The Bookshop on the Corner

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nina has always lived a quiet, bookish life in bustling Birmingham, England, so she's at a loss when the library where she works is closed in favor of a new "media center." Only a handful of employees are hired to work at the new, apparently book-less, center, and she isn't one of them. However, this turns out to be the best possible outcome for her, as it gives her the courage to do something crazy and live her dream of owning a small mobile bookshop. She finds the perfect van in a village in Scotland, where folks are hungry for books and haven't had a library in years. She finds a gorgeous renovated barn to live in, complete with a grumpy, taciturn, very attractive landlord going through a contentious divorce. Nina makes friends and influences people, changing the lives of some. The caterpillar blossoms into a butterfly over the course of a spring and summer in the highlands.

The tone and mood of this book are so lovely! And I highly recommend listening to it on audiobook because the narrator does such an absolutely fantastic job with the voices and accents. Especially the accents.

I do wonder what on earth is going on with the libraries in the UK, though. Are so many really shutting down and jettisoning their books? Do their "librarians," as Nina and her coworkers call themselves, not go to the same type of library school we do here in the US? I ask because Nina is excellent with readers' advisory skills but seems to utterly lack all the other training of a reference librarian--namely the drive to help people find information, particularly using computers. Modern libraries are about SO much more than "just" books! And our books are so well-used that it's rare we would discard anything that was in pristine condition like so many of the cast-offs Nina picks up from libraries during the course of the story.

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, setting secondary. A few swear words and some off-screen sex, but no violence (aside from a vindictive ex throwing a valuable book into a mud puddle because she's been told she can't have it). The author clearly loves Scotland and isn't fond of big cities (Birmingham in particular).

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How to Find Love in a Bookshop

How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A bookstore owner dies of cancer, and his daughter moves home to take over his shop, which has had a big impact on a wide variety of people over the years.

I so enjoyed this delightful book! I especially enjoyed listening to it on audiobook, as the narrator is fantastic with the accents. The feel of the book is a lot like the movie Love Actually, with different characters' story arcs intersecting in different ways, although the main character was definitely Amelia Nightingale.

Reminded me a bit of a Maeve Binchy novel also, although to be fair, I've not read one of hers in probably 20 years, so memory could be faulty. And the story resolutions here are MUCH more satisfying that with the Binchy books I've read--Henry doesn't seem to get bored with her book and rush through the ending, making the characters behave out-of-character like Binchy did. The only "Hunh?" moment for me was near the end when Amelia was sick for a couple of weeks, culminating in a couple of disastrous decisions, and no one seemed to notice or take care of her. She was surrounded by people who knew and loved her--how could no one notice she was near collapse with a combination of stress/grief and what sounds like pneumonia??

Otherwise, though, I wanted to live in the world of these flawed, wonderful people--just...delightful!

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, setting is secondary (Peasebrook is a small fictional village in the Cotswolds in the U.K.). A bit of swearing. No onscreen sex or violence.

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A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ove is a man who just wants to kill himself in peace. Is that too much to ask?? Apparently it is, as his efforts are thwarted time and again by new neighbors who can’t back up a trailer, use ladders safely, drive, or read proper signs; a mangy, half-dead cat; a lifelong frenemy being forced out of his home against his will; a man who collapses into the path of oncoming train; and young men who need help fixing a bicycle to impress a girl, or get kicked out for Coming Out. Each time, Ove has to apologize to his wife for not joining her yet, until finally he finds himself firmly enmeshed in the lives of the living.

Like Parvaneh, I grew to love Ove fiercely. He is now one of my all-time favorite characters, and my commutes are not going to be the same without him.

However, I am so glad I listened to the last few chapters of this book at home because amidst the laughter, I cried the Ugly Cry of Uncontrollable Sobs—something I would not want to do while driving, which is how I normally listen to audiobooks.

