Summer's Never Over
by Darby Bozeman
Summer (4/22/2026)
Greer returns to her family's upscale summer camp after five years. Five years ago a fire swept through and destroyed the camp. Her friend Stephanie was believed to have died in the fire.. Because of the tragedy and ongoing questions about the fire,
Greer left and swore she would never return.
Now her mother, with the help of long time dedicated staff, has had the camp rebuilt and it is ready to welcome campers once again. Before the grand opening Greer's mother dies. Greer returns for a memorial for her mother in conjunction with the reopening. Greer reluctantly goes back to face the people she once considered family, and those she met 5 years ago.
The story unfolds in two time frames. Going back to events five years ago before and up to the fire and present time. Greer and her peers are now in their mid twenties but as five years ago some of their behaviors seem like they are teenagers.
Turns out everybody has secrets.
I enjoyed the story line and always like finding a author I'm not familiar with.
The Insomniacs
by Allison Winn Scotch
Insomniacs (4/12/2026)
After meeting on an online forum for insomniacs, 3 people decide to meet , since they aren't able to sleep, They meet at a 24 hour diner, where they become acquainted with a young waitress. The four become involved in each others lives. As the story enfolds it goes back and forth in time . We are teased with little bits of information about each person.
One of the 4 goes missing as the others try to navigate what they should do. Each person is also dealing with their own set of issues, The four are of different backgrounds and ages which adds to the story. They are very believable characters as they argue, annoy each at times, interfere when not wanted but are very close and protective of each other as they get to know each other.
The story goes back and forth in time with little tidbits of information making it hard to stop reading, wanting to find out more, but focus shifts as mystery develops.
Bits of humor also made for a fun read. I enjoyed the book!
Fireflies in Winter
by Eleanor Shearer
Fireflies in Winter (3/11/2026)
Having read River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer, I was happy to be able to read and review her latest book. Fireflies in Winter is another beautifully written story.. Taking place in the late 1700s, the story takes place in Nova Scotia. Cora and her family and other Jamaican Maroon have been resettled from Jamaica to Nova Scotia as freed slaves.
Ms. Shearer's descriptions of the harshness and beauty of the elements and nature were very vivid. This added a great deal to story.
The main character, Cora, is trying to find her place as she and the others adjust to their new world, The story revolves around a trial that is written about in parts as story goes on, detailing a mystery as story goes on. Cora meets a woman, living in the woods Agnes, and they form a deep connection. Not only is the environment harsh at times, but the community can be also. Freedom and love can be difficult to keep.
The historical piece of this book was very interesting and new to me. I'm glad I got to read this book.
The Midnight Taxi
by Yosha Gunasekera
The Midnight Taxi (12/31/2025)
Night taxi driver, Siriwathi Perera, picks up a fare at the criminal courthouse in Manhattan late at night. Her passenger is a public defender in night court, Amaya Fernando. Both being Sri Lanken they strike up a conversation. Amaya gives Siri her business card with fare,at drop off, suggesting they meet for Sri Lankan food in the future. Little does Siri know how important that interaction and card will be later that night.
Thus begins the mystery. As the story goes on we learn much about Siri, present and past. The characters are very real and interesting. New York City is a character especially in the feelings of Siri. When Siri is arrested for a horrific crime she did not commit, but evidence suggests otherwise, she must use the business card to enlist Amaya's help. Siri, who has listened to many true crime podcast. thinks she is a good investigator and insists on helping Amaya find the truth.
The cultural aspects of the Sri Lankan family and community, the criminal justice system and New York City itself were vividly written and very engaging. I look forward to more from this author, and there was a preview of next book.
The Vanishing Place
by Zoë Rankin
The Vanishing Place (7/3/2025)
From the first paragraph on the story builds layer upon layer. The setting is in New Zealand in a small community. Nearby, the bush becomes a central character. A mystery unfolds when a young girl appears in the community torn and tattered. Who is she and where did she come from?
A local official contacts a young woman living in Ireland, who had fled the area some 20 years ago never wanting to come back. When she does return, her story unfolds as well as the young girls. The chapter time periods go from 1988 to 2025 not in that order. Each chapter tells a bit of the story and one thinks there will be an answer, but then its on to another time frame. This makes it difficult to stop reading!!
As mentioned earlier the bush is a central character. The author is vivid in her descriptive narrative of what it is like and what happens there. Her characters and their feelings are very real.
There are twists and turns in the story, as well as some dark material all central to story.
Very engrossing story. It is a mystery/thriller but also a strong story of human endurance and emotional connections. I look forward to more books by this author.
