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! 

The 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. 

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. 

August Books

 The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- Sometimes after reading a couple of thriller/mysteries dealing with murders, you need something light and uncomplicated. This first book in the Cape Cod Creamery series talks a lot about ice cream, one of my favorite foods. After Dawn's wedding is called off, she takes her mom with her to Cape Cod where her impulsive mother, Marnie, decides to buy a filthy, run-down ice cream shop. Pretty cute story! 

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox -- It's Sophie's sweet 16 birthday party, and her dad and stepmom are hosting it at their huge house known to the locals as the haunted house. This follows the perspectives of Sophie's mom and stepmom, the nanny, and her best friend. Pretty good. 

Retreat by Krysten Ritter -- When Liz is hired to oversee the installation of a painting in Mexico, she is grateful for the week away where she can take a break from the con jobs that have her a bit worried. When she gets there, she decides for just one week she can be the owner - they resemble each other enough. Therefore, Liz becomes the ultra-wealthy Isabelle. What could go wrong? 

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day -- Three friends met at their lake houses when they were kids. Now that they are adults, they return each summer for two weeks - and they bring along their families. This year marks 30 years since a young lady disappeared. This happened before and the local lore is that the lake takes them. Will the pattern repeat? 

The Secret to Happiness by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- This is the second book in the Cape Cod Creamery series which I started earlier this month. Callie visits Cape Cod to live with her Aunt Marnie and cousin Dawn for a few weeks. I really liked the reminder of looking for the good in every day, and how we can rewire our thoughts and outlooks on life. Chapter 21 had some meaningful things to me: good reminders about God being with us in the scary places and times, Him not leaving us alone, and how He is completely faithful. The "confident peace" we can have because we can rest our minds on His presence. That chapter also challenged us about fear and its consequences. This was actually quite a light-reading book, but Callie had some deep-seated fears that were impacting her life, and a friend was helping her through this. 

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline -- Not too long after Julia's husband is killed, she decides to go to Italy because she inherited a villa. This book had a bit too much astrology for my tastes, but it was OK. I prefer some of her other books. 

Don't Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine -- Only one of the Constantine sisters wrote this book (Lynne)....they use this name (Liv) as a pseudonym.  Anyway, Annabelle starts having these disturbing, vivid dreams and aspects of her dreams keep coming true so much that she tries to alter her days so that such and such won't happen. When she goes on a work trip with a new client, she tells him about this aspect of her life, and finds a willing listener who takes her seriously.  Pretty good story...fast read. 

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell -- After her father Paddy dies, Ash's mom receives a lovely condolence card and gift from Nick. She gradually gets to messaging him and he comes to visit. While he's charming and kind, Ash is suspicious. Meanwhile Martha is wondering why her husband Alistair keeps disappearing for days on his business trips. And Tara, too, wonders about Jonathan's work schedule. Pretty good. 

She Didn't See it Coming by Shari Lapena -- Sam is called at work when his wife is late picking up their daughter from daycare. He goes home and her purse, cell phone, and car are still in their condo, but where is Bryden? 

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner -- This book features Frankie Elkin, the lady who looks for lost people. She's in other books by this author.  This book had a different twist in that she was asked to locate a missing Afghan refugee. The book alternates between Frankie's search and the refugee, Sabera's, story. Fun bit is Frankie's pet-sitting gig with Petunia, an iguana; Marge, the ball python; and the baby pythons...yay. 

Love on a Whim by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- the last of the Cape Cod Creamery series. In this book Dawn's best friend, Brynn, comes to stay with them after she makes a rash decision and needs to think through things. While there she helps at the Creamery and also helps the Dixon family prepare for Linc's daughter's wedding. Linc's ex-wife is in charge and keeps changing things; that makes it all so challenging. 

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones -- Nicole lives in California where she advocates for seals, and is shocked when a lady comes to visit asking to interview her about her life in England. She often thought that her past would catch up with her, but is unprepared for it finally happening. Back then she was friends with Ben, the lead singer of a rock group.

A Lesson In Propriety by Jen Turano -- First in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series; it's not terrible, but a DNF for me after about 90 pages. It has nearly 350 pages, and I just didn't find it all that interesting and wanted to start something new. 

Let the Dead Speak by Jane Casey -- In between new library books that I had on hold, I'm still reading about Maeve Kerrigan and her team as they solve crimes in London. This one starts with Chloe arriving home and finding blood everywhere, but her mom is missing. Maeve, Josh, and the team try to piece together where Kate could be (or where her body is if she's been killed.) 

Jenny Cooper Has a Secret by Joy Fielding -- While 76 year old Linda Davidson is visiting her best friend Carol in a memory care home, an older lady calls her over. She introduces herself as Jenny Cooper and tells Linda that she has a secret: she has killed people. Linda isn't sure whether or not to believe someone in a memory care home, but during subsequent visits to see Carol, she also talks with Jenny to hear more of her story. 

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose -- Sarah and Bob are at odds: Sarah wants to divorce him for cheating on her, and Bob is trying to reconcile. You get to read both of their perspectives, and also the sheriff and a few other characters. A pretty fast read. Although this is listed as one of her standalone novels in the front of the book,  I realized  later that this is a sequel to another book which I now have on hold. 

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans -- This book features 70-something Sybil and letters and emails to and from friends, authors, and so forth. Through emails, Sybil becomes friends with a customer service rep at a DNA website; she corresponds with a troubled teen; she writes to her best friend who is also her ex-sister in law. It sounds a bit complicated to keep straight perhaps (and I did flip back pages a few times to remind myself of something), but it was a really cute book which I greatly enjoyed reading on this pretty afternoon - unseasonably cool with low humidity -  in late August! 

July Books

 The Kill by Jane Casey -- The library doesn't have the book just before this one in the Maeve Kerrigan series, but I followed most everything fine in this story dealing with police officers being targeted for killing. Maeve and her partner Derwent work together to figure things out. 