I’m also glad I listened to the audiobook instead of reading the ebook, because I never would have guessed Ove’s name was pronounced “OO-vuh.” Plus the narrator did an outstanding job with the pacing and the conveyance of Ove’s taciturn grumbles. Ove reminds me of Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino, although with entirely different prejudices (i.e. against French cars, bus drivers, men in white shirts, etc). Ove is only 59, but it’s like he was born an old man...or at least became one as a boy when first his mother and then his father died.

For readers’ advisors: STRONG character doorway and very leisurely pace. It takes most of the book to learn Ove’s history, which is told much of the time in alternating chapters. (The book has a non-linear structure.) No sex, but a smattering of grumpy-old-man swearing. One gay character toward the end, and a mix of at least 3 languages/cultures, not counting the Spanish of Ove & Sonja’s vacation to Spain.

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The Shortest Way Home

The Shortest Way Home by Miriam Parker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hannah thinks she's got her life planned out: graduate, marry her boyfriend, take a high-powered job in NY, and live the "good life." And then a couple of weeks before graduation, a weekend getaway to wine country in California changes everything. Suddenly she's not sure whether she wants the life she's constructed.

I was expecting a romance, but she ends up breaking up with the boyfriend (smart) and backing off on starting a new relationship with the owner's son (after they sleep together), so it's not a romance novel. It's more of a finding-yourself-after-grad-school story.

I have no idea what's up with the title, as the main character seems to take the LONGEST way to figure out where home is and to come to terms with where she's from & call her mom back. Hannah had so much growing up to do--I never did quite grasp her need to flee her humble roots.

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary. Contemporary setting, leisurely pace.

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What Alice Forgot

What alice forgot by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I checked this book out because I'd read the cover in the course of designing a Readers' Advisory training, and the concept caught my attention: imagine waking up on the floor of your gym having forgotten the last 10 years of your life, including giving birth to your three children and separating from your--the last you remember--beloved husband. But this story turned out to be so much more absorbing than I even expected!

I would almost categorize it as a mystery, since Alice has to piece together tiny fragments of memory and search for clues in an attempt to reconstruct her missing decade. She's appalled by the sharp, unpleasant woman she seems to have become and devastated by the disintegration of her relationships with her friends and family. They, in turn, don't know what to make of the "new Alice" and are uncertain how to react. Which is the real Alice, and what will happen as her memory returns?

So often I wished I could jump into the book and tell Alice to go online and sign up for Alison Armstrong's workshops at http://understandmen.com/ because the disintegration of her marriage was a perfect case study of what happens when men & women don't understand each other. (I also wanted to tell Nick to go to the same website and sign up for the Understanding Women workshop.)

This would be a great book group choice, and there are some excellent discussion questions at the end of this book. What would your 10-years-ago-self think of your current self? What happened in your life, what choices did you and others make over that timespan, that led to the person you are today?

Now that I know what an outstanding writer Ms. Moriarty is, I'll be putting myself on the hold lists for her other books.

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, story secondary. There is some kissing and mention of sex. I've forgotten whether there is much swearing, although there probably is some (my checkout expired yesterday, so I can't double-check). No violence.

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Young Jane Young

Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When Aviva Grossman was a young intern for a charismatic but married older congressman in South Florida, she had an affair with him and blogged anonymously about it, not realizing that her choices would ruin her reputation, destroy her budding career, and cause collateral damage to her family. Scandals never really vanish in today's internet world, and years after changing her name and rebuilding her life far away from Miami, hers erupts again when she runs for mayor of her small Maine town.

I am what is known to Nancy Pearl fans as a "character doorway" reader. Since this novel definitely has character as its primary doorway, I expected to really enjoy it. However, I never really connected with any of the characters, and the structure of the story didn't quite gel for me either--it lacked cohesion, which further distanced me from caring about the people in it. I really struggled to figure out what was going on when each section was narrated from the point of view of a different character, and some sections rambled or jumped around in time, making it incredibly difficult to construct a mental timeline or know what to pay attention to. I spent too much energy focusing on details of timing rather than becoming absorbed in the story itself. Had the book better matched its blurbs, particularly the one on Goodreads, I think I would have loved it. I'm sure plenty of readers would disagree with me, but I think tightening up the narration and not starting with Rachel's point of view would have made a world of difference. This novel strikes me as the book version of a student essay written without a clear thesis statement: nuggets of goodness but scattered, unfocused, and with loose ends dangling.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I didn't hate it, and I can see how some readers will absolutely love it. I did enjoy the narrative conceits of letters to a pen pal and choose-your-own-adventure. Even though it took me a while to finish, and the pace of the story arc was very slow, it still felt like it read fast, particularly the final chapters.

