Summer's Never Over
by Darby Bozeman
Summer Camp Intrigue (4/10/2026)
This mystery grabbed my attention from the beginning, and it was definitely a page turner for me. The characters were well developed and relatable, and their backgrounds and connections were explained well. Switching between the two timelines helped build the suspense. The setting of summer camp, teen angst, friendships, creepy woods, and plot twists also added to the suspense and mystery.
The Jellyfish Problem
by Tessa Yang
A Jellyfish Education (3/10/2026)
What a unique story. The writing was high quality with interesting, hard-to-forget characters. Grief and loss, friendship and community, love and folklore were all an important part of this mystery. There was clearly a lot of research done about jellyfish, and I enjoyed learning about them. The story was wrapped up too quickly for me, and I wanted a little more time with these characters. This book was hard to put down.
Everything Lost Returns: A Novel
by Sarah Domet
The strength of women (1/15/2026)
I have mixed feelings about this book. The writing is beautiful, but I was confused about certain characters' stories and felt they could have been better developed. The complicated story line is confusing at times. Telling the main stories from two timelines was effective. Both women were trapped in their circumstances. There were many themes about women: women's hardships, powerlessness, the importance of friendships, self-determination, pregnancy, possible help from spiritualism, how far women have come in some areas socially but not in others. One woman was an actress which made me consider the many roles women play in their lives. This is a wonderful choice for a book club as there are so many topics to discuss.
The Stolen Child: A Novel
by Ann Hood
The Stolen Child (4/29/2024)
At the beginning, I was curious how the seemingly very different story lines in this book would eventually intersect. A story of lost souls looking for forgiveness for past decisions and actions. The writing is beautiful and descriptive, as is the story telling. Character development was good, and I cared about what happened to them. I really liked this book. So many topics for book clubs to tackle. I will look for more books by this author.
The Day Tripper: A Novel
by James Goodhand
Day Tripping (12/6/2023)
I had some difficult getting into this novel and didn't like the main character. However, as the story continued, it became more compelling and I cared about what was happening to him. There are words of wisdom and thought-provoking conversations about the positive results of leading a good life. Can we alter life events via time travel? Fans of time travel stories would enjoy this. It is a unique format and is well written. There would be a lot for book clubs to discuss. I actually wish I had someone to discuss this book with.
The Lost English Girl
by Julia Kelly
Lost English Children (2/14/2023)
This is a great addition to a World War II library. I had known about English children being evacuated to the countryside, but this book made me think more about the consequences of that action for all parties. I also hadn't thought about English Jews who were safe in America who chose to return to England to fight the Nazis. There is much to discuss about the "Christian" behavior of Catholics and Jews and forgiveness and love. The characters were well developed and I didn't want their stories to end. I enjoyed the alternating viewpoints/chapters and growing maturity of those two characters. I felt a little disappointed that I didn't get to learn more about their lives at the end. Without spoiling anything, I felt that details of the later years were omitted and it was a little rushed.
The Last Russian Doll
by Kristen Loesch
A fascinating, must-read historical novel (10/28/2022)
I was excited to read this book and was not disappointed. I learned a lot about Russian history in the period from the Russian Revolution up to the late 20th century and even more about how the Russian people were affected during those turbulent times. This was a more personal look at history which helped to better understood the characters' actions. The use of Russian folklore enhanced the story. Great writing, an intricate plot, good character development with different timelines all set in a fascinating country and time make this a must-read novel. Anyone interested in Russian history should read this book. Book clubs would have many topics to discuss. I want to reread it and highly recommend it.
True Crime Story: A Novel
by Joseph Knox
Unique Format (11/10/2021)
I really liked this book. The format was great - unique and intriguing. I wasn't sure if it was based on a true story, and I almost googled the characters' names. The characters were fairly well developed. There were enough plot twists to keep me turning pages and being surprised. However, I felt it was a little too long and the ending was not completely satisfying. There are so many topics for book clubs to discuss.
The Temple House Vanishing
by Rachel Donohue
What a Debut! (4/11/2021)
What an engrossing, suspenseful, intense novel. The writing is terrific with beautiful descriptions. It was as if I could feel what the characters were feeling. Teenage angst, female friendships. how easily feelings are hurt, "mean girls," rule breaking, confusion, attraction, and differences in social class were written about realistically I felt as though I had been dropped into this school and was experiencing what they were experiencing. I disappeared into that boarding school. I learned about life in a boarding school run by nuns. The author also makes you think about the life-long consequences of keeping secrets. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. There are many complex topics for discussion for book clubs, therapists, peer groups.