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers -- Jenna and Nic have something in common. Both of their sisters went missing from the same region a few years back. Jenna contacts Nic about pooling their resources and seeing if they can find anything new about what happened to Jules and Kasey.  

The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz -- Abby goes to a tiny island off Mexico's coast in search of answers. She is curious about the final days of her fiancée Eszter who died of anaphylaxis.  She meets a few expats and enjoys the company of those who knew Eszter. 

No Place Left to Hide by Megan Lally -- Brooke is celebrating her acceptance to Yale with her best friend Jena when she's confronted by Brandon, the brother of a former friend who died. On the way home from the party, Brooke and Jena are nearly run down by a Bronco and Brooke thinks Brandon is trying to kill her. This was a mean-girl thriller, and not my favorite, but OK. 

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin -- Lenni and Margot meet in a hospital in Glasgow, both are life-limited aka terminal. The two meet by chance, but form a friendship in the art therapy room. When Lenni realizes she's 17 to Margot's 83, she has an idea to paint and write about their combined 100 years. 

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman -- This book featuring Mrs. Blossom seems to be a spinoff from a long-running series featuring private investigator Tess Monaghan. Though I've read a handful of other books from this author, it seems I have not read that particular series. Anyway, Mrs. Blossom aka Muriel is headed to Paris for a weeks-long stay before taking a river cruise with her friend Elinor. She meets a charming man on the flight who gives her a promise that they'll meet up one day when they are both back in the States. But then something happens that makes this impossible, and, well, this was a pretty cute book. I rather liked Mrs. Blossom as the main character, and may look for other books with her in them. 

The Nature of Disappearing Kimi Cunningham Grant -- When her former best friend Janessa disappears during a vanlife social media journey, Emlyn is contacted by Tyler, and that brings back a host of memories. I like the idea of HOPE mentioned in this book, and found the description of Tyler's ability to feel no pain and have loads of energy while taking a prescription pill (oxy) of interest. 

The Sisters of Summit Avenue by Lynn Cullen -- Told from the perspectives of sisters June and Ruth as well as their mother Dorothy, this book explores envy and favor amongst siblings. 

Girl A by Abigail Dean -- Alexandra and her siblings were brought up in an unusual household. At one point her father chained them into their beds at night, but later Lex somehow escaped. In this book, she revisits memories of living with her family interspersed with the present where she meets up with her siblings - how are they doing these days? How is SHE?

The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg --  Instead of gathering to discuss books, these friends meet up and "confess" to things that they've done. Also it follows the stories of Iris and Maddy as well as the homeless man John who comes to town. An easy, fast read. 

All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett -- Anna has always wanted to live in London, and has the perfect opportunity during her junior year of college. Until her mother - who suffers from complications of diabetes - gets really sick and Anna decides not to go. A few years later, she gets her chance, and as a tutor, she meets some very rich families. When one family takes her under their wings, Anna is living the good life, hanging out with rich peers, and really, really wants to fit in. (Who doesn't?)  Enjoyed this one! 

After the Fire by Jane Casey -- Maeve Kerrigan and her team are working on a case involving a fire that killed a well-known MP. What was he doing at the Murchison place to begin with? And was he the target of this suspicious fire? 

Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs -- Mairin Patricia O'Hara is a hard-working, fun-loving teenager until her mom decides to send her to a school that is more like a prison. There she meets Angela, Odessa, Kay, Janice, Helen, and others who become friends - some more bent on escaping than others. A good story! 

Once More from the Top by Emily Layden -- Dylan Read is a superstar singer whose best friend Kelsey disappeared fifteen years ago. When Kelsey's body is found, Dylan reflects on her past and her rise to fame. 

The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers -- After Maddie's father dies, her mom drops her off at her great-aunt Etta's place in Bright Leaf, North Carolina. Aunt Etta makes gowns and dresses for the wealthy and merely rich wives of those who own Bright Leaf Tobacco. When Maddie accidentally learns disturbing facts about tobacco as related to premature babies, she is torn on what to do. This book is part of an Alamance Reads program as the local libraries have multiple copies, and I decided to check it out. Pretty good story. 

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson -- Thom and Wendy have a huge secret, and this book starts out with Wendy contemplating Thom's murder. Then it goes backwards in time to see how they got to that place. Fast read, but not my favorite of this author. 

Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman -- A group of writers are invited to an island in Greece fifteen years after they met there before. I would appreciate this book better if I knew more about Greek mythology, I'm sure. 

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5 years today, DAFR -- not forgotten

Itchy Boots Season 8 UK Break: England, Wales, and Scotland

 In my last post about Itchy Boots, I announced a short break while she was on a book tour in the UK. She did indeed do a small series about her ride there. I found it delightful! I often read books based in the UK so it was exciting to see these areas from Noraly's perspective. Even though she is Dutch and has traveled to multiple countries all over the world, she had never explored the UK. While this wasn't a vast exploration of everything, she did show us some interesting sights.

June 15, 21, 22, 25, and 29 we watched episodes that took us to England and Wales.

Noraly experienced her first Sunday roast, left her book in a few places (like in Oxford, at a few free book markets, inside red telephone booths turned free libraries), signed copies of her book in bookstores; took us to the white cliffs of Dover; road around with Charley Boorman; exclaimed over the beauty and cuteness of the English countryside and the Cotswolds,  The bike she's using (a more-modern and powerful Yamaha than Frankie) was stolen and thankfully recovered in Wales.  Weird fact: her bikes had never been stolen in all the seasons before (that we know of), but they have been stolen twice this season, once in Iraq and once in Wales.