Readers' advisors will want to note that there is a fair amount of profanity, and since it's centered around a sex scandal, there are references to sexual activities, including anal sex, and plenty of face-palmingly poor decisions.

I received an advance reading copy from Bookbrowse and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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Island Girls

Island Girls by Nancy Thayer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Rory Randall died unexpectedly, his daughters discovered that his will stipulated they all spend an entire summer together in the house on Nantucket Island in order to inherit an equal share. Jenny has been living in the house for years, but Meg and Arden haven't been back since a selfish act by their stepmother resulted in the two of them being banished as teenagers. After a rocky start, the women learn to live with each other and with the past they cannot change.

I wasn't that keen on the sisters at the beginning--they felt one-dimensional--but they grew on me as they matured and softened. At first I just wanted to send them all to an Alison Armstrong workshop.

For readers' advisors: character doorway was primary, setting secondary. One sex scene but not explicit. I think there was an occasional mild swear word, but I can't really remember. A good beach read.

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Before We Were Yours

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In 1939, twelve-year-old Rill Foss lives with her parents, three younger sisters, and a toddler brother in a ramshackle shantyboat on the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee. All is well in their world until the stormy night when their father has to rush their mother to the hospital across the river in a frantic attempt to save both her and the twin babies she's struggling to bring into the world. The next morning, while Rill and the fifteen-year-old ward of their family friend are in charge, the police come and force the five siblings into a car, saying they are taking the children to visit their folks in the hospital. Rill knows this is a lie but is powerless to prevent her siblings from being kidnapped and taken to the Tennessee Children's Home Society orphanage where Rill, her sisters, and her brother are plunged into a nightmare of abuse and separation.

In present-day South Carolina, Avery Stafford is a privileged daughter of a prominent family, a successful attorney, and engaged to marry a lifelong friend. While home helping her father the senator get through a health crisis, an elderly woman in a nursing home mistakes her for someone else...and changes Avery's life forever. Buried family secrets lead Avery to question who she is and what she wants in her life.

Rill and Avery's stories are told in alternating chapters, urgent and riveting, their paths slowly converging in ways both inevitable and unexpected. Bittersweet, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful.

4.5 stars, but I'm rounding up because the .5 off is solely due to my incomprehension over why the present-day characters feel the past should remain a secret. Who cares if it becomes public knowledge that nearly 80 years ago children were kidnapped and sold to adoptive families? The perpetrators are long since dead, and the victims deserve to have their stories told. How would it harm the senator if people knew his mother had been one of those children? This makes no sense to me.

For readers' advisors: all four doorways are strong, especially character & story. In some ways it qualifies as a "clean read," but the subject matter might not be what readers are looking for if they ask for that. The novel is based on real-life events wherein Georgia Tann ran a Memphis-based adoption organization that elevated the perception of adoption and orphans while simultaneously ripping families apart as she coordinated the kidnapping and sale of impoverished children to wealthy families across the country from the 1920s to 1950. Thousands of children endured horrific abuse, and hundreds died (or were killed).

I do not recommend reading this novel at bedtime because you won't be able to put it down, and if you did manage to put it down, you'd lay awake thinking about it instead of sleeping. Or at least, that's what happened to me!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an advanced reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

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The Secret Ingredient of Wishes

The Secret Ingredient of Wishes by Susan Bishop Crispell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rachel Monroe has a secret. Well, two related ones, really: she can make wishes come true, and when she was 10, she accidentally wished her brother would get lost. Which he did. Permanently. Now no one remembers he ever existed except for Rachel, and she spent years in therapy because of it. That one careless moment shattered her family, and ever since then, Rachel has been doing her best to hide from her ability. She thinks she has succeeded until the day she accidentally grants the wish of her best friend's daughter to have a unicorn--or a pony with a party hat on its forehead, anyway--and Rachel decides to flee in order to protect those she loves.

