My Sweet Girl by Amanda Jayatissa -- I started this near the
end of December, and then Zach and Sophie came to visit so I didn't
read much as we were too busy riding the carousel and visiting the
arboretum's little play area (so fun). Paloma was adopted from a Sri
Lankan orphanage at age 12, and 18 years later, she is being blackmailed
by her roommate who claims to know her secret. This story alternates
between Paloma of today, living in California, to when she was getting
ready for her adoption. I kept reading this book because I wanted to see
how it ended, but the author uses a lot of off-putting language if you
don't like the F word (no kidding) sometimes three times in one
sentence. I think it detracts from a book, but I am a fuddy duddy type
like that so ... Someone who got this book before me, crossed out nearly
all the g--d---s in the book as I guess that particular word offended the reader a lot.
Puppet
by Joy Fielding -- Amanda is loving her life as a defense attorney in
Florida when she picks up the phone and her ex-husband in Toronto calls
saying her mother is accused of murder. Amanda hasn't talked to her mom
in eight years, but duty calls and she heads north to see what she can
do. This book was OK. A quick read anyway.
Family Trust
by Kathy Wang -- A story told from the perspectives of Stanley, the
Chinese-America patriarch who is dying from pancreatic cancer; his
ex-wife Linda, who is the better investor and also looking for a new
love on a dating app; Mary, the much younger second wife; and Fred and
Kate, the children of Stanley and Linda. This book was OK; nothing
special.
The Marsh Queen by
Virginia Hartman -- Loni is working as a bird illustrator for the
Smithsonian when she gets a call from her brother urging her to come
home because her mom is struggling with a broken wrist and dementia.
Loni is reluctant to go back to north Florida, but takes a few weeks to
do so. While there she looks for answers about her father's death when
she was twelve years old. Pretty good book by this new-to-me author.
The War Librarian by
Addison Armstrong -- Two storylines in this book: one with Emmaline,
who travels to France to cheer the troops with books during World War I,
and the other with Kathleen in 1976 as she begins training at the Naval
Academy. This book was a bit ho-hum at times, but later got pretty
interesting. Not the best book, but not bad.
Need to Know
by Karen Cleveland -- I enjoy this author's books: fast-paced and
pretty exciting though they leave me skeptical of some of our
intelligence employees. Vivian is a CIA counterintelligence analyst
working to uncover Russian sleeper cells. When her algorithm works, she
discovers something very close to home that threatens life as she knows it.
The Blame Game
by Sandie Jones -- Naomi is a psychotherapist who often allows
relationships with clients to blur the line. This time she's helping
Jacob leave his abusive wife by allowing him to rent a flat that she and
her husband own. Only she didn't tell her husband (yet) as she knows he
doesn't like her blurring those lines. Additionally she offers to allow
Anna to stay with them for a few days while she sorts out where to live
- her husband is abusive after all. Anyway...this was a fast read and
pretty interesting though maybe a touch confusing there towards the end.
Before I Called You Mine
by Nicole Deese -- Perhaps a bit too predictable, but I ended up liking
this one pretty well. At one point, I thought it was going to be a
total yawner, but it got more interesting as the story progressed.
Lauren is a first grade teacher who is hoping to adopt a child from
China, as a single woman. It's part of the contract that she is single
yet the long-term substitute teacher across the hall, Joshua, is making
this difficult. A sweet book with some good reminders for me.
The Liar's Girl
by Catherine Ryan Howard -- Alison moved to the Netherlands after her
freshman year of college ended disastrously. Her boyfriend Will was
charged for the murder of five girls who were drowned in the canal. Ten
years after Will's incarceration, another college girl is found killed
in the same manner. Is this a copycat? Will wants to tell Alison
something, but will she come back to Ireland? Pretty good book.
Just the Nicest Couple
by Mary Kubica -- Nina and her husband, Jake, had a fight, but she
didn't expect him to not come back home. Or show up for work. He loves
his job! Meanwhile Lily and Christian are trying to figure out what to
do because Lily might have accidentally killed Jake. Huh? Pretty good
story if you like these types of books.
Shadows of Swanford Abbey by
Julie Klassen -- Rebecca returns home to help her brother John who
hasn't been quite right since a childhood fall caused a brain injury.
When John suggests she stay at the abbey-turned-hotel because the house
is not prepared for her visit, Rebecca becomes embroiled in a bit of a
mystery involving an author who is writing a novel while staying at the
hotel. A pretty good story though not my favorite from this author.
The Last Invitation by
Darby Kane -- This book seems similar to another book I read. I almost
thought perhaps I'd read it before, but I guess not. There's the secret
organization of powerful women who take justice into their own hands
when the system fails (which happens quite often.) This alternates
between Gabby and Jessa, two lawyers - one practicing, the other not.
Pretty good, but not my favorite of hers.
Monday's Lie
by Jamie Mason -- This book was OK; not a favorite, but not awful.
Dee's mom is like a superhero government spy or something...it's never
very clear for us - or Dee herself. Because her childhood was so
extraordinary, Dee marries someone who is perfectly boring. Yet when
things start going wrong with Patrick, Dee thinks back to her mom and
lessons she learned from her.
The Aviator's Wife
by Melanie Benjamin -- I enjoyed this look at the lives of Charles
Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh through the eyes of Anne. The book
begins when Anne was a college student visiting Mexico where her father
was an ambassador. Charles Lindbergh was a hero to many, and he was
visiting her family in Mexico at Christmas! The book follows their
courtship and marriage. Interesting people!
