Kim's bookshelf: all en-US Sat, 26 Apr 2025 12:13:58 -0700 60 Kim's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Look Both Ways 108517644 Inspired by his decades-long love of cars, internationally bestselling author Linwood Barclay envisions a world in which automotive technology outpaces our wildest dreams—and our darkest nightmares� in a gripping new novel of action and suspense.

These headlights are watching you�

The media have descended on Garrett Island, a small, isolated community that is the setting of a visionary experiment. All the residents� cars were sent to the mainland and for the past month the islanders have been “driving� the Arrival, a revolutionary autonomous vehicle. With a simple voice command, an Arrival will take you wherever you want to go and, because the fleet is networked and aware of one another, car travel is now 100% safe. The future, it seems, has arrived.

As the excitement reaches a fever pitch, Sandra Montrose � islander, single mom, and public relations executive � prepares for Arrival Inc.’s flashy press event. Sandra is more than ready for this new world. Her husband died after falling asleep at the wheel and she’s relieved that her two teens, Archie and Katie, will never need driver’s licenses.

But as the celebratory day gets underway, disaster strikes. A visiting journalist has vanished, possibly murdered. Before long, the Arrivals run amok, no longer taking orders from their passengers. They’re starting to organize. They’re beginning to hunt. And they seem hell-bent on killing any human they encounter.

Is this all just a tragic accident, a technological malfunction with deadly consequences? Or were the vehicles programmed to act this way in a cruel act of corporate sabotage? Or could it be that the Arrivals have a mind of their own?

Fasten your seatbelts � it’s going to be a bumpy ride.]]> 351 Linwood Barclay Kim 0 currently-reading 3.67 2022 Look Both Ways
author: Linwood Barclay
name: Kim
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, #2)]]> 55457493
Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.

As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?

But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?]]> 422 Richard Osman Kim 5 4.36 2021 The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, #2)
author: Richard Osman
name: Kim
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves:
review:
Such a fun story to read! Again full of humour and capers and twists that keep the storyline moving and entertaining! Definitely worth reading!
]]> The Great Alone 38395897
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: He will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America's last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents' passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights' lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt's fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in 18 hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: They are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska - a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night audiobook about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.]]> 15 Kristin Hannah Kim 5 4.28 2018 The Great Alone
author: Kristin Hannah
name: Kim
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/24
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves:
review:
Ernt Albright, Vietnam war hero comes home broken - he can’t keeps job, has nightmares and is violent (a changed man due to the war). He moves his family to Alaska, ill prepared for the harsh reality of living and surviving in Alaska. This book was an emotional roller coaster. Well worth the read!
]]> One Plus One 18693716 One single mom. One chaotic family. One quirky stranger. One irresistible love story from the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages... maybe ever.]]> 368 Jojo Moyes 0525426582 Kim 5 3.92 2014 One Plus One
author: Jojo Moyes
name: Kim
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/07
date added: 2025/04/12
shelves:
review:
Loved this book by Jojo Moyes! Laughed out loud and shed some tears and enjoyed all the emotions brought out by her writing!
]]> Never Saw it Coming 16268905 Clouded Vision - published in December 2010 under that title.

A chilling story of double-dealing, violence and murder from number one bestseller Linwood Barclay.

Keisha Ceylon is a psychic. At least, that's what she passes herself off as. The truth is, Keisha's real powers have more to do with separating troubled families from their money than actually seeing into the netherworld. Keisha watches the news for stories of missing family members. She gives it a few days, then moves in, tells these families she's had a vision, that she may have some clue to where these missing people are. And by the way, she charges for this service, and likes to see the money up front.

Keisha's latest mark is a man whose wife disappeared a week ago. She's seen him on TV, pleading for his wife to come home, or, if she's been abducted, pleading with whoever took her to let her go. Keisha knows a payoff when she sees one. So she pays a visit to our troubled husband and tells him her vision.

The trouble is, her vision just happens to be close enough to the truth that it leaves this man rattled. And it may very well leave Keisha dead...]]> 244 Linwood Barclay 140914142X Kim 4 3.69 2010 Never Saw it Coming
author: Linwood Barclay
name: Kim
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/11
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves:
review:
A chilling and fast paced thriller with lots of surprising twists! An enjoyable read!
]]> Verity 48500669
Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

A standalone romantic thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, releasing December 18th.]]> Colleen Hoover Kim 3 3.68 2018 Verity
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Kim
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/24
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves:
review:
Verity Crawford is a bestselling author who is injured in a car accident. Lowen was hired by Jeremy, Verity’s husband, to complete the remaining 3 books in the series Verity was writing. A very dark and sinister plot is revealed over the time Lowen is living with the Crawford’s and you are constantly wondering what is happening! Scary and very sexual!
]]> <![CDATA[A Red Herring Without Mustard (Flavia de Luce, #3)]]> 8517009 In the third installment of this bestselling, award-winning, sister-poisoning, bicycle-riding, murder-investigating, and utterly captivating series, Flavia de Luce must draw upon Gypsy lore and her encyclopaedic knowledge of poisons to prevent a grave miscarriage of justice.

“You frighten me,� the old Gypsy woman says. “Never have I seen my crystal ball so filled with darkness.� So begins eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce’s third adventure through the charming but deceptively dark byways of the village of Bishop’s Lacey. The fortune teller also claims to see a woman who is lost and needs help to get home—and Flavia knows it must be her mother Harriet, who died when Flavia was less than a year old. The Gypsy’s vision opens up old wounds for our precocious yet haunted heroine, and sets her mind racing in search of what it could mean.

When Flavia later goes to visit the Gypsy at her encampment, she certainly doesn’t expect to find the poor old woman lying near death in her caravan, bludgeoned in the wee hours. Was it an act of retribution by those who thought that the woman had abducted a local child years before? Certainly Flavia understands the bliss of settling scores; revenge is a delightful pastime when one has two odious older sisters. But how can she prove this crime is connected to the missing baby? Did it have something to do with the weird sect who met at the river to practice their secret rites?

While still pondering the possibilities, Flavia stumbles upon a corpse—that of a notorious layabout and bully she had only recently caught prowling about Buckshaw. The body hangs from a statue of Poseidon in Flavia’s very own backyard, and our unflappable sleuth knows it’s up to her to figure out the significance. Pedalling her faithful bicycle, Gladys, across the countryside in search of clues to both crimes, Flavia uncovers secrets both long-buried and freshly stowed—the dodgy dealings of a local ironworks, the truth behind the Hobblers� secret meetings, her own ancestor’s ambitious plans—all the while exhausting the patience of Inspector Hewitt. But it’s not long before the evidence starts falling into place, and Flavia must take drastic action to prevent another violent attack.

]]> 378 Alan Bradley 0385665865 Kim 4 3.99 2011 A Red Herring Without Mustard (Flavia de Luce, #3)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/23
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves:
review:
Another interesting mystery written by AlanBradley about a mischievous 11 year old named Flavia. I am enjoying the series!
]]> <![CDATA[The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference]]> 5741223

In THE TIPPING POINT, New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell, looks at why major changes in society happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a few fare-beaters and graffiti artists fuel a subway crime wave, or a satisfied customer fill the empty tables of a new restaurant. These are social epidemics, and the moment when they take off, when they reach their critical mass, is the Tipping Point.

Gladwell uncovers the personality types who are natural pollinators of new ideas and trends. He analyzes fashion trends, smoking, children's television, direct mail and the early days of the American Revolution for clues about making ideas infectious. THE TIPPING POINT is an intellectual adventure story with an infectious enthusiasm for the power and joy of new ideas. Most of all, it is a road map to change, with a profoundly hopeful message—that one imaginative person applying a well-placed lever can move the world.

