Chris Bohjalian’s books are always good reads with unusual but valid situations and clear understanding of human nature. Plus, the man writes well and knows how to tell a story. The Jackal’s Mistress (title explained in book) recounts the story of a seriously wounded captain from Vermont who was saved by a woman in Virginia, her niece, and two freed Blacks.

The reader experiences the horrors of war and the terror of having a Yankee soldier hidden in a Confederate house. The characters are well drawn and entertainingly presented. The book offers many areas of discussion for book clubs. Very highly recommend.

I received the novel knowing nothing but the title—Making Friends Can Be Murder, and I didn't expect much. How surprising to find an absorbing and complicated mystery! It was a very fun read and an instant stress reliever.

This mystery begins when cryptozoologist (one who studies legendary creatures) Morgan Carter is asked to help prove the innocence of a friend's nephew who is in jail for murder. The nephew claims that the victim was killed by a mythical creature, the Hodag. Obviously the authorities and community are skeptical. Soon though, her mission progresses into more and more mysterious events.

The novel is engaging and well paced, and characters and environment are developed. At some point in the novel, the many situations almost overwhelm Morgan's mission to exonerate the nephew, but the story sustained my interest even as mysteries become more complicated. I consider it a fine and enjoyable weekend read.

While this book is the third in a series, it is a solid stand-alone. Readers might want to try the first two books: A Death in Door County, and Death in the Dark Woods.

Happy Land introduced me to a part of American History of which I was never even aware—when former slaves relocated from South Carolina to North Carolina and created their own kingdom. We are shown how important continuity of generations can be.

The author alternated between the present day and the early years of Happy Land, and I thoroughly enjoyed the connected but separate stories. In addition to the themes of trials and difficulties, love of the land, appreciation for the earth's bounty and its benefits were emphasized. As we read stories of courageous and hardworking people, we are also reminded of the glory of nature.

The author writes well and with an authentic and natural voice. The book will be well-received by book groups. Individuals who know little about the kingdom (as it was called) will be fascinated.

A welcome trend in historical fiction is to present little-known figures who play significant roles in history. Development of the steam engine included women such as as Lydia Roosevelt, daughter of an architect and married to Nicholas Roosevelt, a man very much her senior. She shared the work with her husband on an experimental journey on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

This book is offered as a re-imagined story of their most important voyage. By re-imagining Lydia, the book creates a character dedicated to the work and her family and a determined colleague to her husband. It is written almost as a diary, detailing daily problems and solutions.

The novel contains an interesting story, but the repetition of affectionate displays between the husband and wife quickly became a bit tiresome. It is true that Lydia Roosevelt began the voyage while eight months pregnant and with a young daughter as well and faced many challenges. While the voyage, its successes and difficulties provided the core of the story, the daily family life and the affection continually expressed were very prominent and without much emotional depth.

I would recommend this book for general readers who would like to learn about a little-known part of history but also remind readers that it is a re-imagining of the character and not a biographical retelling.

After reading four pages, I realized Prophet Song is a book that possesses the reader, so I read it fairly non-stop in two days. First, this is the most disturbing book I’ve read in years. Second, it’s also an intimate portrayal of a country plunging into chaos, painstakingly demonstrated through one family and specifically Eilish’s internal journey. The author’s style is compelling and anchors the reader to the characters and action. I had no problem with the author’s dialogue pattern, in fact, the dialog style seemed natural. I know others compare the book to periods of history. What I read felt like a keen understanding of human nature. Prophet Song is an extraordinary book.





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Sisters of the Lost Nation is a good read. Anna is a high school senior who is bullied by her classmates, and even her sister, because she doesn’t fit in. She’s fascinated by Tribal stories and traditions and appalled at the cost that modernity in the guise of a casino is imposing on the reservation. And women are disappearing. She is convinced that the disappearances are connected and also related to Tribal myths, and she begins to dig.

The story is ambitious with many peripheral issues. Tribal history and traditions as well as Anna’s response to the awful bullying seem to be overwhelmed by other issues. Ultimately however they are all connected. This could have been a much longer book and still hold the reader’s attention. Thoughtful and thought provoking, Sisters will encourage interest in Tribal life in America.

The author’s journey to understand her own pain after her marriage ended led her to examine the substance of heartbreak itself. She studied the scientific research into heartbreak’s affect on emotional and physical health as well as the process of healing, and she participated in various forums and programs as speaker and/or participant. I didn’t finish reading Heartbreak. Some studies of our response to heartbreaks confirmed what we already know, and the methodologies used in the animal research were often disturbing in themselves. Readers may find some of her insights personally valuable, but I didn’t find the value of her journey or research enough to carry me to the end of the book.

Once again Ms. Umrigar uses the relationship of two women to draw attention to India's cultural attitudes and treatment of women. The book goes much further than India, and the reader will recognize similarities in other countries of the human condition in its many facets.

Honor is a captivating read, an intriguing window into a culture as well as a really good story. Book clubs will find endless areas of discussion. Highly recommend.

Franny is one with the sea and with birds. She lives in a world apart, deeply intense but also deeply damaged. This is a wonderful book, beautifully written. Its understanding and reverence of wildlife will resonate with any bird lover, and the obsessions that drive her speak to anyone who has been touched watching migrating birds depart.

Fascinating dystopian read, kept me up all night. What set this one apart for me is the questions raised by the characters, causing me to wonder about my own responses as well as my present activities. Book clubs will want this one for strong opinions alone.