Magic isn't so easily evaded, however, and Rachel soon finds herself out of gas in the small town of Nowhere, North Carolina, taken in by an eccentric old woman who can bind secrets by baking them into pies and who is harboring secrets of her own. She meets new friends, gets a job, and is starting to fall in love with the next door neighbor. For the first time in her life, Rachel begins to feel at home, which is a good thing, because the town won't let her leave. Not the townspeople--the Town itself. Since she can't run away again, when word of her wish-granting secret gets out, she has to come to terms with her ability in order to avoid continuing to live a life of fear and guilt.

This is a good choice for fans of Sarah Addison Allen, as it had a similar feel and concepts (semi-sentient fruit trees, anyone?). There were quirky and engaging characters, a charming town, and magic in the air. A delightful read, to be sure.

It would make an excellent book club selection--there were so many times I wished I could discuss this book with someone! For example, does anyone else feel like there should have been more significance to the poisoned plum tree--how it got poisoned and what might have happened when it was ripped out? Or Rachel's family photo--I was surprised Rachel didn't use it as proof both with her parents at the time of the accident as well as with Ashe when the truth about her brother came out.

This book also made me want to eat pie. Lots of pie. Sadly, the ARC I received from Bookbrowse/the publisher in exchange for my honest review didn't include any. *sigh* Ah well.

For readers' advisors: character, story, and setting doorways were all strong. There is a fair amount of swearing, which didn't bother me but might bother some people (things like "damn" and "bat-shit crazy"). Some kissing, touching, and removal of a shirt but no actual sex scenes. No violence.

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The Forgetting Time

The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Janie's son Noah is an unusual child. He is four years old and refuses to bathe. Not just the usual temper tantrums either, but full-fledged terror-filled panic attacks. She does her best to keep him clean with hand sanitizer and diaper wipes, but that only goes so far. Then his preschool/daycare calls her in to let her know they are going to call child protective services because of some of the stories he's been telling them, and she has to explain that ever since he learned to talk, he's told stories of places he's never been, people he's never known, and about things he's never seen. Every night, like clockwork, her sweet boy has nightmares where he begs and pleads to "go home" and wants to be with his "other mother."

Janie is exhausted, frustrated, broke, and in despair. She has taken Noah to an endless series of doctors and psychiatrists, and the only diagnosis they can come up with is schizophrenia. In desperation, she contacts a doctor she would otherwise consider a loony-tunes quack, Dr. Jerome Anderson, whose life's work has been to document cases of children remembering past lives and past traumas. Janie doesn't know it, but Dr. Anderson has been diagnosed with aphasia--he's losing the ability to speak and remember words--and he needs one last case in order to publish his book before he's too far gone to write. Or care.

They embark on a journey that upends Janie's worldview and alters the lives of two families.

It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story and figure out what was going on, but once I did, I was hooked. Haunted, really, and not in the "scary-ghost" sense of the word, but in the "can't-stop-thinking-about-it-long-after-lunch-breaks-ended" sort of way. Reincarnation isn't a new idea, but this novel had me thinking about the possibility in an entirely new light. Hoping, in fact, that it might be true, and that these reborn souls might be able to bring peace to themselves and their previous families if we would just listen and help reunite them.

The intense, palpable pain and despair felt by each and every character broke my heart--even the killer's. I'm amazed that Ms. Guskin managed to make the book feel ultimately hopeful, given all that anguish and loss. It struck me that not a single character seemed to have a support network of any type--no really close friends, family, or faith community to rely on in any way. I think that fact is crucial to the story; if any one person had been less lonely, isolated, or in the depths of despair, I think the novel would have collapsed or at least gone in a different direction.

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, story secondary.  There are some crude situations and language, including some profanity and teen drug use. There is also love that survives anything, even death.