Length 08:33:41]]> 9 Malcolm Gladwell 1600240089 Kim 2 3.69 2002 The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
author: Malcolm Gladwell
name: Kim
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2002
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves:
review:
The book was interesting but was repetitive and kind of boring. I listened to this audiobook on my walks and found my mind wandering at times.
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Man (Mitch Rapp, #13)]]> 16130623 #1 internationally bestselling author Vince Flynn “has never been better� (The Providence Journal) in this latest pulse-pounding thriller featuring an invaluable CIA agent who goes missing. Joe Rickman, head of CIA clandestine operations in Afghanistan, has been kidnapped and his four bodyguards executed in cold blood. But Mitch Rapp’s experience and nose for the truth make him wonder if something even more sinister isn’t afoot. Irene Kennedy, director of the CIA, has dispatched him to Afghanistan to find Rickman at all costs.

Rapp, however, isn’t the only one looking for Rickman. The FBI is, too, and it quickly becomes apparent that they’re less concerned with finding Rickman than placing the blame on Rapp.

With CIA operations in crisis, Rapp must be as ruthless and deceitful as his enemies if he has any hope of finding Rickman and completing his mission. But with elements within his own government working against both him and American interests, will Rapp be stopped dead before he can succeed?]]> 485 Vince Flynn 1416595236 Kim 5 4.27 2012 The Last Man (Mitch Rapp, #13)
author: Vince Flynn
name: Kim
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/14
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves:
review:
Loved this fast paced book! Another great by Vince Flynn! Joe Rickman, head of CIA clandestine operations in Afghanistan, is taken and the rush is on to find him before all their secrets are revealed. So many unexpected twists in this book.
]]> Hidden Valley Road 200516367
Don and Mimi Galvin seemed to be living the American dream. After World War II, Don's work with the Air Force brought them to Colorado, where their twelve children perfectly spanned the baby boom: the oldest born in 1945, the youngest in 1965. In those years, there was an established script for a family like the Galvins--aspiration, hard work, upward mobility, domestic harmony--and they worked hard to play their parts. But behind the scenes was a different story: psychological breakdown, sudden shocking violence, hidden abuse. By the mid-1970s, six of the ten Galvin boys, one after another, were diagnosed as schizophrenic. How could all this happen to one family?

What took place inside the house on Hidden Valley Road was so extraordinary that the Galvins became one of the first families to be studied by the National Institute of Mental Health. Their story offers a shadow history of the science of schizophrenia, from the era of institutionalization, lobotomy, and the schizophrenogenic mother to the search for genetic markers for the disease, always amid profound disagreements about the nature of the illness itself. And unbeknownst to the Galvins, samples of their DNA informed decades of genetic research that continues today, offering paths to treatment, prediction, and even eradication of the disease for future generations.

With clarity and compassion, bestselling and award-winning author Robert Kolker uncovers one family's unforgettable legacy of suffering, love, and hope.]]> Robert Kolker Kim 3 4.00 2020 Hidden Valley Road
author: Robert Kolker
name: Kim
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/28
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves:
review:
This was a very interesting book on a family with 12 children and 6 suffered from schizophrenia. Sadly lots of heartbreak for the entire family! Unfortunately still more effort has to be put in to come up with a cure.
]]> The Woman in the Library 57882343 In every person's story, there is something to hide...

The ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is quiet, until the tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers sitting at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning—it just happens that one is a murderer.

Award-winning author Sulari Gentill delivers a sharply thrilling read with THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY, an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all.]]> 267 Sulari Gentill 1464215871 Kim 4 3.56 2022 The Woman in the Library
author: Sulari Gentill
name: Kim
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/18
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves:
review:
A different style of writing brought this book to life. I must admit I was a little lost to start with, but I ended up really enjoying the book!
]]> The Unraveling of Julia 221179145
Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she’s cursed. She’s lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.

Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard - but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.

There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse with delusions of grandeur, who believed herself to be a descendent of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Julia is stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi and even to Caterina, then she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.

Before long, Julia suspects she’s being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her disturbed mind. When events turn deadly, she breaks with reality.

Julia’s harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival.]]> 400 Lisa Scottoline 1538769999 Kim 0 to-read 3.61 The Unraveling of Julia
author: Lisa Scottoline
name: Kim
average rating: 3.61
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery]]> 13063956
Flavia thinks that her days of crime-solving in the bucolic English hamlet of Bishop's Lacy are over--and then Rupert Porson has an unfortunate rendezvous with electricity. The beloved puppeteer has had his own strings sizzled, but who'd do such a thing and why? For Flavia, the questions are intriguing enough to make her put aside her chemistry experiments and schemes of vengeance against her insufferable big sisters. Astride Gladys, her trusty bicycle, Flavia sets out from the de Luces' crumbling family mansion in search of Bishop's Lacey's deadliest secrets.

Does the madwoman who lives in Gibbet Wood know more than she's letting on? What of the vicar's odd ministrations to the catatonic woman in the dovecote? Then there's a German pilot obsessed with the Bronte sisters, a reproachful spinster aunt, and even a box of poisoned chocolates. Most troubling of all is Porson's assistant, the charming but erratic Nialla. All clues point toward a suspicious death years earlier and a case the local constables can't solve--without Flavia's help. But in getting so close to who's secretly pulling the strings of this dance of death, has our precocious heroine finally gotten in way over her head?
]]> Alan Bradley 0307704777 Kim 3 3.78 2010 The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/14
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves:
review:
The 2nd book in the series of Flavia again involved in trying to solve a murder. Her family members and the people she meets and interacts with, brings humour and seriousness to the story line.
]]> All the Broken Places 195861694
Ninety-one-year-old Gretel Fernsby has lived in the same well-to-do mansion block in London for decades. She lives a quiet, comfortable life, despite her deeply disturbing, dark past. She doesn’t talk about her escape from Nazi Germany at age twelve. She doesn’t talk about the grim postwar years in France with her mother. Most of all, she doesn’t talk about her father, who was the commandant of one of the Reich’s most notorious extermination camps.

Then, a new family moves into the apartment below her. In spite of herself, Gretel can’t help but begin a friendship with the little boy, Henry, though his presence brings back memories she would rather forget. One night, she witnesses a disturbing, violent argument between Henry’s beautiful mother and his arrogant father, one that threatens Gretel’s hard-won, self-contained existence.

Immersive, chilling, unputdownable, All the Broken Places moves back and forth in time between Gretel’s girlhood in Germany and present-day London. Here, Gretel is at a similar crossroads to the one she encountered long ago. Then, she denied her own complicity, but now, faced with a chance to interrogate her guilt, grief, and remorse, she can choose to save a young boy. If she does, she will be forced to reveal the secrets she has spent a lifetime protecting. This time, she can make a different choice than before—whatever the cost to herself.]]> 400 John Boyne 0593653440 Kim 0 to-read 4.44 2022 All the Broken Places
author: John Boyne
name: Kim
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #1)]]> 18775247
Months later, an ex-cop named Bill Hodges, still haunted by the unsolved crime, contemplates suicide. When he gets a crazed letter from "the perk," claiming credit for the murders, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, fearing another even more diabolical attack and hell-bent on preventing it.

Brady Hartfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with a couple of eccentric and mismatched allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady's next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.

Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.
--front flap]]> 437 Stephen King 1476754454 Kim 5 4.01 2014 Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #1)
author: Stephen King
name: Kim
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/05
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves:
review:
Another Stephen King’s books at his best! Bill Hodges teams up with two unlikely hero’s races against time to save the day! Page turner to the end!
]]> <![CDATA[American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century]]> 56948735
When journalist Maureen Callahan first heard about Israel Keyes in 2012, she was captivated by how a killer of this magnitude could go undetected by law enforcement for over a decade. And so began a project that consumed her for the next several years - uncovering the true story behind how the FBI ultimately caught Israel Keyes, and trying to understand what it means for a killer like Keyes to exist. A killer who left a path of monstrous, randomly committed crimes in his wake - many of which remain unsolved to this day.

American Predator is the ambitious culmination of years of interviews with key figures in law enforcement and in Keyes's life, and research uncovered from classified FBI files. Callahan takes us on a journey into the chilling, nightmarish mind of a relentless killer, and to the limitations of traditional law enforcement.]]> 299 Maureen Callahan Kim 4 3.82 2019 American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century
author: Maureen Callahan
name: Kim
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/26
date added: 2025/01/26
shelves:
review:
Very disturbing but interesting book! How someone with little education, but very handy could plan out and commit multiple murders without a trace and no remorse.
]]> Apples Never Fall 56143578 #1 New York Times Bestseller
A Peacock Original TV Series–Streaming Soon

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Liane Moriarty comes a novel that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest

The Delaney family love one another dearly—it’s just that sometimes they want to murder each other . . .

If your mother was missing, would you tell the police? Even if the most obvious suspect was your father?

This is the dilemma facing the four grown Delaney siblings.

The Delaneys are fixtures in their community. The parents, Stan and Joy, are the envy of all of their friends. They’re killers on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after fifty years of marriage, they’ve finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. So why are Stan and Joy so miserable?

The four Delaney children—Amy, Logan, Troy, and Brooke—were tennis stars in their own right, yet as their father will tell you, none of them had what it took to go all the way. But that’s okay, now that they’re all successful grown-ups and there is the wonderful possibility of grandchildren on the horizon.

One night a stranger named Savannah knocks on Stan and Joy’s door, bleeding after a fight with her boyfriend. The Delaneys are more than happy to give her the small kindness she sorely needs. If only that was all she wanted.

Later, when Joy goes missing, and Savannah is nowhere to be found, the police question the one person who remains: Stan. But for someone who claims to be innocent, he, like many spouses, seems to have a lot to hide. Two of the Delaney children think their father is innocent, two are not so sure—but as the two sides square off against each other in perhaps their biggest match ever, all of the Delaneys will start to reexamine their shared family history in a very new light.]]> 467 Liane Moriarty 1250220254 Kim 4 3.69 2021 Apples Never Fall
author: Liane Moriarty
name: Kim
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/20
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves:
review:
Good book - I enjoyed the way it was written between present and past and the outcome of the book!
]]> Yellowface 62967013
So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? This piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller. That is what June believes, and The New York Times bestseller list agrees.

But June cannot escape Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens her stolen success. As she races to protect her secret she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.]]> R.F. Kuang 0063250861 Kim 4 3.80 2023 Yellowface
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Kim
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/13
date added: 2025/01/14
shelves:
review:
I’ve just listened to my first audio book on my walks. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It held me from the start and was gripping and entertaining! It brought you into the mind of someone with twisted, dark thoughts.
]]> The Holiday Swap 57063393 All they want for Christmas is a different life.

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell—both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?]]> 352 Maggie Knox 0735241155 Kim 5 3.61 2021 The Holiday Swap
author: Maggie Knox
name: Kim
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves:
review:
I so enjoyed this Holiday read! Identical twin sisters swap places days before Christmas and the adventure begins! Definitely a fun, warm Christmas read!
]]> All I Want for Christmas 60092691 True love wasn't on their holiday wish list.

When Sadie and Max are selected as contestants on the famed reality singing show Starmaker, each thinks they've finally gotten their big Nashville break. But then they're paired up for duet week and stun the world with their romantic onstage chemistry. With fans going wild for #Saxie the network demands that they remain a duo on and offstage, or exit the competition. Faking a relationship until their final performance in the Starmaker holiday special shouldn't be too hard, except for one small problem--Sadie and Max can't stand each other.

But with their dreams just within reach, they agree to the ruse. Will their fake relationship be exposed before they can win? Or will an unexpected trip to Banff spark real feelings by the Christmas finale?]]> 352 Maggie Knox 0735241120 Kim 0 to-read 3.15 2022 All I Want for Christmas
author: Maggie Knox
name: Kim
average rating: 3.15
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Presumed Guilty (Presumed Innocent #3)]]> 213890792 New from the author of Presumed Innocent, the #1 bestseller that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever.

Rusty is a retired judge attempting a third act in life with a loving soon-to-be wife, Bea, with whom he shares both a restful home on an idyllic lake in the rural Midwest and a plaintive hope that this marriage will be his best, and his last. But the peace that’s taken Rusty so long to find evaporates when Bea’s young adult son, Aaron, living under their supervision while on probation for drug possession, disappears. If Aaron doesn’t return soon, he will be sent back to jail.

Aaron eventually turns up with a vague story about a camping trip with his troubled girlfriend, Mae, that ended in a fight and a long hitchhike home. Days later, when she still hasn’t returned, suspicion falls on Aaron, and when Mae is subsequently discovered dead, Aaron is arrested and set for trial on charges of first degree murder.

Faced with few choices and even fewer hopes, Bea begs Rusty to return to court one last time, to defend her son and to save their last best hope for happiness. For Rusty, the question is not whether to defend Aaron, or whether the boy is in fact innocent—it’s whether the system to which he has devoted his life can ever provide true justice for those who are presumed guilty.]]> 544 Scott Turow 1538706369 Kim 0 to-read 4.23 2025 Presumed Guilty (Presumed Innocent #3)
author: Scott Turow
name: Kim
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: to-read
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]]> Indiscretion 222505124
He's her boss. She's his greatest temptation.

The first time I met Dawson Reed, we wound up in bed.
The problem was, neither of us knew the other were there.
When I woke up in the middle of the night and found a stranger next to me, instinct kicked in and I attacked the intruder.
Only it turned out, the man wasn’t an intruder at all.
Dawson had rented this cabin, too. Apparently, a system glitch allowed a duplicate booking.
We’d soon find out we were in town for the same wedding, and Dawson was the groomsman I’d been warned about. He was as tall, dark and jaw-droppingly gorgeous as my best friend had described. Though she was also right when she’d said you two will hate each other.
When daylight rolled around, Dawson and I attempted to straighten out the mess we found ourselves in. But it proved to be more difficult than we initially thought. Since it was a holiday weekend, there wasn’t a single room available for more than fifty miles.
I suppose things could be worse than sharing a cabin for a weekend with a handsome man you despise.
Like maybe him winding up being your new boss?]]> 339 Vi Keeland 1959827855 Kim 0 to-read 3.97 2025 Indiscretion
author: Vi Keeland
name: Kim
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> Lost Seeds: The Legacy 216655744 Shaped by the ghosts of their parents� former enslavement, two brothers, Dub and Tim, must decide—confront the past or suffer the consequences forever?

In this riveting continuation of the Brisco family saga, brothers Dub and Tim strive to persevere against their early 1900s post-slavery beginnings—clashing with their history of family trauma and their different coping mechanisms for living in a world that doesn’t accept them. While Dub becomes a respected coal miner and finds prosperity for his family, Tim continues a slow descent into a fog of psychosis, alcoholism, and perpetual joblessness—forced to live an isolated existence on Dub’s property despite his desire for deeper connection.