July 2, 9, 13, 16, 19 (2 episodes), and 26 we saw a bit more of England and several places in Scotland

Noraly showed us Bristol where she studied for a time while getting her Master's degree, and there she did a short Banksy street-art tour. She found a working telephone in one of those red booths, and got change from a local lady so she could call her friends. The call was expensive, but she was happy to get the chance to call. She went on to Devon and Dartmoor which were lovely!  She showed us a bit of the Lake District and then was off to Scotland. She got a new drone in Glasgow, and then went to the Highlands where we saw lovely landscapes and she stayed overnight at castles. She went to the Isle of Skye, saw a pine marten, looked at Loch Ness and saw beautiful fields of flowers. I like that she bought a stuffed Highland cow at one of the shops as I rarely see her buy souvenirs. 

She told us at the end that she had traveled 3,400 miles in about 3 weeks. She did book signings and spoke at a motorcycle rally.  Now she's going to reunite with her motorcycle and should be back on her YouTube channel in a week or two. 

Super fun fact: my long-time blogger/Facebook friend Sarah lives in Edinburgh, and she knew about Itchy Boots from posts I shared on Facebook a few years ago. She went to her book signing and met Noraly!  She first posted about it on her Facebook page, and then mentioned it on her blog.  

June Books

 The Heights by Louise Candlish -- Ellen is a mother bent on revenge after her son, Lucas, is paired with the troublemaker Kieran. Ellen blames Kieran for her son's failing grades, his use of drugs, their frailer connection, so much!  And when something terrible happens to her son, she has plans on how to make things right. 

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall -- Kate is eager to leave as she and her husband split. She decides to check out a small inn in the north of England where her parents stayed for their honeymoon. There she meets Audrey, the 91 year old owner and eventually the two share their stories. Audrey's goes back to World War II where she had a dear Jewish friend, Ilse. 

Penitence by Kristin Koval -- When a thirteen year old girl is charged with killing her brother, their father David calls on the local attorney Martine to help. Martine is over seventy and this sort of criminal defense isn't her specialty so she asks her son Julian for help. Julian was the long-time boyfriend of Angie, mom to Nora (the one charged) and Nico (the one killed) so it's all complicated (as was that sentence, no doubt.) 

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay -- Five families come together for a parents weekend dinner, but the college students (their children) that they went to see don't show up. What gives? FBI agent Sarah Keller is in the Bay Area, and helps look for these missing students. 

At War With Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House by H.R. McMaster -- I was looking for books to keep on hand over the holiday weekend (Memorial Day) and saw this in the new books area. It took me a while to start it, but once I did, I read it within a few days. It was an interesting look at this general's time working with Trump during his first term. He said if you are inclined to hate Trump, you will find the book pro-Trump; and if you love Trump, you will find this anti-Trump (something along those lines.) I think that's a fair assessment. He spoke highly of many things, but was candid about many character issues with this president. I do wonder what he thinks of how things are going in Trump's second term. I feel this term has fewer people close to Trump who will speak truth to power as I fear Trump has only put "yes" men and women in place. 

Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner -- Several Americans meet on ship as they travel to England. Four of them - two sibling sets - were invited to meet Jane Austen's brother. At age 91, he is hoping to share some of Jane's personal effects with great admirers of his sister.  Louisa May Alcott is also on board, and she takes charge to direct a play. Pretty cute story. 

The Eights by Joanna Miller -- Four young women are among the first ladies admitted to Oxford in 1920.  Their neighboring rooms are along Corridor 8, and they - Marianna, Beatrice. Ottoline, and Dora - become good friends.  Nice book! 

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas -- Cute book about Haidie and Boots who were put into an orphan house by their older brother Cheet after their mom died. The two manage to escape with the help of Sarah, who was supposed to be a nun, but wanted to marry the laundry boy instead. They make their way west to look for their Pa who went off to make a fortune for the family, but never came back. An enjoyable, easy read. 

The Cardinal by Alison Weir -- A few years ago, I read her books about the wives of King Henry VIII and this cardinal, Thomas Wolsey played a big role in a couple of those stories. This book focused on his life serving King Henry.

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall -- A quick suspense read... Theo, short for Theodora, is meeting her fiancée's family for the first time, and it's not a super-fun time for either Theo or Connor's family. Theo has been anonymously warned to stay away from Connor, and she keeps having flashbacks to her early childhood. 

I Seek a Kind Person by Julian Borger -- subtitled, "My Father, Seven Children and the Adverts that Helped Them Escape the Holocaust."  After his father's death by suicide, the author researched more of his story, and found out his father was a Viennese Jew who was brought to England after his grandfather advertised for "a kind person" to accept this 11 year old boy. The author saw the ad and decided to locate other children from these ads and tell their stories. 

Ward D by Freida McFadden -- Amy is a medical student doing her rotation on the psychiatric unit. She would do just about anything to avoid an overnight stay in Ward D, but duty calls so she's there. She comes face to face with a childhood best friend Jade and her former boyfriend Cameron (I'll let you guess if either of those are patients or fellow medical students.) A fast read and suspenseful! 

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant -- Cooper and his 8 year old daughter Finch have been living in a secluded cabin ever since he fled to his friend Jake's place when his daughter was an infant. They are only ever bothered by a Scripture-quoting, spying oddball called Scotland. Actually Finch loves Scotland so only Cooper is bothered by his neighbor. A really cute story if you like this sort of thing. I enjoyed the book.

The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker -- The reader is introduced to Jane O. through the voice of her psychiatrist Dr. Henry Byrd, but the book alternates between Dr. Byrd's narrative, and journal entries or letters that Jane wrote to her infant son. She wanted to record her story somewhat for her son to read in the future. Jane has a curious case of remembering things and Dr. Byrd is helping her deal with some hallucinations and/or dissociative fugue states. 

Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger -- Three parts to this story. The first focuses on Lila, the chief editor, reluctant mom, and one who grew up poor, yet made quite the name for herself. The middle section focuses on Grace, the third daughter of Lila who looks like her father, but is quite like her mom. Zelda, Lila's mom, who was sectioned when Lila was so small she has no memories of her mom is the subject of the third part. Did her mom really die while locked away or did she run away to escape her abusive husband? If she ran away, why did she leave her three children behind?  Pretty good story. 

