this story Cecelia finds a letter her husband wrote for her to open in the event of his death. Initially she abides by his wishes to not read the letter, but when he returns home from America and she finds him rummaging in the attic for the letter, she decides she better take a look. This puts her in a bind as to what to do about his secret. Meanwhile Tess has come home to Sydney after her husband and favorite cousin have surprising news. Also, Rachel, the school secretary, deals with her emotions after her daughter was killed over two decades ago. Interesting story and characters!

The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife's Memoir by Patricia Harman -- I really enjoy her fiction midwife stories, and this was similar except it was her own story! Really interesting tales. I got this for my birthday, but it was late coming and then I got to reading a bunch of library books, finished all that I had of those, and decided to read this until the library reopened today (July 6). Good book!

Transcription by Kate Atkinson -- Pretty good story though I had a little hard time following it at times. I saw someone at the local library recommend it so I checked it out. I really like the main character Juliet Armstrong and how she sees the world. She gets a job with MI5 during World War II, and this story follows that as well as ten years later when she runs into some of her former coworkers.  I may check out more from this author.

Eyes on You by Kate White -- Another fast-paced suspenseful novel; Robin is part of a hit TV show focusing on celebrity news and a little bit of crime. She and her co-anchor, Carter, have that spark that makes it a ratings success. Robin is stunned when nasty notes and mean things start happening to her. Is someone at her workplace out to get her?  And if so, why?

Truths I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer -- Beth struggled to get pregnant, and now that she has a sweet little boy, she struggles with feelings of not wanting to be a mother. Or, rather, that she can't parent him properly. While cleaning out her father's house, Beth comes across notes from her mother, and learns more about the woman who gave birth to her, and died when Beth was a small girl. A good story.

Dead to Her by Sarah Pinbrough -- about a third of the way through, I wished I hadn't read this book because there were just some things I didn't like at all (I have my own level of ick factor in books), but I kept reading because I really wanted to find out what happened. And the rest of the book was decent enough that it was redeemable in the sense that I liked the bit of mystery (whodunit) if not the activities of certain characters. Keisha is the new foreign second wife fresh in the South from London. Margie notices how all the guys are attracted to her because she's stunningly beautiful. Margie is jealous that Keisha is after her husband, but then Jason asks her to become friends with Keisha in order to influence Keisha's older, super-wealthy husband.  And it goes on from there. 

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd -- Have you ever wondered if Jesus were married? And if so, what was his wife like? And how was he as a husband? This book delves into this a bit with the story of Ana, a product of the author's imagination. It was interesting looking at Jesus's life through her own perspective, and not always from a front-row seat as you may expect.

Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia -- When a young man turns up after disappearing with his father ten years ago, he is taken to a psychiatric hospital where Maya Stark is asked to help him "find his voice."  As a former resident and later orderly, and now speech therapist, Maya is determined to help Lucas. Lucas finds Maya fascinating, and she connects with him in ways no other staff are able. What happens when she finds out that Lucas's dad is still in the Boundary Waters forest - and in desperate need of help?

The Alchemist's Daughter by Katharine McMahon -- the story of Emilie who grew up in a very scientific household with her father training her from infancy to be a thinker. Later her head is turned by a visitor to her family's estate, and, well, her time in London with her husband Aislabie is a learning experience since she'd never been out of the country. A pretty good story.

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty -- This book goes back and forth from present day to The Day of the Barbeque where something happened to forever change the lives of Erika, Oliver, Clementine and Sam, Tiffany, Vid and their children.

The Lost Orphan by Stacey Halls -- When Bess gives up her infant daughter, she vows to one day come back for her little Clara. Six years later, when Bess has saved what she thinks she owes the Foundling Hospital for caring for her child, she learns that someone took home her daughter the day after her birth. That someone signed Bess's name and address, and Bess has no idea where to find her child! Meanwhile Alexandra's story is told, how she came to care for Charlotte. Pretty good story.

Murder at the Mansion by Sheila Connolly -- Kate is drawn back to her hometown by her former best friend who calls asking Kate if she can "save" the town. She is intrigued by the Barton house and while there discovers a murdered lady on the doorstep. This book was decent enough, but not super-exciting or interesting. I might read more in this series just to see what becomes of the town. (It's a Victorian Village Mystery, in case I need to find that information again.)

March by Geraldine Brooks -- Have you ever read Little Women and wondered more about the girls' father. In this book the author imagines life for Mr. March as he serves as a chaplain for the Union during the Civil War. Pretty good story.

Something Needs to Change: A Call to Make Your Life Count in a World of Urgent Need by David Platt -- quite often Andrew has me pick up books for him at the library and this was one he finished last week. I had finished my final library book so I decided to read this one before picking up the book the library had on hold for me. It was a good challenge from this pastor as he hiked in the Himalayas with a local person who worked with the various villages to meet needs. In the book we were introduced to a man who lost his eyeball due to an infection that could have been easily treated in many places in the world; we "met" villagers who sold their daughters to sex traffickers, and even a few followers of Christ. I appreciated the pastor's prayer in his journal where he asked God to "teach him what that means."  "That" being how to love God with all our hearts and minds and how to love others as God called us to do (see pgs. 82-89).  Around page 97, I appreciated the reminder to come to God boldly in prayer and how privileged we are to have Someone love us and care for us so that we may come to Him for our many needs. Page 158 reminded me that it's not easy to be a Christian in many parts of the world. No one there followed Christ because it was "culturally acceptable to be a Christian, and not one person is here because this is the most comfortable way for him or her to live." They knew it was a sacrifice, made things hard, and often cost them their families, yet they wanted to follow Jesus.

The Lost Husband by Katherine Center -- After her husband dies in an auto accident, Libby and her young children, Abby and Tank live a couple years with her mother before "crazy Aunt Jean" invites her and the children to live in the Texas country on a goat farm. Eager to get away from her mom, Libby decides to give it a try. Not only does Aunt Jean not believe in carbs (except for her whole-wheat pancakes), she doesn't own a television! Libby learns how to milk goats and make cheese, and has hairy O'Conner, a neighbor, to help her learn the ropes. Pretty cute story; an easy read.