When the ultimate tragedy strikes and the family is forced to confront the deep-seated racism of their small town and the resentments they hold toward one another, the brothers are forced to confront the wounds of their past, leaving them wondering if their actions are the toll exacted for the next generation's progress. Will they overcome their disparate lives and animosity toward one another and come together to protect the next generation, or is it too late?

Set against the backdrop of 1960s America, Lost The Legacy is a suspenseful tale of love, heartbreak, and the enduring bonds of brothers. As the echoes of personal and collective history reverberate through the lives of Dub, Tim, and their descendants, their story serves as a powerful reminder that sowing the seeds of progress is often paid in blood, sweat, and fractured pieces of the heart.]]> 218 Teresa Mosley Sebastian Kim 0 to-read 4.00 Lost Seeds: The Legacy
author: Teresa Mosley Sebastian
name: Kim
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> <![CDATA[Chase Lovett Wants Me (Tilton University)]]> 222209967 A brand new standalone, opposites attract, college hockey romance.

Chase Lovett.
Star of my (unrequited) fantasies.
Hottest guy on campus.
Hockey god.

Too bad he has no idea who I am. Literally, I’m so invisible to him that he once sat on me in class.

No thanks to a fire in the dorms, he just became my accidental roommate.
Did I mention the hotel room our university moved us to has only one bed?
Not ideal.

Worse, I accidentally left “My Precious� Lord of the Rings underwear hanging to dry in our shower.
My actual nightmare.

My name is Cammie Lovelock and this might just be the worst, best thing that’s ever happened to me.]]> 226 Helena Hunting 1998657027 Kim 0 to-read 3.51 Chase Lovett Wants Me (Tilton University)
author: Helena Hunting
name: Kim
average rating: 3.51
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> <![CDATA[The Harder I Fight the More I Love You: A Memoir]]> 214175247 An unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary life—one forged through a poverty-stricken childhood in “slummy, one-horse towns�; obsessive desire; bursts of comedy; and indispensable friendships, reflecting on the way art, music, and a deep connection to nature helped her on a singular journeyto become a beloved, Grammy-nominated artist.

Neko Case has long been revered as one of music’s most influential artists, whose authenticity, lyrical storytelling, and sly wit have endeared her to a legion of critics, musicians, and lifelong fans.InThe Harder I Fight, the More I Love You,Casebrings her trademarkcandor andprecisionto a memoir that traces her evolution from an invisiblegirl “raised by two dogs and a space heater� in rural Washington state toher improbable emergence as an internationally-acclaimed talent. In luminous, sharp-edged prose, Caseshows readers what it’s like to be left alone for hours and hours as a child, to take refuge in the woods around her home, and to channel themonotony and loneliness and joy that comes from music, camaraderie, and shared experience into art.

The Harder I Fight, the More I Love Youis a rebellious meditation on identity and corruption, and a manifesto on how to make space for ourselves in this world, despite the obstacles we face.


]]> 271 Neko Case 1538710501 Kim 0 to-read 4.07 2025 The Harder I Fight the More I Love You: A Memoir
author: Neko Case
name: Kim
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> The Lotus Shoes 213888716 An empowering, uplifting tale of two women from opposite sides of society, and their extraordinary journey of sisterhood, betrayal, love and triumph.

1800s China. Tightly bound feet, or "golden lilies," are the mark of an honorable woman, eclipsing beauty, a rich dowry and even bloodline in the marriage stakes. When Little Flower is sold as a maidservant—a muizai—to Linjing, a daughter of the prominent Fong family, she clings to the hope that one day her golden lilies will lead her out of slavery.

Not only does Little Flower have bound feet, uncommon for a muizai, but she is extraordinarily gifted at embroidery, a skill associated with the highest class of a lady. Resentful of her talents, Linjing does everything in her power to thwart Little Flower's escape.

But when scandal strikes the Fongs, both women are cast out to the Celibate Sisterhood, where Little Flower’s artistic prowess catches the eye of a nobleman. His attention threatens not only her improved status, but her life—the Sisterhood punishes disobedience with death. And if Linjing finds out, will she sabotage Little Flower to reclaim her power, or will she protect her?]]> 368 Jane Yang 0778310671 Kim 0 to-read 4.21 2025 The Lotus Shoes
author: Jane Yang
name: Kim
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> The Locked Ward 217388258 Was it...
Bitter, all-consuming jealousy?
Pathological sibling rivalry?
Pure insanity?

Whatever the cause—and everyone has a theory—it's the Crime of the Decade when glamorous Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family.

Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.�

Amanda doesn't trust Georgia, but she can't abandon her in a place so eerie and menacing that it seems to exist in another dimension. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family that's so depraved murder is the least of their crimes? Or is Amanda being led down a path of madness into the web of a master manipulator?

Nothing is as it seems in Sarah Pekkanen’s The Locked Ward, a shocking psychological thriller about the complex bonds of sisterhood—and what happens when they are stretched to the breaking point.

Some doors in the Locked Ward should never be opened.]]> 320 Sarah Pekkanen 1250349516 Kim 0 to-read 3.90 2025 The Locked Ward
author: Sarah Pekkanen
name: Kim
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> Party of Liars 217388119 A lavish, Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen turns deadly in this twisty, pulse-pounding new novel � serving up a fresh take on a classic locked-room whodunnit. Let the festivities begin�

Today is Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party, an exclusive black-tie bash in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where secrets are as deep-rooted as the sprawling live oaks. Sophie’s dad has spared no expense, and his renovated cliffside mansion—once thought haunted—is now hosting the event of the season. Then, just before the candles on the three-tiered red velvet cake are blown out, a body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below.

It’s a killer guest list . . .

DANI: Sophie’s new stepmother who’s been plagued by self-doubt ever since the birth of her own baby girl

Ѹ鳢ձ: the superstitious Irish nanny who senses a looming danger in this cavernous house

MIKAYLA: the birthday girl’s best friend who is not nearly as meek as the popular kids assume

KIM: the cunning ex-wife who has a grudge she can’t let go of . . .

Everyone is invited in. Not everyone will get out alive. ]]> 336 Kelsey Cox 1250378818 Kim 0 to-read 4.09 2025 Party of Liars
author: Kelsey Cox
name: Kim
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> High Season 217388179 Never speak of that summer.

On a beautiful summer’s night twenty years ago, troubled seventeen-year-old Tamara Drayton was found floating face-down in the pool of her family’s idyllic mansion in the south of France, leaving her twin brother, golden-boy Blake, to pick up the pieces of their shattered family.

Also left behind was their sister Nina who, at six years old, became the youngest person ever to testify in a French murder trial. Because she’s the only one who saw what happened—who watched as her babysitter, Josie Jackson, pushed Tamara under the water, and held her there until she stopped breathing.

Didn’t she? Twenty years later, Nina's memories have faded, leaving her with no idea of what really transpired that night. When a new true crime documentary about her sister’s murder is announced, Nina thinks this might be her chance to finally find out.

But the truth always comes at a cost. Who will pay the price?

Set over two unforgettable summers two decades apart, High Season is a dark, tense exploration of the nature of memory, the enduring power of truth, and all the gray areas in between.]]> 384 Katie Bishop 1250283930 Kim 0 to-read 4.09 2025 High Season
author: Katie Bishop
name: Kim
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> The Lake Escape 217387729 The next riveting summer suspense by the author of THE BLOCK PARTY and ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY, Jamie Day.

WILL THIS BE THE BEST WEEK OF THEIR LIVES... OR THE LAST?