May Books

 The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler -- Sienna returns home and finds a murder investigation has recently been reopened. She was dressed like the young lady who was killed, and often wondered if she were the intended target. 

The Librarians of Lisbon by Suzanne Nelson -- I thought about not finishing this book when I had read a third of it. It was OK, but I was having trouble keeping up with all the people. Then I decided to keep reading for a while longer and finished the book that night. Bea and Selene are best friends from Boston who travel to neutral Portugal during World War II. There they get involved in spying for the Allied side. Pretty good. 

Sweet Vidalia by Lisa Sandlin -- After Eliza's husband dies and she's left in a precarious financial situation, she is advised to rent out her house and live with one of her children. But Eliza doesn't want to live with her grown children and decides to take a course at the local business school and live at a place with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. Yep, it's the Sweet Vidalia for her. There and at her school she meets some interesting characters and makes new friends. Pretty cute story. 

Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor -- I saw somewhere that this was the first in the Franklin Warren series. As such, Detective Warren has recently moved to a small town in Vermont where he's put to work investigating the death of an ornery ol' cuss, Hugh Weber. Was this a suicide or murder? 

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney -- Grady is an author who wants to celebrate his success with his wife, but as she drives home from the fish-and-chips shop, she stops for a person lying in the road. Then Abby disappears. About a year later, Grady's agent sent him off to a remote isle called Amberly where he meets some of the twenty-five residents and thinks he sees his missing wife.

The Names by Florence Knapp -- Cora is going to register her son's birth and hates the fact that her little boy will be yet another Gordon. She dreams of naming him Julian while her daughter Maia loves the name Bear. This book imagines what happens if Cora defies her husband and follows her heart or does as her daughter suggests. It also takes into account Cora following the demands of her controlling husband. Three scenarios viewed from years apart. An interesting and somewhat unique book! 

The Book for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick -- Margaret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy bond over a book by Betty Friedman so they refer to themselves as "the Bettys." The ladies meet for book club and other times, and share life experiences and struggles and successes. 

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen -- Last month I mentioned reading book 2 in the Martini Club series so I wanted to read the first book so I'd know more about these characters. This one focuses on Maggie living in Maine, raising her chickens, but a woman is killed and left on her property. This book explores Maggie's past as she worked for the Agency. Pretty good. 

The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens -- Louisa's twin brother is thought to have burned the abbey, yet she's convinced she knew the moment he had died. Much to the chagrin of her proper aunt and uncle, not to mention the local law enforcement officers, she's determined to find out the truth. 

The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish -- Jamie is a commuter on a river boat, and when his pal Kip doesn't show up, he assumes Kip is skipping work again after a party weekend. This book flashes back to when Clare and Jamie get to know Kip and his girlfriend Melia. 

The Other Woman by Jane Green -- Ellie lost her mom when she was young, and is so excited about gaining a new family when she and Dan marry. Soon she realizes her doting mother in law is a bit much and her husband can hardly say no to his mom. 

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper -- Tildy is cleaning a closet in the library when she discovers a secret room with two stunning dollhouses. In her search to learn more about the creator of these dollhouses, she travels to New Hampshire. The alternate storyline shares the story of Cora as she works in Paris and later England during World War I. 

The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak -- Billy is a fourteen year old in 1987, in danger of repeating ninth grade, but with a desire to create video games on his Commodore 64. These were early days for families having their own personal computers, and a rather cute book. I like that the main characters are 14 which is Zach's age as of a couple weeks ago, plus the year 1987 is meaningful to me. And oddly enough this is the 87th book I've read this year. 

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben -- Sami is a former police officer now investigating for an attorney. Years ago he fled Spain when a lady he met appeared dead and he had woken up with a knife in his hand. Years later he is teaching a criminology class when this lady, Anna, shows up in his class. She flees, and he follows. 

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff -- Did you know the Nazis opened a department store in Paris - the Lévitan - for prisoners to sort items they stole from Jewish families? There prisoners made piles of items to be shipped to Germany and many to be sold to German occupiers in France. This book has alternative stories of Louise and Helaine and their ties to this place. 

The Last Days of Kira Mullan by Nicci French -- If you thought the bulk of these 400+ pages featured Kira Mullan, you'd be wrong. Instead Nancy North is moving to a new flat with her partner. There she meets the other tenants in this residence, and unfortunately her partner, Felix, tells everyone about her recent stay in the mental hospital. When Nancy runs into Kira on what would later be known as her last day, she is convinced that Kira did not die by suicide, but was murdered. But no one takes her seriously. Instead they say she's paranoid and going mad again - and needs to be sectioned (seems this is the English term for being committed to a mental hospital) against her will!  Why will no one look into Kira's death? 

Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- The first book in a new series: National Park Summers, this story is about Coop who is a high school biology teacher who does seasonal work with the park service. Meanwhile Kate is after the one-in-a-million photograph of the grizzly bear called 399. A nice escape to the Grand Tetons and its stunning scenery, dangers, and a rumor of a poacher! 

Daddy's Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark -- Kate is meeting a former employee Gus way too early in the morning when an explosion at the business kills Gus and knocks out Kate. Her sister Hannah wonders why Kate was meeting Gus. Did they start the fire in order to hurt Kate and Hannah's father?