My thanks to Bookbrowse.com for the free advanced reading copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

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The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sara's closest friend is one she's only met through letters. Their correspondence began due to buying, selling, and sharing books, and it grew to include stories of their lives and especially of Broken Wheel, the tiny town where Amy lived. Once the bookstore in Sweden where Sara worked went out of business, Amy persuaded her to come to America for a long visit. Unfortunately, Sara arrived in town only to discover Amy's house was full of mourners after her funeral.

The locals view Amy's bewildered guest as "their" tourist and take her under their wing. Sara becomes frustrated when they won't let her repay them in any way, so in desperation for something to do and as a way to give back to the community, Sara decides to open a bookstore in a vacant shop Amy had owned. She is convinced that getting this town of non-readers to share Amy's large collection of books is something Amy would have loved and the best thing she could do to compensate them for their many kindnesses. Her efforts are aided by a long-standing rivalry with a nearby town and eventually breathe life into the dying village.

Unfortunately, her visa is only for three months and doesn't allow her to work while she's visiting, so when she comes to the attention of the local immigration authorities, some of the townspeople hatch a plan to keep "their Sara" by marrying her off to an eligible bachelor...to the mortification of both.

This was a wonderful vacation read--quiet and peaceful. I enjoyed getting to know the people of Broken Wheel and watching Sara blossom as a person, groaning when she and Tom failed to recognize their mutual attraction, grinning at the shock of each townsperson when she or he actually enjoyed reading a book Sara had recommended. My sole complaint is with regard to the abruptness of the ending--I actually flipped back to see if I missed something! It seemed like the author was leading up to John having a larger role to play, and then he witnessed that kiss...and then it was the epilogue. Wait, what?! There should have been a couple more chapters to resolve Sara's situation (as well as George's). Still, a very enjoyable read.

For readers' advisors: character and setting doorways are primary. Some swearing and mentions (but not descriptions) of sexual activity. Good choice for book groups, especially thanks to the discussion questions included at the end of the book.

I received a free eGalley (ARC) copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs

The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs by Matthew Dicks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don't we all have a moment or moments in our childhoods that shaped us, nudged the trajectories of our lives just a little bit, changing the course of who we would become? For Caroline Jacobs, a meek mouse of a woman, these included losing her father, her best friend, and her sister. The wounds of adolescence molded her into a conflict-averse mother and a talented photographer afraid to risk rejection. And then one day, at a PTO meeting, an insult aimed at someone else snaps her virtual bonds.

The next day, when her teenage daughter, Polly, defends her and is threatened with suspension, Caroline impulsively busts her out and takes her on a road trip to Caroline's childhood home to confront the memories that haunt her. Along the way, she finally shares the stories shadowing her life and slowly begins to reconnect with her stubborn, strong, independent daughter.

Every story has different perspectives, though, and Caroline begins to see the shades of grey in differing realities, eventually learning to forgive herself as well as others for their all-too-human mistakes.

I loved this book! The only things holding me back from a 5-star rating are the contradictions and errors that might have been the result of it being an advance copy that I read courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. I'm hoping the final edits caught the timeline confusion regarding how old Caroline was when her father left, and so on. Details like that yanked me out of the story a few times, which was frustrating. Otherwise, though, it was a great story with well-developed, nuanced characters who evolved over the course of the novel.

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, story secondary. Some swearing. No sex or onscreen violence, other than someone accidentally falling through glass.

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Make Your Home Among Strangers: A Novel

Make Your Home Among Strangers: A Novel by Jennine Capo Crucet
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm giving up on this one. I find myself making excuse after excuse not to pick this book up to finish it because I just do not like the main character. She lies and makes stupid choices all the time and for no good reason, doing all kinds of unnecessary damage to herself and others. I can't stand spending time with her, and I'm having a hard time seeing how any college would think she were smart enough to be accepted, which makes the foundation of the story completely unbelievable. I was really expecting a book that told the story of a first-generation Latina college student trying to cope with unfamiliar customs and traditions, which I guess this is, but she'd have a much easier time adjusting if she were a nicer, smarter person with even an ounce of common sense. :( I'm basing my review on the first 115 pages of the book, so feel free to take my opinion with a grain of salt if you read the whole thing.

