Book Club

[sandy53]

I highly recommend Apostle's Cove by William Kent Krueger.  It is the new book (#20) in the Cork O'Connor series.  This series is so good!  It is set in northern Minnesota and has Native American influence in each book.  This book is about a case from years earlier that is being reinvestigated.  The first half of the book is set 25 years ago and tells of the crime and the investigation at that time.  The second half is set in the present day and tells of reopening the case, how the investigation progresses, and how justice is finally found.  

I think the series should be read in order to see the change in the characters and appreciate the setting.  However, this book could be read as a stand alone since it revisits the characters 25 years earlier and offers good background. 

[AngelPuppy1]

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@abbalulu wrote:

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@AngelPuppy1 wrote:

I am in the middlle of The Story Teller by Jodi Picoultt.

I can't put it down.  I will say that there are parts that are very difficult and sad to get through.  

It was nothing like I thought it was going to be from reading the back of the book.  However, it's certainly a very well written and thoughtful book.  Jodi Picoult is a very gifted writer.  

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@AngelPuppy1  This book was a very thought provoking book that stayed with me for weeks after I read it. When I find something like this I get my husband to read it also so I can discuss it with someone else. It's both hard to read but also a very good book. I usually enjoy Jody Picoult. 

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@abbalulu 

Yes, you are certainly right.  As I wrote, it was not what I expected, but I am glad that it was much more than what I expected.  This is not one of those books that you just breeze through, read it and forget it.  

[smoky22]

I read The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce.  It's quite a departure from her Harold Fry and Queenie Hennessy books.  It's about a dysfunctional family of 4 siblings trying to deal with their father's death and his recent marriage to a much younger woman.  I really like this author's writing and I think I appreciated the writing more than the plot.  I would say it's at least a 3.5 ( I rounded it up to a 4).

[CANDLEQUEEN]

Finished Room For Rent! It was a good thriller. I have read one other book by this author and enjoyed it as well... Good thriller!

I am now starting The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes.....

[teganslaw]

I'm reading "The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein." by Kiersten White. 

This is a gothic retelling of the original Frankenstein story, from a different viewpoint. Elizabeth Lavenza, mistreated by her "caretaker" is taken in by the Frankensteins and becomes a friend to young Victor. As the years pass, Elizabeth and Victor become inseparable; she will do anything to survive even if it means giving in to Victor's demands and dark whims. When Elizabeth discovers Victor's experiments she takes it upon herself to end what he has accomplished no matter the cost. 

This is a very good book. It's not necessary to have read the original Frankenstein first, though it helps. The novel has horror, sadness and strong characterization. I find it difficult to put down. 

[dmod nj]

Hi everyone, 

I really enjoy reading everyone's reading experiences.

Thank you, @icezeus , for another monthly thread. 

I can't remember where I left off the last time I posted here, which was a while ago.  So,if I repeat any books, blame it on my memory.  It's  like a sieve. :womanlol

I've either listened or read these books. 

Catching Caden, Samantha Christy.  I love baseball, so this book was cute, adorable and light. 

Windows of Venice, RA Douthitt. This book was okay. I didn't love it, but didn't dislike it either.  

Sacrifice, Adriana Locke. I enjoyed listening to this story, as a whole.  The female character was a bit naive to the situations in the book, but in the end, it all worked out.  The two epilogues were really well done, imo.

Summer Romance, Annabel Monaghan. Fun summer read. A second chance for a woman who is finding herself after a divorce. 

Look on the Bright Side, Kristan Higgins. As always, I enjoyed this Kristan Higgins book. The narrator, Xe Sands, is just fabulous. 

Hush, Joanne DeMaio.   This is book 25 in the Seaside Saga.   I LOVE this series. 

Heart of Glass, Nicole Jacquelyn. I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was going to be a light read, but it had serious themes. 

The View from Lake Como, Adriana Trigiani. I enjoyed the story, despite the very detailed pages about the marble business.  

Taste of Honey, Eileen Goudge.  "Gerry Fitzgerald confronts a painful secret when the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty-eight years earlier comes into her life, seeking answers."  There is a reason Gerry had to give up her daughter........I don't want to spoil the read for anyone.  

Happy Reading!

[sandy53]

I just finished The Girl from Devil's Lake by JA Jance.  This is the new book in the Joanna Brady series.  I highly recommend it.  This was about a serial killer who lived as an upstanding citizen in the community and how the sheriff went about catching him.  The murders occurred all over the country over a period of more than 50 years.  How all these were tied together was very compelling.  

This is another great series that is best if read in order, but this book could be read alone because of the interesting police methods and limited involvement of the family.  

[tansy]

JA Jance's blog on her website is often interesting, @sandy53.  

[SWEET]

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover was hopeless.  Too much repetitiveness, sort of a hard subject to read about and I was disappointed.  I've read a few of her others and no comparison. 

[icezeus]

I just finished The Wedding People by Alison Espach. The story begins with Phoebe arriving at a beautiful hotel she had once dreamed of visiting with her husband—only now, he’s divorced her, and she’s deeply depressed. Her initial plan is heartbreaking: she intends to end her life during the trip. (She obviously doesn’t, or there wouldn’t be a book.)

I’m a bit torn on this one. It wasn’t a “can’t put it down” kind of read, but I was definitely engaged enough to want to know more about the wedding guests and their lives. The hotel setting was lovely and gave the whole book an almost dreamlike atmosphere.

It was satisfying to see Phoebe slowly rediscover herself and start moving toward who she’s meant to be. That said, I’m not a huge fan of open-ended books. I think I know the direction she was heading in by the end, but it’s never fully confirmed—and that left me wanting more closure.

If you're into character-driven stories with a touch of mystery and emotional healing, this could be a good fit. Just don’t expect all the loose ends to be tied up neatly.

3/5 rating on Goodreads.