Itchy Boots Season 8: Iran to the UAE

 Here are some notes from this season's adventures which so far have been in the Middle East

See this link for notes from the beginning of Season 8

January 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29

We watched episodes 26-32 which took place in Iran and Iraq

Noraly was given the wrong stamp so she wasn't able to get out of Iran right away. Mohammed helped guide her for hours sorting things, and she even stayed with him and his mom overnight. She explored with Mohammed who showed her where Sadaam had hidden at one point from the Americans. (eps. 28) I enjoyed the tour of Baghdad with Aya, a lady who does tours and advertises her business on Instagram. It was interesting seeing Babylon, Saddam's palace, holy sites and Ali's shrine. I enjoyed her visit to Ur, seeing the ziggurats and seeing her interact with lots of nice people. In episode 32 Abu Haider sang to her and she met Marsh Arabs who live where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet. 

February 2, 5, 10, 12, 16, 19, 24, 26, 

We watched episodes 33-40 which took place in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 

Noraly was able to get Frankie fixed, and I greatly enjoyed her ride in the wadi in Saudi Arabia. It was unlike anything I imagined that country looked like! She met Sandra and Fiona who have their own social media channel, we saw lovely rocky mountains and a volcano in the desert. I love the sweet groups of men and women who helped carry luggage, fed her in the rough terrain, and kids popping their heads out of the cars (see eps. 39).  

March 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30

We watched episodes 41-49  which took place in Saudi Arabia 

There was a mirrored building and Nabatean tombs, and she met a Scottish lady walking with a local guide and two camels, Juicy and Lula. That lady is walking north to south in the country.  She showed us a coral house along the Red Sea and yellow grasshoppers near Medina. She saw a car on fire and had her own mechanical issues, but had very nice people helping her. 

April 2, 6, 10, 13, 16, 20, 25, 29, 30

We watched episodes 50-58 which took place in Saudi Arabia and Yemen 

Noraly flew into Yemen - a part where the Houthis were not getting bombed. She couldn't have her own motor bike there, but borrowed a variety of Chinese bikes from locals. She had a  required guide, tried khat, and showed us mud-brick skyscrapers. The men often had daggers and guns and she had to wear an abaya while riding her bike in certain places.  Much of her time in Yemen was actually riding on an island named Socotra. There we saw caves, nice pools and dragon blood trees.

May 4, 8, 11, 16, 20, 24, 25

We watched episodes 59-65 which took place in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates

In Socotra, she went on a boat and saw lots of dolphins. She also met a man, who often lives in a cave, catching fish with his hands!  She flew back to Saudi Arabia where she rode through a beautiful wadi, did some climbing, and heard yelling monkeys. She tried camel meat, rode through some of the Empty Quarter showing us a narrow "hidden" canyon and pigeon houses. She took us through parts of Riyadh where she lamented the traffic and watched Captain America at a super-fancy cinema. She watched the movie while waiting a couple of hours for the sky bridge to open at 4 PM.   She went to Dubai where she announced a break on the channel as the first leg had ended. She's going to the UK as part of her book tour. Her book was published this year in English in the US, UK, and Australia. Based on what she said, I think she'll do a mini-series of some sort during this break. 

Last year at this time, she had had her accident in Africa and was recovering back home.

April Books

 The Last Girl by Jane Casey -- I hadn't read much in the Maeve Kerrigan series in a few months so I ordered this one from the library. Maeve is investigating the murder of a mother and daughter. Another daughter was spared as she was swimming, and the father/husband was merely knocked unconscious. Maeve and the team work to figure out who killed Vita and Laura, and why.

Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass -- Shelby and Mack are best friends enduring a horrible time after an event fifteen months prior when Shelby was locked into a freezer and left to die and Mack's husband disappeared. Meanwhile Shelby continues her job at The Oleander, a senior center made up of a loveable group. Shelby understandably deals with stress related to her ordeal, and Mack just wants to know what happened to Leo. Was he the one who locked Shelby into the freezer? A pretty good story. 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins -- I remember this book was super-popular years ago, but I never read it then. Rachel takes the same train every day, and gets to know the people living along the route - by watching them from her seat on the train. There is one couple she dubs Jess and Jason, a good looking couple, that she imagines she knows. In real life Megan and Scott have some underlying issues.

After Life by Gayle Forman -- Amber arrives at home only to find things are different. How much has changed since she left for school this morning. When her mom gets home, her mom screams. It's only about then that Amber finds out she died in a hit and run accident while riding her bike home from school seven years ago. Her dad, an atheist, calls it a miracle and suddenly believes in all that religious stuff (Ok, maybe not all of it), but her mom treats her like she's not happy to see her. 

Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks -- The author travels to an island in Tasmania and reflects on the death and grief associated with the sudden loss of her husband, author Tony Horwitz, who died while on a book tour in Washington, D.C. in May 2019. I remember being stunned at this news as I thoroughly enjoyed Tony's books. He wrote a couple about times he was in the South, and this book tour covered one such book which I read not long after he died. I cried through parts of this book as I imagined her grief and remembered my own (today, April 8, is 2.5 years after all).  This book is short enough that you could read it in a single afternoon such as I did today, a lovely sunny day around 58 degrees (after having been close to 90 just a few days ago.)  

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister -- The book starts with Cam feeding her daughter and getting ready for her first day back at work after maternity leave. For some reason, she can't get in contact with her husband Luke. Later when there is news of a hostage situation, she is stunned to find out that her sunny, fun-loving husband is involved. 

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak -- Mallory is a recovering addict who lands a job as a nanny. Teddy is a darling five year old who loves to draw during quiet time. Yet his imaginary friend, Anya, often makes appearances in his pictures. Not a big deal except Anya has him draw some disturbing things: like her getting strangled. Pretty good story and I like that we can see Teddy's pictures throughout the book. 

Break To You by Neal Shusterman, Debra Young, and Michelle Knowlden -- When Adriana is sent to juvenile detention she was able to keep her journal. One day she accidentally leaves it in the library, and when she goes back, she locates it alphabetically in the fiction section. She realizes someone read her journal and replied to her thoughts!  She's so upset with this mysterious J, and  decides to respond to this person. A bit far-fetched perhaps, but an interesting look at juvie from female and male perspectives. 