JULIA, DAVID, AND ERIKA grew up together spending summers at their idyllic Vermont lake homes for as long as they can remember. Now adults—with their own sullen teens, endless mortgages, and low-voltage sex lives—the three friends have amassed secrets over the years.

This summer, David is eager to show off his newly renovated home—which now blocks his friends� cherished lake views—and his much-younger girlfriend. He also, unwittingly, brings a nanny with a hidden agenda. What could possibly go wrong?

When David’s girlfriend mysteriously vanishes after a shouting match, Julia and Erika wonder just how well they know their lifelong friend. The lake harbors a harrowing two young women, with no known connection, vanished without a trace thirty years ago. Did the lake take another?

As a search is mounted, an intricate web of lies, deceits, and betrayals spanning generations starts to surface, and everyone finds themselves in danger of becoming the next victim. Of the lake, or something darker.]]> 368 Jamie Day 1250358191 Kim 0 to-read 3.69 The Lake Escape
author: Jamie Day
name: Kim
average rating: 3.69
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> The Frozen River 112975658 A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.]]> 432 Ariel Lawhon 0385546874 Kim 0 to-read 4.37 2023 The Frozen River
author: Ariel Lawhon
name: Kim
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> <![CDATA[North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner]]> 178795275 The incomparable first-hand account of the historic Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada told by one of the commissioners who led it.


The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established to record the previously hidden history of more than a century of forced residential schooling for Indigenous children. Marie Wilson helped lead that work as one of just three commissioners. With the skills of a journalist, the heart of a mother and grandmother, and the insights of a life as the spouse of a residential school survivor, Commissioner Wilson guides readers through her years witnessing survivor testimony across the country, providing her unique perspective on the personal toll and enduring public value of the commission. In this unparalleled account, she honours the voices of survivors who have called Canada to attention, determined to heal, reclaim, and thrive.


Part vital public documentary, part probing memoir, North of Nowhere breathes fresh air into the possibilities of reconciliation amid the persistent legacy of residential schools. It is a call to everyone to view the important and continuing work of reconciliation not as an obligation but as a gift.]]> 363 Marie Wilson 1487011490 Kim 0 to-read 4.56 North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner
author: Marie Wilson
name: Kim
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/18
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]]> <![CDATA[Heartbeats 'til Christmas (Star Creek Christmas Collection)]]> 148344928
Justin, a young doctor looking to rebuild his practice and reconnect his family, shows up in Star Creek. From the moment they meet, sparks fly. As they make fast friends, he’s immediately drawn to her big heart and effortless charm. It’s not long before Calla realizes he comes with more baggage than first meets the eye.

Offering a listening ear is easy. What will it take to trust him, in turn, with her secrets? Will their unreconciled pasts keep them from a bright future? Will this season of hope help them find the joy of their own hearts?]]> 234 Michelle Wright Kim 0 to-read 0.0 Heartbeats 'til Christmas (Star Creek Christmas Collection)
author: Michelle Wright
name: Kim
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/18
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]]> The Berry Pickers 61722734 A four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, sparking a tragic mystery that haunts the survivors, unravels a community, and remains unsolved for nearly fifty years.

July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come.

In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, her mother frustratingly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination. As she grows older, Norma slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover this family secret.

For readers of The Vanishing Half and Woman of Light, this showstopping debut by a vibrant new voice in fiction is a riveting novel about the search for truth, the shadow of trauma, and the persistence of love across time.]]> 314 Amanda Peters 1443468193 Kim 5 4.45 2023 The Berry Pickers
author: Amanda Peters
name: Kim
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/16
date added: 2024/12/16
shelves:
review:
Such a well written book about a missing 4 year old girl - her new life and how her old family continues on without her. It was an emotional read but worth it!
]]> <![CDATA[Christmas Nights at the Star and Lantern]]> 198251197 288 Helen Rolfe 1804155462 Kim 4 3.83 Christmas Nights at the Star and Lantern
author: Helen Rolfe
name: Kim
average rating: 3.83
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/05
date added: 2024/12/05
shelves:
review:
An enjoyable Christmas book! A light, feel good read!
]]> A Gentleman in Moscow 34066798 The mega-bestseller with more than 2 million readers—Now a Paramount+ with Showtime series starring Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov

From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and Rules of Civility, a beautifully transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.]]> 462 Amor Towles Kim 0 to-read 4.28 2016 A Gentleman in Moscow
author: Amor Towles
name: Kim
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/27
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]]> The Lincoln Highway 75361333 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

More than ONE MILLION copies sold

A TODAY Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

A New York Times Notable Book, and Chosen by Oprah Daily, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Bill Gates and Barack Obama as a Best Book of the Year

"Wise and wildly entertaining . . . permeated with light, wit, youth." --The New York Times Book Review

"A classic that we will read for years to come." --Jenna Bush Hager, Read with Jenna book club

"A real joyride . . . elegantly constructed and compulsively readable." - NPR

The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America

In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett's intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden's car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett's future, one that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite direction--to the City of New York.

Spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles's third novel will satisfy fans of his multi-layered literary styling while providing them an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes. "Once again, I was wowed by Towles's writing--especially because The Lincoln Highway is so different from A Gentleman in Moscow in terms of setting, plot, and themes. Towles is not a one-trick pony. Like all the best storytellers, he has range. He takes inspiration from famous hero's journeys, including The Iliad, The Odyssey, Hamlet, Huckleberry Finn, and Of Mice and Men. He seems to be saying that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as an interstate highway. But, he suggests, when something (or someone) tries to steer us off course, it is possible to take the wheel." - Bill Gates]]> 576 Amor Towles 0735222363 Kim 5 4.20 2021 The Lincoln Highway
author: Amor Towles
name: Kim
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/26
date added: 2024/11/26
shelves:
review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book full of adventures! Emmett and his brother Billy want to go to California, but Woolly and Duchess have other plans and they end up in New York, far from their intended route. The people they meet in their travels add to enjoyment of reading this book!
]]> Demon Copperhead 60194162 "Anyone will tell you the born of this world are marked from the get-out, win or lose."

Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, this is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father's good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.

Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens' anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can't imagine leaving behind.]]> 560 Barbara Kingsolver 0063251922 Kim 3 4.46 2022 Demon Copperhead
author: Barbara Kingsolver
name: Kim
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/18
date added: 2024/11/18
shelves:
review:
The book was a very interesting read but far too long.
]]> <![CDATA[The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches]]> 60018635 A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family--and a new love--changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for....
]]> 318 Sangu Mandanna 059343935X Kim 4 4.04 2022 The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
author: Sangu Mandanna
name: Kim
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/21
date added: 2024/10/21
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed this cute story with quirky characters and magic in the air! A romance story along with real life lessons. A definite great Halloween read!
]]> Fearless 59339235
Anna Campbell is ready to take her first tentative steps back into the world after widowhood. On a singles cruise, she meets divorced professor Ryan Robertson, and the sparks between them are undeniable. Back home in West Texas, Anna and Ryan continue their romance, and Anna decides it’s time for their families to meet.

But the idyllic relationships Anna is hoping for are quickly thrown into doubt. Ryan and his children are more complicated than they seem. And as the situation grows more desperate, Anna must reach deep within and draw on all her courage and self-reliance to fight for the family and home she deserves . . .
]]> 290 Fern Michaels 1496714571 Kim 0 to-read 4.28 2020 Fearless
author: Fern Michaels
name: Kim
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics]]> 18667902 Seabiscuit and Unbroken, the dramatic story of the American rowing team that stunned the world at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Daniel James Brown's robust book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.