I received an Advance Reader's Copy (ARC) from the publisher via BookBrowse in exchange for my honest review.

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The Same Sky

The Same Sky by Amanda Eyre Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Same Sky is the story of Carla, a young girl living in the slums of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and Alice, a childless woman who co-owns a BBQ restaurant with her husband in Austin, Texas. Carla's mother paid a coyote to smuggle her into the US when Carla was about seven years old and her younger brothers were babies. She's been sending a little money back to Honduras ever since, to help support Carla, the boys, and Carla's grandmother, and as soon as she could afford it, she paid a coyote to bring one of the boys to her in Austin, Texas. By the time Carla is twelve, life in the slums has become too difficult, and Carla realizes she must make the brutal journey north to America if she's to have any hope of saving her little brother, Junior. The immigrant experience is a waking nightmare, and only faith keeps Carla going.

Alice and her husband, Jake, have a thriving business, but their home life has been shattered by an adoption that fell through one night after they brought home a newborn baby boy. After being unable to conceive, they tried surrogacy and then adoption, and the latest disappointment drives a wedge in their close relationship as they struggle to grieve in totally separate ways.

The story is told in alternating chapters, and Carla's chapters held my attention a little bit better than Alice's, although both were gut-wrenching in their own ways. I just felt like Alice was a tiny bit obnoxious and unprepared to be a mother (at least based on the awkward and inept way she went about being a "Big Sister" to a troubled teen at a troubled local high school). I wanted to shake some sense into her sometimes, whereas with Carla, I longed to scoop her into my arms and shield her from any more harm.  Their stories don't intersect until the very end, and not quite in the way I had predicted.  The Same Sky is both wonderful and heartbreaking.  Keep the Kleenex box handy, although sometimes I was too stunned to even cry.  Carla's story was especially haunting, and I frequently wished I could change the events in her life--just rewind a bit, and it would all be OK again, right?

I received a free ebook copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, although in the end, in order to get the book read, I listened to a downloadable audiobook version I checked out from my library.

I'm not sure whether this was intended to be "Christian fiction," but Carla's faith plays a huge role in her story, and faith (or the lack thereof) plays a part in Alice's story as well.

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, setting secondary. There is some bad language, drug use by minors, rape, and some references to sex.

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The Mill River Redemption

The Mill River Redemption: A Novel by Darcie Chan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the early 1980s, Josie DiSanti flees to Mill River with her two young daughters after they lose everything in a house fire, including Josie's husband.  The trio takes refuge with Josie's aunt, a lovely, generous woman Josie barely knows, and they begin to rebuild their lives.  Twenty or so years later, a tragic accident breaks the bonds of sisterhood.  A decade goes by in icy silence, until their mother's will forces Rose and Emily to live side by side one summer and work together to solve the clues to unlock their inheritance.

It's easy to get hooked into this story and the lives of these characters.  The nonlinear storytelling keeps readers in suspense for much of the novel, wondering what exactly happened the night of the fire and how is it possible that two sisters went from being devoted confidants to mortal enemies?  Eventually I did get a little impatient and wished Chan would hurry it up and tell the backstory faster, as she alternated between the early '80s and present day for most of the book.

The road to Rose's alcoholism was paved with Josie's good intentions, and my heart broke for them even as I inwardly groaned and chided her for focusing too much time on her career--a completely understandable series of mistakes that predictably snowballed into a giant mess.

I haven't yet read the first of the Mill River books--Mill River Recluse--so I'm not sure how much the characters overlap, but I got the feeling with this novel that the secondary storylines must have picked up where they left off in the first book.   I'm hoping the same is true in the next book, since it seemed like there was still more story to tell.

For readers' advisors: character and story doorways, primarily.  No on-screen sex, but a little bit of bad language.  Many thanks to NetGalley for the free ebook copy I received in exchange for my honest review.