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen -- I was already into this book before I realized it was part of a series - The Martini Club, of all things - but I kept on reading. Susan is part of the Conover family now, and she and her husband Ethan and their daughter Zoe make the trek to Maine in order to spread the ashes of Ethan's father. Zoe was seen swimming with a local girl, and when she doesn't come home in the evening, Susan calls the police to report her daughter missing. Jo, the chief of the police, along with the Martini Club, made up of retired operatives, seek to find clues about Zoe. When the pond is searched and bones are found, the community has another mystery on its hands!

The Other People by C.B. Everett -- Ten strangers wake up in a home and have no idea how they got there. There are familiar elements - they have their own clothes and their first meal features everyone's ideal food and drink. A lady appears and tells them they have to solve a mystery of sorts and then she gets shot. People keep dying, and everyone is suspicious...it's quite a bizarre book! 

The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha -- An Indian family goes to a private island in Scotland to celebrate their parents' anniversary and the sale of their father's company. Aseem and his non-Indian wife Zoe want to finally leave the family home in Delhi, Myra wants a huge payout to save her pet project, and Aisha - well, she brings along yet another surprise boyfriend. This book makes you question your loyalty to family. Pretty good. 

The Stranger You Know by Jane Casey -- another in the Maeve Kerrigan series; The team is investigating some women's deaths and take a closer look at one of their own, Maeve's partner on the police force, Josh Derwent! 

Tea With Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn -- This first of the Suitcase Sisters series features Lily and Fern, long-time best friends, now in their thirties. The ladies are gifted with a trip to Kenya...how fun. A good reminder to me on page 195 about being able to rest and trust God and His timing. 

As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark -- Delaney is a court reporter covering the trial of Betsy Grant who is accused of murdering her husband, a doctor with early-onset Alzheimer's. She's convinced the prosecution has the wrong person though the evidence certainly points to Betsy as the killer. 

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger -- Adele is a single mom raising two teeangers. When her son Blake shows her a contest on one of his favorite online games, she decides to enter. The one million dollar prize would certainly help put the kids through college, and she is fit and believes she can do it. Meanwhile Maverick and his Extreme team set things up for this experience, but the locals aren't all happy with them being on their island.

Run Away by Harlan Coben -- Simon is looking for his daughter Paige who left home after she changed so much while in college. Meanwhile Elena is a private investigator looking for someone, and Ash and DeeDee are going around murdering folks. Wild. 

March Books

 Red River Road by Anna Downes -- Katy is in a van looking for her sister Phoebe who was traveling through Western Australia and seemed to have disappeared. She meets Beth who ends up tagging along for the ride and helps her locate her sister. Pretty good story. Deals with the issue of women traveling and how often men or intimate partners make them feel unsafe. 

Ace, Marvel, Spy by Jenni L. Walsh -- this is a novel based on the memoir of Alice Marble, a tennis star from the 1930s. Pretty interesting lady!

Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts -- "A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging;" the author travels with groups to places where slave ships were wrecked. She also went to a few other places like Benin and Togo to find out more about her own heritage. Pretty interesting. 

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia -- Stephanie, a successful lady in theTV industry, is leaving Madison for yet another conference. And she is not happy about it. Just because she's the single lady, she most always has to be the one who travels.  Jasmine is fleeing an abusive boyfriend. They meet on the plane to Denver.  Their friends and acquaintances back home wonder when neither shows up to their destinations and they receive odd text messages. A pretty good thriller type book! 

 

Melania by Melania Trump (or her ghostwriter?) -- I say that about the authorship because there are no acknowledgments at all. Well there is a page for photo credits at the very end of the book, but the book ends with a letter to the American people after the assassination attempt on her husband's life. I usually enjoy memoirs from immigrants and I put this one on hold several weeks back when I saw it on my library's online catalog. It was just 181 pages of text with a nice chunk of pictures in the middle. I enjoyed seeing Melania's mother, father, and sister as well as Melania as a baby and child up to her modeling days and as a mother and First Lady.  My favorite part to read was probably when she took trips as FLOTUS, and her times with children and leaders/partners of other countries.  She took a rosary to Pope Francis hoping he would bless it for her (he did.) 

She talked about her modeling career as she lived in Milan and Paris before coming to New York City where, of course, she met her future husband.  She told how she and Donald bonded over favorite musicians and movies.  She told about her Be Best campaign and why she wore that jacket; about the media being out for her family, touched on the impeachment trials with no depth, but just that political enemies were out to get her husband.  I didn't realize she had renovated so many areas while living at the White House, but that is something she enjoys doing. She talked of how she sometimes disagrees with her husband on his political stances, but how she discusses these things with him in private. She has a strong pro-choice position regarding abortion. She also thought the FBI raid on her house was like something people in her former Communist country would do.  She also discussed her posing nude for some French magazine since those photos were brought up at some point in the last several years.  (Europeans are OK with nudity so it's nothing shameful for her to have done. No big deal except to some Americans. Yawn.)  

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto -- I saw this one on Myrna's blog  and decided to read it. Very cute story about Vera who found a dead body in her tea shop. Knowing the murderer often comes back to the scene of the crime, she collects the four strangers who show up outside her tea shop and seeks to solve the mystery - because, of course, the police don't investigate properly in her opinion.She's quite a lady! 

The Dressmakers of London by Julia Kelly -- When Isabelle's mom dies, she is shocked to find out her mom left the dress shop to both herself and her sister Sylvia who abandoned them after her marriage to Hugo. Sylvia tries to show that she's changed, and runs the dress shop when Izzie is conscripted into helping England in their fight against the Nazis.  

The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark -- Kat is a journalist who has been tracking Meg for years. Meg is a con artist who is finally back where she grew up. She came to settle a score against a man who left her and her mom homeless. Pretty good story.