The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British boat builder, but it is their trust in each other that makes them a victorious team. They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls together—a perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism.

Drawing on the boys' own diaries and journals, their photos and memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, The Boys in the Boat is an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate story of nine working-class boys from the American west who, in the depths of the Great Depression, showed the world what true grit really meant. It will appeal to readers of Erik Larson, Timothy Egan, James Bradley, and David Halberstam's The Amateurs.

]]> 404 Daniel James Brown 0143125478 Kim 5 4.46 2013 The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
author: Daniel James Brown
name: Kim
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2022/05/29
date added: 2024/10/16
shelves:
review:
Enjoyed reading this book from start to finish and all the challenges the Americans faced on their way to winning gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympics!
]]> <![CDATA[A World of Curiosities (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #18)]]> 61885003 Agatha Award Winner for Best Contemporary Novel

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns in the eighteenth book in #1 New York Times bestseller Louise Penny's beloved series.

It’s spring and Three Pines is reemerging after the harsh winter. But not everything buried should come alive again. Not everything lying dormant should reemerge.

But something has.

As the villagers prepare for a special celebration, Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir find themselves increasingly worried. A young man and woman have reappeared in the Sûreté du Québec investigators� lives after many years. The two were young children when their troubled mother was murdered, leaving them damaged, shattered. Now they’ve arrived in the village of Three Pines.

But to what end?

Gamache and Beauvoir’s memories of that tragic case, the one that first brought them together, come rushing back. Did their mother’s murder hurt them beyond repair? Have those terrible wounds, buried for decades, festered and are now about to erupt?

As Chief Inspector Gamache works to uncover answers, his alarm grows when a letter written by a long dead stone mason is discovered. In it the man describes his terror when bricking up an attic room somewhere in the village. Every word of the 160-year-old letter is filled with dread. When the room is found, the villagers decide to open it up.

As the bricks are removed, Gamache, Beauvoir and the villagers discover a world of curiosities. But the head of homicide soon realizes there’s more in that room than meets the eye. There are puzzles within puzzles, and hidden messages warning of mayhem and revenge.

In unsealing that room, an old enemy is released into their world. Into their lives. And into the very heart of Armand Gamache’s home.]]> 400 Louise Penny 1250145309 Kim 4 4.39 2022 A World of Curiosities (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #18)
author: Louise Penny
name: Kim
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/13
date added: 2024/10/13
shelves:
review:
This was another one of Louise Penny’s interesting and thought provoking novels! She weaves a tale of evil and darkness that also combines goodness and light and hope in the story! It took me a bit to get into this book but in the end I enjoyed it!
]]> <![CDATA[The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1)]]> 40605285 386 Alan Bradley 0440338468 Kim 4 3.86 2009 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/05
date added: 2024/10/05
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed this book (1st in a series) that was recommended to me by a friend. Flavia, an 11 year old, is a very smart and quirky child who loves solving mysteries. I enjoyed all the interesting characters and their interactions with each other.
]]> <![CDATA[Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire]]> 203578896 The first unauthorized look at the inner workings―and ultimate breakdown―of the Disney Channel machine

For many kids growing up in the 2000s, there was no cultural touchstone more powerful than Disney Channel, the most-watched cable channel in prime time at its peak. Today it might best be known for introducing the world to talents like Hilary Duff, Raven-Symoné, Zac Efron, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, and Zendaya.

It wasn't always destined for greatness: When Disney Channel launched in 1983, it was a forgotten stepchild within the Walt Disney Company, forever in the shadow of Disney’s more profitable movies and theme parks. But after letting the stars of their Mickey Mouse Club revival―among them Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling―slip through their fingers, Disney Channel reinvented itself as a powerhouse tween network. In the new millennium it churned out billions of dollars in original content and triple-threat stars whose careers were almost entirely controlled by the corporation. Suddenly everyone wanted a piece of the pie―and there were constant clashes between the studio, network, labels, and creatives as Disney Channel became a pressure cooker of perfection for its stars.

From private feuds and on-set disasters, to fanfare that swept the nation and the realities of child stardom, culture journalist Ashley Spencer offers the inside story of the heyday of TV’s House of Mouse, featuring hundreds of exclusive new interviews with former Disney executives, creatives, and celebrities to explore the highs, lows, and everything in between.]]> 336 Ashley Spencer 1250283450 Kim 0 to-read 4.01 2024 Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire
author: Ashley Spencer
name: Kim
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: to-read
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]]> The Lies We Leave Behind 204906169
Somewhere in the Pacific, 1943. Kate Campbell is a nurse who bravely flies back and forth from the front to rescue wounded soldiers, amid long days, harsh conditions and often dangerous weather. Driven by a deep personal need to help in the war effort, she is conflicted when an injury results in her reassignment to the relative comfort of the English countryside.

Love has never been part of her plan, but despite herself, she falls for an officer with three bullet wounds, startling blue eyes and a wicked sense of humor. For the first time, Kate sees a future far from the horrors of war and hate. But before she can pursue it, a secret from her past calls her to duty, and she'll have to travel back into danger one more time to rescue a part of herself she'd left behind. But will she make it back? And will that future still be waiting for her if she does?]]> 416 Noelle Salazar 0778369617 Kim 0 to-read 4.32 2024 The Lies We Leave Behind
author: Noelle Salazar
name: Kim
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> Penitence 211003837 For readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng, Penitence is a poignant exploration of love and forgiveness. It’s a suspenseful, addictive page-turner filled with literary insight that compels readers to consider whether each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.

When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn’t just legal counsel—she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them.

Spanning decades, from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the streets of post-9/11 New York City and back again, Kristin Koval’s debut novel Penitence is an examination of the complexities of familial loyalty, the journey of redemption, and the profound experience of true forgiveness.]]> 320 Kristin Koval 1250342996 Kim 0 to-read 3.68 2025 Penitence
author: Kristin Koval
name: Kim
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> Climbing in Heels 211003795 Climbing in Heels, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas's debut novel, is a fictional tale of the rise of three secretaries at the hottest agency in 1980's Hollywood, giving you a glimpse into the boys-will-be-boys club and the women who wanted a seat at a table where they were expected to serve. It's the story of friendship, betrayal, survival, standing up when they pass you by, and saying I won't go when they want you gone. And it's also a story about how some of those women became very much like the monsters who trained them.

Meet Beanie Rosen, the fast-talking and even faster-thinking Valley girl who knows where she wants to go, and doesn’t care if she doesn’t look the part.

Mercedes Baxter, who learned early on how to leverage the monied friends of her monied friends' parents until she found a foothold in Hollywood.

And Ella Gaddy, a sexy free-spirit anti-debutante from a white-glove Kentucky home who shakes up any room she walks into.

Read Climbing in Heels and watch these women meet, meld, fight, strategize and climb their way into your heart.

A rollicking tale of sex, drugs, and power � in heels.]]> 384 Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas 1250274788 Kim 0 to-read 3.94 Climbing in Heels
author: Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas
name: Kim
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> Reborn (The Red Ledger, #1-3) 213774464
Some people measure life in hours. Days. Weeks. I measure mine in kills. A covert military mission gone wrong robbed me of my memory and any link to my past. This is my existence now. I execute and survive. Nothing more, nothing less. I was ready to write Isabel Foster’s name in my ledger of unfortunate souls until she uttered the one word that could stop the bullet meant for her. My name.