Jane and Dan at the End of the World
by Colleen Oakley
Jane and Dan at the End of the World (1/13/2025)
Knowing nothing about author Colleen OakLey I read and reviewed, before publication, The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise some time ago. I thoroughly enjoyed that book. I enjoyed Jane and Dan as well.
The story is a combination of mystery, thriller, romance and a comedy. There are plot twists. insights into marriage, parenthood, family, career, aging, and one's view of self.
What starts out as an "special" anniversary night out(maybe) turns into a dramatic crisis with several twists and turns along the way.
The events of the evening become eerily familiar to Jane and Dan. as they try to make sense of what is happening and how to fix it.
the story is very engaging. The author starts the story with a tease of the ending and then very cleverly marks each chapter as Five Hours Before, Four Hours Before etc before ending.
Not all happenings are plausible but they fit the story and are fun. It is fiction after all!! Good story!!
We'll Prescribe You a Cat
by Syou Ishida
We'll Prescribe You A Cat (6/15/2024)
As a cat lover, a book about cats, what's not to love?? Taking place in Kyoto Japan, several magical stories are told. Each story involves someone needing purpose and direction. Hence, a mysterious clinic found by those in need of it. The stories are magical, simply written but full of humor and warmth.. Having had cats all my adult life I loved the felines featured in the stories, all very relatable and precious. A very heartwarming book I heartily recommend to any animal lover, anyone with a cat or any special pet.
The Wren, the Wren: A Novel
by Anne Enright
The Wren, The Wren (8/13/2023)
Not being at all familiar with the work of Anne Enright I had no notion as to what to expect.
The story involves 3 generations of women all navigating through life with the scars of their upbringing.
Each of the women had their story told in alternating chapters of time and place. This was done very well. I liked Ms Enright's format and writing style but I found, however, that I could not connect to the characters. I did finish the book and I am glad I did.
It is always nice to discover an author one is not familiar with, and I will look into other books she has written.
The Little Italian Hotel: A Novel
by Phaedra Patrick
The Little Italian Hotel (5/16/2023)
I received an advanced copy of this book to read and review from BookBrowse. I had read Ms Patrick's previous book, The Messy Lives of Book People and enjoyed it very much. I enjoyed The Little Italian Hotel just as much.
The cast of characters was wonderful, each with their own stories that developed and surprised as the story went on. Main character, Ginny, has spent a large part of her life helping people with their problems via a radio advice program. Suddenly, she has unexpected problems of her own. How she tries to deal with her new situation and the people she interacts with is the heart of the story. The roller-coaster range of emotions she and the others went through felt very real and relatable.
The hotel and Venice were also vivid characters. Wonderful descriptions. The book and TV production of Hotel Portofino came to mind as I was reading.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley
The Mostly True Story (11/12/2022)
This book was a delight to read. The two main characters are years apart in age and very different in temperament. Thrown together by misfortune, they struggle to maintain a relationship. Both characters became more likable to me as the story went on and I learned more about them.
Humor abounds throughout the story amongst all the characters. There is also a great deal of warmth and sweetness to story.
Being an older reader myself, I like the idea of a strong older character.
There is a bit of a mystery involved, with twists and turns making it a very enjoyable read.
River Sing Me Home
by Eleanor Shearer
River Sing Me Home (9/18/2022)
River Sing Me Home is a beautifully written novel. Ms Shearer states in the Acknowledgements that the main character's story(Rachel) is inspired by a real person. It is the story of a mother who is a slave and her courageous, desperate, and heartbreaking attempt to find the children that were ripped from her by plantation owners. The events take place i the early 1800's. The story starts in Barbados and follows Rachel's journey to other parts of the Caribbean.
Ms Shearer's story telling paints a very vivid picture of the characters, the feelings, the settings, and history of the time period. This historical piece was not something I had read about in the past.
I would highly recommend this touching book.
One's Company: A Novel
by Ashley Hutson
One's Company (6/7/2022)
One's Company is a very interesting book. The premise is certainly unusual, replication of the television show Three's Company, set and characters. The main character's obsession, in the present, of the 70's sitcom is over the top. As the first person narrative goes on we discover more about the main characters motivations and her traumatic past. Though I found the story sad and depressing, it was so well written I continued to find out how it ended. I'm glad I did.