The Crash by Freida McFadden -- Tegan is eight months pregnant and going to visit her brother at the ski place he works at when she hits a tree during a blizzard. Her ankle is most-certainly broken and she has no idea what to do.  A local man Hank helps her, but Tegan gets weird vibes from him and is scared that he'll hurt her. Instead he takes her to his house where his wife Polly, a nurse, helps her. But when Tegan is convinced to stay in the hospital bed IN THE BASEMENT, and then it seems to take forever for their road to be cleared...well, it's just bad times for Tegan. 

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn -- Elinor grew up as a privileged daughter of a man who made his fortune in cotton, yet she and her dad are surprised when they get an invitation to a ball where "their kind" aren't usually welcomed. There she meets Frederick who quickly sweeps her off her feet. A quick wedding follows and Elinor finds out fast that she was chosen due to her father's fortune. (Those titled folk often need money to keep up the family's crumbling estate afterall.)  When Elinor has a chance to travel on the Titanic, she's excited about this adventure and being able to see her father again plus spend time with her little boy. At home he's off with the Nanny for most of the day, and she wants to be a mother to him herself. Yet...we know what happens on the Titanic. Good story! 

A Right Worthy Woman by Ruth P. Watson -- A novel about Maggie Lena Walker, "the first Black woman to establish and preside over a bank in the United States, whose actions transformed her community of Jackson Ward into Virginia's Black Wall Street."   I admire her determination and hard work! 

Love Anthony by Lisa Genova -- Olivia is living alone on Nantucket after a separation from her husband. Their son was diagnosed with autism at age 3, and the doctor asked then about their marriage. An odd question.... then again, maybe not. Meanwhile Beth finds out in a cruel way about her husband's infidelity and tries to figure out what to do. Meanwhile she starts writing a novel about a boy with autism. 

The Note by Alafair Burke -- Three friends are on a girls' weekend when a prank goes awry. Next thing they know May, Kelsey, and Lauren are questioned by a lead detective about a wealthy young man who is missing. Yikes! 

The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig -- This book is a "novel of Hamilton, Burr, and America's First Murder Trial."  In it you meet people with names like Brockholst Livingston, Cadwallader Colden, Buthrong Anderson, and the murder victim herself, Elma, short for Gulielma Sands. 

Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering -- This book follows Lucy and Stephen who met when both were in college at Baird. Stephen has a strong hold on Lucy, and this book was rather annoying due to their toxic relationship....whew.

 A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner -- This book follows the story of Melanie Cole who was blacklisted as a Communist simply because she dated a certain actor. Meanwhile Eva, the immigrant who helps at her house, has secrets that could make things worse for Melanie if they are uncovered. And then there are Elwood and June next door. They've seen June several times lately, but where is Elwood? 

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson -- A novella about a young American student who went to England to study. Ashley was thrilled to be invited to Emma's country estate to spend the Christmas holiday. While there she hears about a murder and how her friend's twin brother is a suspect. 

February Books

 Dead Connection by Alafair Burke -- This book was just OK. It featured a rookie detective Ellie Hatcher who was chosen to help Flann McIlroy when women were murdered in New York City. Ties are made to a dating service which is one aspect Ellie and Flann investigate.

The Umbrella Lady by V.C. Andrews --  After her mom dies in a house fire, Saffron and her dad are at the train station. He leaves her there to color while he buys supplies, but he never returns. Instead an older lady appears and convinces Saffron to eat and sleep at her house. Time passes and Saffron is still with this lady, dubbed the umbrella lady because she carries an umbrella with her every time she leaves home. This book was a bit odd, but came together in an OK way so maybe I'll read the next book about Saffron since I saw her story continues.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova -- Alice Howland is a professor and research scientist at Harvard. When she starts having some memory issues around the time of her fiftieth birthday, she decides to ask her doctor if this is normal - menopausal behavior perhaps? What follows is a case of Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease and how she and her family deal with this diagnosis. Good book, and I like that it is told from the perspective of Alice. I've recommended this book to my family and a friend, and have thought of it several times since I read it. 

Past Perfect by Susan Isaacs -- Katie worked for a couple of years with the CIA, but she was fired without any explanation. Fifteen years later, she still wants to know what happened. When a former coworker calls saying she has the answer and will call back tomorrow, Katie is ready for answers. Only her former coworker never calls and Katie cannot locate her. Pretty good story. The author is a rather amusing lady which I like at times, but also sometimes comedy in books distracts from the story for me.  

The English American by Alison Larkin -- Twenty-eight years ago Pippa was adopted by British parents from a young mother in the United States. When she finally gets around to wanting to find out where she came from, she is able to get in touch with Billie, a Georgian living in New York. She's invited to visit her birth mother, and what follows is an adventure of where she gets her hands, her laugh, her artistic and messy traits.  One of my favorite parts are the comments about what Pippa finds so different in the US. For instance telling folks "I love you," or the easy talk of God or money make her squirm. Many times she bit back her honest thoughts and credited this to her British upbringing of being polite no matter what. 

The Seaside Homecoming by Julie Klassen -- Again I cannot remember all the details from past books in this series - On Devonshire Shores - but this one is mostly about Claire's return to England to be near her mom and sisters. She was disowned by her father after running off with a guy who said he'd marry her, but after that broken relationship, she was living in Scotland with an elderly family member. After Aunt Mercer dies, she returns and becomes a partner in a boarding house. William Howland is a widower with a young child named Mira. Pretty good story. 

Out of the Rain by V.C. Andrews -- This is the sequel to the book mentioned above about Saffron. After the death of Mazy, the umbrella lady, Saffron decides to look for the father who never returned for her. Her father is stunned to see Saffron show up in his yard, and hurriedly instructs her where to go and urges her to go along with his story before she comes to live with him, his wife, Ava, and their two children Karen and Garson. Saffron goes to a private school and gets used to living with "Uncle Derick"'s family though it's hard to keep her story straight. Interesting story and what a father! 