She knows my face. She knows me. She’s the key to the memories I’m not sure I want back. Now nothing is simple. I still have a job to do, and my soul isn’t worth saving. I’m not the man she thinks I am. I can’t love her. And sparing her life puts us both in the crosshairs.
]]> 426 Meredith Wild 1964264006 Kim 0 to-read 4.43 2018 Reborn (The Red Ledger, #1-3)
author: Meredith Wild
name: Kim
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: to-read
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]]> There Are No Rules for This 121393163
People like Feeney Simms don’t commit suicide. Beautiful, charismatic, mother of two, wife to a handsome, successful husband, beloved by her friends—this is not the typical picture of a tortured soul. But one summer night, Feeney drives to the beach and swallows a handful of pills. No note, no explanation, nothing. Like that, she’s gone.

Faced with this loss, Ali, Max, and Liddy, Feeney’s closest friends, are left reeling, grappling with the devastating cocktail of grief, guilt, and anger that’s left in the wake of a suicide. In a desperate attempt to avoid further loss, the three women make the unorthodox (and very Feeney-like) decision to hold their own funerals while they are still alive—and the experience changes each of them in ways they couldn’t have imagined.]]> 248 J.J. Elliott 1647424852 Kim 0 to-read 4.02 There Are No Rules for This
author: J.J. Elliott
name: Kim
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> Storm 210324671
Just as he’s about to get lost, he meets Eliah, an acting student whose open presence brings a rare kind of stability. Eliah balances Storm’s intricate personality, and the two get close. An encounter with Eliah’s ominous boss leads them into a night in Amsterdam that blurs the boundaries of their friendship.

Storm begins to feel a connection to Eliah, which he can’t quite define. But things take a darker turn when he meets Sky—Eliah’s enigmatic girlfriend. The single encounter ignites an obsession that overtakes him, and he finds himself in a surreal triangle of feelings.

As Berlin’s cold streets mirror Storm’s spiraling mind, he loses grip on reality. Driven by jealousy, desire, and the twisted guidance of his darker self, he descends into a series of reckless encounters that nearly cost him his life.

Sky, battling her own demons with drugs and the toxicity of her relationship with Eliah, yearns for escape. She runs to the shores of Ibiza just to be captured and brought back to Berlin, where her path crosses with Storm once more.

“A raw reflection of Berlin.�

“Storm is an extremely complex character. The narrative is as fragmented as his mind written in a poetic way.�

“Euphoria (the TV series) + Supermarket (book by Bobby Hall) = STORM�

...a descent into the depths of a fragmented mind
...a tale of love; lost and found
...a portrait smeared with the hues of delirium
...a trip into the heart of obsession
...a search for identity and understanding
...a reflection of the silent struggles fought unseen
...a story for those who find beauty in the broken

Storm is a haunting psychological journey that captures Berlin's gritty but beautiful essence. This novel explores the fine line between love and obsession. It stands at the intersection of contemporary fiction, gothic coming of age, dark romance, and psychological suspense.]]> 318 Noam Leon Kim 0 to-read 4.00 Storm
author: Noam Leon
name: Kim
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Hush Hush (Hush Hush Duet, #1)]]> 202399008 A new, seductive forbidden romance that caters to Manhattan's elite...

I knew the rules:

Never reveal my true identity.
Play the game, give the illusion.
Don’t get close to the clients.

The dark and glamorous lifestyle of the rich and shameless open my eyes to a lavish world of sin and wealth, and a man I can’t have.

A man I desperately want—James Riviera.

We're treading a fine line as we live the ultimate double life until we make a startling discovery that tests both our loyalties.

I only had to follow the rules, but rules are meant to be broken.]]> 448 Lucia Franco Kim 0 to-read 3.80 2019 Hush Hush (Hush Hush Duet, #1)
author: Lucia Franco
name: Kim
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> <![CDATA[Holidating: Three Sizzling Holiday Romances]]> 218141325 Boyfriend: a complete holiday novel with a hilarious premise.
Rent a boyfriend for the holiday. For $25, I will be your Thanksgiving date. I will show up in a nice shirt, talk hockey with your dad and bring your mother flowers�
Everyone knows it’s a bad idea to introduce your hockey crush to your messed-up family. But Abbi really needs a date for Thanksgiving, even if she can’t say why. But when she tears Weston’s number off of a flyer, she accidentally entangles Moo U’s star defenseman in a ruse that neither of them can easily unwind.

Crossroads: a novella of missed connections, broken dreams and two hearts that just won’t quit. Damien Rossi drives a taxi but dreams of more. Specifically, he dreams about Nicolette Overland, his favorite client, a lonely beauty who lives in an actual mansion on a hill.

Nicolette can’t stop thinking about the hunky guy with the soulful brown eyes, either. She looks forward to every Christmas holiday when she knows he’ll be waiting for her at the airport. But when she screws up her courage to finally tell him how she feels, it might be too late�

Blonde Date: a novella of hot nerds, basketball and revenge. Katie is done with bad boys after some very poor treatment by a fraternity guy. Now, facing a holiday Greek event, she needs a date. A nice guy this time. Good thing a certain nerdy basketball player wants to audition for the role…]]> 413 Sarina Bowen 1950155838 Kim 0 to-read 3.95 2024 Holidating: Three Sizzling Holiday Romances
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Kim
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> Never Never 208456112 The twisty and devastating instant #1 New York Times bestselling romantic mystery—now in a stunning hardcover Collector's Edition featuring nine exclusive illustrations, a foil-stamped case, beautifully stained edges and custom designed endpapers.

Never stop...Never forget...Just remember.

Charlie Wynwood and Silas Nash have been best friends since they could walk. They've been in love since the age of fourteen. But as of this morning...they are complete strangers. Their first kiss, their first fight, the moment they fell in love...every memory has vanished. Now Charlie and Silas must work together to uncover the truth about what happened to them and why.

But the more they learn about the couple they used to be...the more they question why they were ever together to begin with. Forgetting is terrifying, but remembering may be worse.

Heart-stopping and utterly captivating, Never Never will leave readers breathless and believing in the power of love.]]> 400 Colleen Hoover 1335080090 Kim 0 to-read 3.23 2016 Never Never
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Kim
average rating: 3.23
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> Hardwired (Hacker, #1) 25208536
Determined to overcome a difficult past, Erica Hathaway learns early on how to make it on her own. Days after her college graduation she finds herself face to face with a panel of investors who will make or break her fledgling startup. The only thing she didn't prepare for was going weak in the knees over an arrogant and gorgeous investor who's seemingly determined to derail her presentation.

Billionaire and rumored hacker Blake Landon has already made his fortune in software, and he's used to getting what he wants with very little resistance. Captivated by Erica's drive and unassuming beauty, he's wanted nothing more since she stepped into his boardroom. Determined to win her over, he breaks down her defenses and fights for her trust, even if that means sacrificing a level of control he's grown accustomed to.

But when Blake uncovers a dark secret from Erica's past, he threatens not just her trust, but the life she's fought so hard to create.]]> 267 Meredith Wild 145556513X Kim 0 to-read 3.96 2013 Hardwired (Hacker, #1)
author: Meredith Wild
name: Kim
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Drowned (Quirke, #10 and St. John Strafford, #5)]]> 203647816 From the renowned Booker Prize winner and nationally bestselling author of Snow comes a richly atmospheric new mystery about a woman’s sudden disappearance in a small coastal town in Ireland, where nothing is as it seems.

"John Banville is one of my favorite writers alive, and I pick up his books whenever I need a reminder how to write a good sentence.”—R.F. Kuang

“He had seen drowned people. A sight not to be forgotten.�

1950s, rural Ireland. A loner comes across a mysteriously empty car in a field. Knowing he shouldn’t approach but unable to hold back, he soon finds himself embroiled in a troubling missing person case, as a husband claims his wife may have thrown herself into the sea.