The Last Tiara
by M.J. Rose
Interesting Russian history (12/24/2020)
This story hooked me from the beginning. Having married into a Russian family and having recently lost my own mother, I was further intrigued. The history of Russia was interesting. However, I don't think this book reached its potential. The plot was good, but the writing isn't very sophisticated. I liked the two alternating stories although the passionate love scenes seemed a little unnecessary for the overall story. Learning more about Russian history and culture was a plus. Readers interested in Russian history would enjoy this story. There are a few topics for discussion by a book group.
I Want You to Know We're Still Here: A Post-Holocaust Memoir
by Esther Safran Foer
Read this book!! (11/9/2019)
What a wonderful book. I have read many books about the horrors of the Holocaust and its victims, survivors, villains, heroes, and yet I learned so much from this author's fascinating story. For those who believe that life went on normally after the survivors were rescued, this book is a must read. The author's family was in a displaced persons camp for years after the war. Many of these people were treated as badly there as they were during the war. Anti-Semitism did not end when World War II ended. Many survivors never spoke about the horrors they experienced and witnessed. And so, generations later, it is hard for their descendants, like this author, to uncover family histories and what happened to family members. So many memories locked away. Overwhelming losses. The reader accompanies the author on her journey of exploration to find out about her parents' lives and families before the Nazis came. The amount of research and interviewing she did is incredible. There is so much to discuss in this book. Book clubs, people searching for lost relatives, families of Holocaust survivors, students of history, and so many others should read and discuss this book.
The Seine: The River that Made Paris
by Elaine Sciolino
The Seine Adventure (9/18/2019)
This book exceeded my expectations. I want to go to the source of the Seine with this book in hand and follow the river all the way to Normandy, rereading her stories and conversations and history. I can't wait to see the Seine in person armed with all this information. Ms. Sciolino's writing style is very engaging. This certainly was not a dry retelling of centuries of history. Book clubs would find much to discuss, and everyone traveling to France would find much to enhance their travels. I can't wait to plan my trip.
The Volunteer: One Man, an Underground Army, and the Secret Mission to Destroy Auschwitz
by Jack Fairweather
A Must Read (4/25/2019)
Having recently returned from a trip to Eastern Europe, including Poland and Auschwitz/Birkenau, I was looking forward to reading this book. This is a well-written, very well-researched book with extensive footnotes. I am happy that I was able to learn about Witold Pilecki. It is actually a page turner, and I appreciated the pictures and maps that were included. The atrocities that Nazi men committed on other humans are difficult to read about, but this "volunteer" actually witnessed and experienced them. This man was a true hero - fighting for what was right and never stopping, no matter what, even after the war ended. In spite of the sadness and horror, his is an inspiring story. I learned a lot about how the camp operated and how and why the Allies were slow to react to smuggled messages about the horrors of the camp. This important book should be discussed in more places than just book clubs. Any student of history should read it. High school and college students should read this as it is first-hand experience of what happened in Eastern Europe and in this death camp. What about atrocities in the world now? Would eye witnesses be believed today? Would these kinds of "camps" be allowed to exist today? What would you do in such a situation? These are great discussion topics for younger people. I highly recommend this book. We must never forget.
The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel
by Jeanne Mackin
Fascinating history (2/26/2019)
Fashion, politics and love are prominent in this story as are the three primary colors - blue, red, yellow - and the three strong women in the narrator's life while she lived in Paris. I learned about the rivalry between Chanel and Schiaparelli, their backgrounds and personalities, the fashion industry in Paris prior to WWII, the lives of the wealthy there, the political intrigue, and a little of what it was like to be in Paris during the build-up to the war. The tension, fear, and denial of a possible war was well described. How could anything bad happen to Paris? "It was mad, this ignoring of reality just as reality was about to turn horrific." The author did a good job of presenting all of this, and I felt like I was there. I thought the emphasis on the primary colors by the painter-narrator was an interesting thread throughout the book. Her struggles to reclaim her life and painting after tragically losing her husband were effectively woven into the color theme, but I think colors were actually overused in her descriptions of everything in her life. I enjoyed this book and how it was written. Pictures of the historical characters, places, and fashions would be a nice addition. This is a good read for anyone interested in the fashion industry and that time period, and I certainly think book clubs would have a lot to talk about.