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson -- Ernie aka Ern is with his family at a must-be-there family reunion because his brother Michael is being released from prison, and it was imperative that everyone be at this event to welcome him. Ern is the narrator of this story and adds a lot of commentary and editor's notes as well as telling the Dear Reader where to find all the murders throughout this book. Ha!  I heard about this book from Myrna so I decided to read it. 

We Are Watching by Alison Gaylin -- Meg was driving when her family was in an accident which led to her husband's death. They were being harassed by a group of skinheads trying to photograph them when Meg lost control of the vehicle. A few months later, Meg and her daughter Lily are confronted with a website that makes them believe they were targeted. This book took me a while to get into, but it ended up being pretty good though not my favorite from this author. 

My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero -- Another from Myrna's January book list, this is a Junior Biography in my library geared obviously to younger readers. Interesting story! I read it within a few hours on Valentine's Day and when I read the last chapter, I felt so so sad that this reality of Trump in office AGAIN was happening to the immigrant community. Andrew recently finished Wilmer Valderrama's book which I picked up for him at the library, and we talked about his story, how his family came to the US for a better life. Really wish people had more compassion in understanding why people move to countries. It's not that they dislike their homes (food, culture, language, family), but are often searching for better lives. And sometimes they are fleeing dangerous situations and can't apply through legal channels (like that is super-easy, quick, and cheap!). Like I've told some folks, You have to be desperate to come to the US where even the Christians*** hate you!   Since I wrote this, Andrew read this book while I still had it checked out. He enjoyed her stories and we've continued talking about Diane and Wilmer. 

***  I know not all Christians hate immigrants, but it seems many of them do. They only like the ones who come legally which, as I said earlier, is not cheap or easy or something folks always think to do when they are desperate. Also I called out "the Christians" because supposedly Jesus told us to love others. Like after loving God with all our hearts, we are supposed to love others.  Even our enemies! 

Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James -- Kitty pretends to be a nurse and gets a job at a place where men who fought in the Great War are now recovering after madness sets in. She's desperate to escape home and thinks this place will be a good area to hide. She meets interesting patients and fellow nurses. Pretty good though her books always have a ghostly element that some people may not like. 

The Last Room On the Left by Leah Konen -- Kerry has signed up to be the caretaker for the month of February at this motel outside of the City, and she discovers the room she is supposed to be living in has the previous occupant's stuff all in it. Odd. This book alternates between Kerry and Siobhan's voices with a bit of Allison in the mix. A pretty good thriller about good friends, a murder, and more! 

No One Knows by J.T. Ellison -- Aubrey's husband disappeared five years ago when the two of them split up for their friends' separate parties. When Aubrey went to meet Josh later that evening, he never showed up. Five years later, he's finally declared dead by the courts, but Aubrey still wonders what happened. Meanwhile she runs into a man who reminds her so much of Josh, and she and Chase become close. Will she ever figure out what happened to her husband? 

The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio -- Flora is headed to England to work as a nanny. Her assignment is to find a rare camellia and inform the man who hired her, but she starts enjoying her job with the children.  Meanwhile - in more recent times - Addison and Rex head to England from the US where Rex's family has a home - the place Flora lived decades ago. This was OK. 

The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis by George Stephanopolous -- This book was highly recommended by Suzanne, so I looked to see if my library had it.  I put it on hold, and it was finally available this month.  I enjoyed learning more about how the presidents from JFK to Biden used the Sit Room. I was introduced to so many interesting people and some of my favorites were Gerald Ford's photographer, David Hume Kennerly, who piped up to offer a suggestion regarding the Cambodians capturing a ship even though he was supposed to be a "fly on the wall." (see page 80)  I also really enjoyed the backstory to the famous "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."  (At one point he thought of just letting President Reagan say it in German since speechwriter Peter Robinson got the idea after visiting with a group of Berliners (pg. 143). He was told by the chief speechwriter that an American President should always give his big lines in English...ha.)  I also noted how much I liked Brent Scowcroft and the tech wizard Gary Bresnahan who were mentioned several times as they served under several presidential administrations.  I love the stories of the Bush family - the first George and Barbara - and how they were "informal" compared to the Reagans. If it was a slow night, they even invited staffers to join them in eating popcorn and watching movies (pg. 170).  The pages about "please hold for the President" were pretty good and invite a chuckle, while the chapter about 9/11 brought tears to my eyes as I relived that day. It was interesting that although the Sit Room was to be evacuated, folks decided to stay so one man had them write down their names and SSNs - a "dead list" in case they died there. I love that "U.S. Navy detailees to the White House mess, which was adjacent to the Sit Room, also refused to leave." After being told that they were free to go, yet learning folks were staying in the Sit Room, one guy said, "You guys are gonna need to eat. What do you want?" (pg. 208)  

So many good backstories! 

I wrote the above when I was about 80% finished with the book and since then I read the chapter about the Trump presidency which was interesting!   I read quite a bit of that chapter to Andrew and thought about what advisors to Trump in his first term think about things now since it seems there is no one there to "take the phone away."  I guess time will tell.

The Girl in the Glass by Susan Meissner -- Meg's dad has promised to take her to Florence since she was a young girl. Years later, she finally gets the chance to visit the place where her beloved Nonna lived at one time. Unfortunately her father doesn't meet her at the airport, yet Meg finds a place to stay with Sofia, the lady writing a memoir. This book took me longer to read than it should have as I had a hard time sticking with the story. It wasn't terrible, but not my favorite from this author. Also I was reading the book mentioned above while reading this so my attention was divided. 

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange -- In order to help his father after having a stroke, Kyle returns to Potsdam, New York, after leaving nearly 2 years ago. Casey has to deal with her former husband returning to help his father who lives across the street from her. Why did this couple split up and why did Kyle leave in the first place?

HBD, DBF3! <3