Peach Blossom Spring: A Novel
by Melissa Fu
Peach Blossom Spring (3/20/2022)
This was an incredible book. From the very beginning it held me in. The story is divided into sections by years, starting in 1938 and ending in 2005. Each section could have been its own novel. I was left wanting to know more about each time frame! The story revolves around a multi generational family starting in China in 1938. The central characters are forced to flee their home for a new life. This happens several times, always leaving them vulnerable. The novel deals with love , loss, inner strength, and the ability to move forward no matter what the challenge. The story at times is heartbreaking, but hopeful, indicative of the stark reality of refugees and migration. Given the events of the word today makes this story very relevant. Along with all the historical background it would be a great book for book clubs or an individual reader.
Housebreaking
by Colleen Hubbard
Housebreaking (11/13/2021)
Del is a 24 years old, soon to be 25, who can not get her life on track. After her mother's death at age 17, she left everything behind, including the house her mother owned in a small New England town. She lives with her father until his death, only a few years later. One day she receives a phone call from an estranged cousin about the property she left behind years ago. Although she has no desire to return this place and family members she wants no contact with, she does so to finalize her ties with said family and place. This starts an adventure of huge interactions and seemingly insurmountable events that at times are humorous and at times heartbreaking. Most of the people she is forced to interact with are irritating, frustrating, and annoying to her. But as time goes on she learns a lot about herself and these others as she goes about trying to prove a point.
The story has a wonderful set of wonderful characters, all with messy lives. The landscape also provides a backdrop that is central to story. I found the book very enjoyable and had to put down always wondering what could happen next and what could go wrong.
When Broadway Was Black: The Triumphant Story of the All-Black Musical that Changed the World (aka Footnotes)
by Caseen Gaines
Footnotes (5/11/2021)
I enjoyed this book very much. It is the story of the making of the all-Black Broadway show SHUFFLE ALONG in 1921. It details how Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, Flournoy Miller, and Aubrey Lyles overcame racism and many other obstacles to be able to bring the show to the stage. The book then follows the lives and pursuits of these individuals, both here and abroad, through the decades of the 20's, 30's 40's and into the 50's. Mr Gaines, the author, did an incredible amount of research to write about the events and people we read about, as evidenced by the massive amount of footnotes and the bibliography. Anyone interested in theater, music or performance of any kind would enjoy this book. The book is rich in historical detail, including the racism, which many years later is still with us.
The Thirty Names of Night
by Zeyn Joukhadar
The Thirty Names of Night (9/6/2020)
I received a free e-edition through Bookbrowse and NetGalley. I very much enjoyed this book. It was not a quick or easy read, but very good. Going back and forth between time frames meant having to pay close attention to each segment. The writing itself was wonderful, thought provoking. Very poetic and imaginative, revolving around ornithology across the generations and how it tied them together. Intermingled within the story was fantasy and magic. The main characters were Syrian immigrants trying to find their place in the world. For the main character and several others also being in the LGBT community.
The Mountains Sing
by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
The Mountains Sing (2/8/2020)
Beautifully written, but heart wrenching saga of a Vietnamese family through several generations. The story touches on human's inhumanity to others, but also the enduring hope and resiliency of family and friends. Nguy?n Phan's story is about the history of the Vietnamese people and their struggles through very turbulent times. Nguy?n Phan's weaves the story through several people and periods of time and it flows beautifully. I highly recommend the book!
The French Girl
by Lexie Elliott
The French Girl (10/18/2017)
Written in first person narrative, we find the main character(narrator) dealing with events that happened 10 years ago. The story begins with the group at the center of the events having to reconnect. Some have remained friends through the years, others have not for various reasons. The question throughout the book is, has a crime been committed and if so, is someone from the group responsible? One of the characters is an apparition of the main character, which adds much to the story line. I liked the book from the start. The story kept the me the reader not quite sure who to trust. This book would be a good choice for book clubs especially if they enjoy mysteries with a bit of a twist.
Lady Cop Makes Trouble: Girl Waits with Gun #2
by Amy Stewart
Lady Cop Makes Trouble (5/29/2016)
I enjoyed Girl Waits With Gun and was excited to read Lady Cop. I was not disappointed. Ms Stewart weaves together a very interesting story based on historical events. In the continuation of Constance's story her character continues to develop, as well as those of the other characters. I especially find the author's notes interesting as she writes about some of the actual events that took place in the story. I look forward to the next installment. Great read!!
We That Are Left
by Clare Clark
We That Are Left (8/18/2015)
I would have given the book a 4.5 rating if that had been a choice. I enjoyed the book very much but a few times I felt it moved to slowly. The historical aspects of life before and after WW1 I found very interesting, not only the changes in society but also the science aspects that are being discussed and discovered. Anyone who is a Downton Abbey fan, which I am, would probably
enjoy this book. This book stayed on my mind long after I finished it.