The Summer Wives
by Beatriz Williams
Summer Wives (5/17/2018)
The story grabbed me from the beginning and I didn't want to stop reading. It is well written. Alternating between time periods and social classes helped build the suspense of the novel. What is the back story of these characters? What secrets are they hiding? I enjoyed reading about the summer lives of the wealthy. Are all island resort communities like this? The descriptions were so good that I felt as though I were there. I felt I got to know the characters fairly well. I cared about several of them and just felt sorry for others. I did think the story dragged a little toward the end and then the pace picked up again. There is much to discus here for book clubs. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney
Fantastic! (11/8/2017)
I loved this book and I have been practically demanding that the people around me read it. I couldn't put it down. I started in the morning and all of a sudden it was dark outside. I would think I knew what was going on and then the author would throw a curveball. A couple times my jaw dropped at a plot development and I wondered how I had missed the clues. I definitely did not predict the ending. The author's prose is beautiful and compelling, and telling the twisted story in three time periods is clever. The troubled/troubling characters were well developed.
As soon as I finished it, I decided I needed to reread it to look for what I had missed. I believe it would make a suspenseful, tense movie and now I understand it will be a TV series. I think book clubs would have a lot to talk about. Congrats to the author on a fantastic story that I will never forget. I can't wait for her next novel.
The French Girl
by Lexie Elliott
old secrets (9/17/2017)
This is not great literature or beautiful, lyrical writing, but it is a terrific mystery and page turner. I couldn't put it down. Old college friends are haunted by their pasts and re-examine their friendships; long-held secrets are uncovered. Is a good friend capable of murder? What would you do to protect your friends? Would you betray a friend to save yourself? Would one of your friends betray you? Many people can relate to having a close group of friends in college (or in life), and no doubt some had potentially dangerous secrets. One nitpicking criticism of the writing was too many uses of "twin spots of color" (or similar words) on someone's face to show emotion. I cared about the characters, even the minor ones, and they drew me in. I did enjoy the ghost hanging around. This is quite the debut novel and would be good for book clubs as there are several themes to discuss. I will look for her next one. I think this would be such a good movie.
If We Were Villains
by M. L. Rio
Shakespearean Suspense (3/11/2017)
I liked this book a lot. The seven 4th-year Shakespearean actors and scholars were intriguing and well developed. They are at a small college and had been intensely studying and acting Shakespeare together for their entire college years. I initially worried that keeping seven characters straight was going to be challenging, but the author made them unique individuals fairly quickly. The heavy use of Shakespearean quotes added an interesting dimension to the characters and the book. The true story of what happened to them ten years earlier is gradually revealed, which of course makes it difficult to put the book down (I'll just read one more chapter and then stop) because of the suspense. It is well written and definitely grabbed me from the beginning although the use of parentheses bothered me a little - not sure it was necessary.
This would be a good book for discussion groups and it would not have to be limited to fans of Shakespeare. What could happen to members of any small, closely-connected group of people? What about the effects of secrets and guilt on people and relationships? Could you do what Oliver did? I am still thinking about this book days after finishing it.
Castle of Water: A Novel
by Dane Huckelbridge
beautiful prose (12/18/2016)
From the beginning of this book, I was blown away by the beautiful writing. It was a joy to read. The characters were well developed. I felt like I was on the island with them and went through their challenges with them. Their adventure was surprisingly better than I had anticipated from a castaway story. Quite a tribute to our will to survive. Without writing a spoiler, I would have liked more details about the later part of the story. I will look for the next book by this author.
The Girl Before
by JP Delaney
Suspenseful (11/10/2016)
An intense psychological thriller and page turner. I read this entire book on two airplane flights in one day. I could not put it down. It was well written, and the characters were developed through short chapters alternating between two women. It was a clever way to tell their stories. There were unexpected plot twists. What is the truth and what are the lies? I was actually sad to finish the book. I have already recommended it to many people and cannot wait to see the movie. There is much to discuss and it would be a good choice for a book club. Would you agree to live in such an austere home with so many rules? What kind of person would stay? Which of our treasured possessions are actually essential to our lives? This made me also think about my own life and clutter, both physical and emotional. Would a change to this type of environment transform us?