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That Summer

That Summer by Lauren Willig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Julia has been fiercely American since moving to New York when she was a young girl. She has blocked out nearly all memories of her years in London while her mother was still alive, so when she receives word she's inherited a house from a great aunt she doesn't remember having, she thinks it might be a scam. Then during the course of cleaning out the house and the accumulated detritus of generations, she discovers a vibrant painting in the back of a wardrobe, and curiosity leads her to investigate its provenance and ties to a portrait in the drawing room. She is aided by Nick, the handsome antiques dealer her cousin Natalie has laid claim to...which doesn't do much for family harmony.

One hundred and sixty years earlier, Imogen Grantham reluctantly posed for a portrait her husband commissioned. She had no desire to spend so much time in the presence of a man who seemed to see too much, but like most things in her life, she had little choice in the matter. Over the course of their weekly sessions, however, artist and subject gradually became friends. When their friendship turned intimate, life got complicated.

This would make a great book group selection. When I finished reading, I desperately wanted to talk it over with someone, to discuss and analyze what really happened back in January of 1850.

The story alternates between 1849 and 2009, primarily, and I found myself getting nervous reading the historical sections because the atmosphere felt so dark and oppressive that it didn't seem likely Imogen and Gavin's story would end well. Emotionally it was easier for me to read the modern-day sections, even as Julia struggled to finally face the truth of what happened the day her mother died a quarter century ago.

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, story and setting secondary. There are only a couple of mild swear words that I can recall, and no on-screen sex scenes.

I received a free Advance Reader's Copy (ARC) from Bookbrowse.com in exchange for my honest review.

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Garden Spells

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So far as I can tell, this has been my most popular review on Goodreads.  Since I'm behind in writing my reviews, I decided to post this older (2007) one here in the meantime.  Enjoy!


What I learned from this book is...if an apple tree throws its apples at you, for goodness sake, pay attention already!

This book is lovely, magical, enchanting. I sat down to read just one chapter, basically to decide whether it was worth holding onto even though it was already overdue. At 2:30 a.m. I finished the whole darn thing. Couldn't stop myself. I floated in a state of suspended reality, where time had no meaning.

The basic idea of the book: two sisters experienced their childhoods very differently. Now, as adults, they must come to terms with choices, past and present, and with the unique abilities each woman inherited. In Bascom, North Carolina, townsfolk know Claire's garden grows produce with mystical properties, like the honeysuckle wine she makes that lets you see in the dark. Sydney has a gift for revealing a person's inner self through a haircut. Bay always knows where things belong. And whatever Evanelle gives you, no matter how strange, you'll be certain to need before too long.

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Sweet Salt Air

Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

Charlotte and Nicole have been best friends since they were about eight years old, but for the past ten years their friendship has been sustained mostly through brief emails and phone calls. Nicole doesn't know it, but about a month before her wedding, her husband-to-be and Charlotte got drunk and had a brief sexual encounter on a secluded beach. Both regretted it immediately, never spoke of it to anyone, and have avoided all contact with each other since then, but the guilt continues to strain their relationships with Nicole. Now Nicole needs Charlotte to come back to the island of Quinnipeague, Maine, for the first time since the wedding and interview locals and some regular summer visitors as part of a collaboration on a cookbook Nicole is writing. Charlotte sees it as her chance to atone for her sins and agrees.

Nicole is grateful for the writing help as well as for the moral support as she tries to prepare the family's summer home for sale now that her father has died and her mother can no longer bear to visit without him. However, the effort of keeping a secret from Charlotte is too much for Nicole, and in no time at all she blurts out the burden she's been carrying alone for four years: her brilliant surgeon husband, Julian, has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the treatments aren't working to stop the progression of his disease. Julian hasn't allowed Nicole to tell anyone--not her mother, not his kids, not his parents, not his friends, and not his colleagues--for fear that it would end his career.

One of the locals Charlotte would like to interview for the book is Cecily Cole, whose garden is the source of most of the herbs on the island and is viewed with awe and not a little superstition, but Cecily is dead, and her son refuses to participate. However, Charlotte cannot resist the lure and sneaks down to the property one night when she can't sleep, only to discover Leo on a ladder attempting to fix a large, heavy shutter by himself. Leo does not welcome her presence but does let her help him fix the shutter. Over Nicole's strenuous objections, Charlotte returns night after night, slowly getting to know the infamous local bad boy...who it turns out is not actually all that bad.

I loved this book. It's a great example of "women's fiction": romance is a very strong element, but the central focus of the novel is the friendship between Charlotte and Nicole. It's very much a character-driven story, with the island itself feeling like another character, as it's shaped so much of their lives. (Not to mention the near-mystical properties of Cecily's herbs.)

For readers' advisors: character and setting doorways are strongest. A little swearing and plenty of sex scenes, although nothing too terribly explicit--more often than not just telling readers how often and where Leo & Charlotte are getting busy.

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The Apple Orchard

The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tess has worked hard to get where she is in her career as a sort of modern-day treasure hunter who tracks down lost objects such as Annalise Winters' mother's necklace, missing since the day Ms. Winters' mother was taken by the Nazis in Denmark. Her firm not only locates items of immeasurable personal and monetary value but also arranges auctions for the items clients wish to sell, and Tess is expecting a big promotion when an unexpected visitor arrives and upends her world. The grandfather she never knew is in a coma, and she must work with the half sister she never knew she had to save the family's property, an apple orchard in Sonoma, CA, from imminent foreclosure.

I "shelved" this book as both romance and non-genre fiction because although there are strong romantic elements (i.e. Tess falling for the banker who comes to tell her about her grandfather), the romance isn't central to the story. It's every bit as much about Tess learning to slow down and really allow people into her life. It's also about family history, told in flashback scenes from the point of view of her grandparents when they were children in Denmark during the Nazi Occupation, as well as Tess's mother during her pregnancy. And it's a bit of a mystery, solving the puzzle of what happened to a particular family heirloom. I'm glad this is book #1 because I'm hoping to learn more of Isabel's story in book #2.

The one thing I didn't like?  As a stepmother myself, I found the epilogue highly improbable, at least as far as the children's reaction went.

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, story is secondary, and setting is fairly strong, too. There are a couple of sex scenes, but nothing explicit--more the "fade to black" type.

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The Mouse-Proof Kitchen

The Mouse-Proof Kitchen by Saira Shah
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this as an Advance Reader's Copy (ARC) from Bookbrowse.com, and when I started reading it, I questioned my sanity in requesting it in the first place. Not because it's a terrible book--it's not. Rather, because a woman in her late 30s, six months pregnant for the first time with a much-anticipated daughter should probably not read a story about a woman in her late 30s who just gave birth for the first time to Freya, an unexpectedly severely handicapped baby girl. Anna's despair, frustration, and need to control something--anything--in her out-of-control life rang out so strongly, I had a hard time disengaging my own emotions from hers.

Anna's husband shirks responsibility and provides virtually no support--emotionally, financially, or practically. I kept wondering why she stayed with him. She supposedly loved him very much, but I really didn't see why. He ignores her for most of the book and spends most of his time shutting out the world while he works on composing movie music and flirting with Lizzy, the flibbertigibbet teenager they pay to help take care of Freya...which she never actually does.

Anna becomes increasingly short-tempered and shrewish as the book progresses and her exhaustion (mental and physical) mounts, which is certainly a realistic reaction to her situation. I didn't always like Anna, but I also could empathize with how she was feeling, and I certainly don't claim I'd react any better were I in her shoes. How does one cope with the collapse of one's dreams of parenthood? How do you face a lifetime caring for a child whose brain never fully developed and who has constant seizures, a lack of muscle control, and will only ever be, in essence, a gigantic infant, no matter how long she lives, never capable of caring for her own most basic needs, if she even survives at all?

For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, setting (they move from England to a village in France) is secondary. To me the tone of the book was...heavy and frequently depressing. The secondary characters are quite well-developed, and the mystery of their neighbor's mother's death during WWII was intriguing. I think this would make an excellent choice for an adult book discussion group.

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