Called in from Dublin to investigate is Detective Inspector Strafford, who soon turns to his old ally—the flawed but brilliant pathologist Quirke—a man he is linked to in increasingly complicated ways. But as the case unfolds, events from the past resurface that may have life-altering ramifications for all involved.

At once a searing mystery and a profound meditation on the hidden worlds we all inhabit,The Drownedis the next great Strafford and Quirkenovel from a beloved writer at the top of his game.]]> 336 John Banville 1335000593 Kim 0 to-read 3.51 2024 The Drowned (Quirke, #10 and St. John Strafford, #5)
author: John Banville
name: Kim
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> <![CDATA[Take Me Home for Christmas (The Amazing Doctors of Oak Bluff #1)]]> 214052294 She invented Mr. Right…just in time for the holidays.

Every tangled web starts with one tiny white lie. The kind you spin when you’re desperate.

One day I, Mia D’Angelo, third-year pediatric resident, was telling my mom that I’d finally met the perfect guy. Gushing about how amazing he was. And how happy I was.

It was all true. Until my "perfect guy" turned out to be my co-worker and my only competitor for a spot in the best practice in town…and then suddenly I was dumped…again. But I kept going with the stories, to get her through a very tough time.

My mom’s health crisis ended, and just when I thought things had settled down, my family wanted to meet my wonderful boyfriend for Christmas.

So I asked (okay, begged) just about every male I knew under forty, except for Dr. Braxton Hughes.

Don’t get me wrong. I could always count on him in a pinch. At work, that is.

Brax is an amazing pediatrician, but he would never fit the bill as a boyfriend. Maybe in looks. And charm. And his big heart. The problem is that he’s the biggest commitment-phobe this side of the Mississippi.

He’s the kind of guy I would definitely never take home for Christmas. There’d be no kissin� under the mistletoe, no canoodling under the tree—because my heart could not survive falling for him again.

My car is packed and I’m down to no one, when magically, there he is, duffle in hand, melt-me smile on his face.

Oh, joy.

Keeping it professional is going to be a whole lot harder than I thought. Especially when he charms my parents, my whole family, and even my dog.

And Dr. Wrong…well, he’s suddenly looking awfully right.]]> 254 Miranda Liasson 099863462X Kim 0 to-read 4.29 2024 Take Me Home for Christmas (The Amazing Doctors of Oak Bluff #1)
author: Miranda Liasson
name: Kim
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: to-read
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]]> Sweet Fury 214152482 When a beloved actress is cast in a feminist adaptation of a Fitzgerald classic, she finds herself the victim in a deadly game of revenge in which everyone, on screen and off, is playing a part.

Lila Crayne is America’s sweetheart: she’s generous and kind, gorgeous and magnetic. She and her fiancé, visionary filmmaker Kurt Royall, have settled into a stunning new West Village apartment and are set to begin filming their feminist adaptation of Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night.

To prepare for the leading role, Lila begins working with charming and accomplished therapist Jonah Gabriel to dig into the trauma of her past. Soon, Lila’s impeccably manicured life begins to unravel on the therapy couch—and Jonah is just the man to pick up the pieces. But everyone has a secret, and no one is quite who they seem.

A twisty, thought-provoking novel of construction and deconstruction in conversation with the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and told through the lens of the film industry, Sweet Fury is an incisive and bold critique of America’s deep-rooted misogyny. With this novel, Bischoff examines the narratives we tell ourselves, and what happens when we co-opt others into those stories; and she probes the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator and the true meaning of justice.]]> 288 Sash Bischoff 1668043394 Kim 0 to-read 3.59 Sweet Fury
author: Sash Bischoff
name: Kim
average rating: 3.59
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> <![CDATA[The Mistletoe Mystery (Molly the Maid, #2.5)]]> 210175624 Molly the Maid has a whole new mystery to solve in this heartwarming novella from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid and The Mystery Guest.

Molly Gray has always loved the holidays. When Molly was a child, her gran went to great lengths to make the season merry and bright, full of cherished traditions. The first few Christmases without Gran were hard on Molly, but this year, her beloved boyfriend and fellow festive spirit, Juan Manuel, is intent on making the season Molly’s mofinst joyful yet.

But when a Secret Santa gift exchange at the Regency Grand Hotel raises questions about who Molly can and cannot trust, she dives headfirst into solving her most consequential—and personal—mystery yet. Molly has a bad feeling about things, and she starts to wonder: has she yet again mistaken a frog for a prince?

A heartwarming, magical story about the true spirit of the season, The Mistletoe Mystery reminds us that love is the greatest mystery of all.]]> 144 Nita Prose 0735250588 Kim 0 to-read 3.35 2024 The Mistletoe Mystery (Molly the Maid, #2.5)
author: Nita Prose
name: Kim
average rating: 3.35
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> <![CDATA[The Pianist's Only Daughter: A Memoir]]> 202261456 The Pianist's Only Daughter presents an unvarnished portrayal of two creative academics—a concert pianist and a poet—from their early quests for artistic expression and academic recognition, to their poignant efforts in old age to hold on to their unique gifts and their humanity.

First-time memoirist Kathryn Betts Adams, a social worker and academic gerontologist, depicts the evolving family dynamics through more than six decades that she is immersed in her parents' vivid emotional lives. Her story culminates in a hero’s shepherding her parents through their final years. Despite her professional expertise, a series of terrible constraints and no-win decisions litter the path to finding quality care, and bearing witness to their declining health proves heartbreaking.

Grounded in insights about mental health, health, and aging, and overlaid with a deep devotion to music and words, The Pianist’s Only Daughter is the story of one family’s—one daughter’s—experience of the human condition. Although it is not a self-help book, readers will find useful information and ideas that resonate with their own experiences with aging and family relationships.

About The Pianist’s Only Daughter

"Excellent read! A book I couldn't put down—Kathryn Betts Adams shares an intimate family portrait which is skillfully woven and will resonate with you in your own journey. The Pianist’s Only Daughter brings the joys and sorrows of caring for aged parents to the forefront and offers spot-on observations of the way early family dynamics reenact themselves in old age. It’s a must-read for all facing this stage of life, especially poignant for only children. I will be recommending this book to the adult children of my elderly clients."
~Heidi Sward, LCSW, Geriatric Social Worker, Hamden, Connecticut

"It’s both a beautiful narrative history of your/our parents� era and creative life, as well as the bittersweet, difficult decline of our loved ones and the challenges of caregiving all at once. Brava!"
~Ginger McKnight-Chavers, Author of In the Heart of Texas: A Novel]]> 242 Kathryn Betts Adams Kim 0 to-read 4.50 The Pianist's Only Daughter: A Memoir
author: Kathryn Betts Adams
name: Kim
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> <![CDATA[The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King]]> 211004776 Heartstopper meets Derry Girls in this wonderfully hilarious rom-com about finding your first love when your personality might be too big for the world around you.

Patch Simmons has decided that this is the year he will get a boyfriend, so it's goodbye to his French pen-pal Jean-Pierre and hello to the world!

Unfortunately, the only other "out" boys in his school year are dating each other, so finding a boyfriend isn't going to be easy... Until fate finally intervenes and two new mysterious boys join drama club: Peter, who’s just moved from New York (very chic) and his best friend, Sam.

Patch is confident that one of them (although either of them will do!) will be his first boyfriend. So armed with his single mum’s outdated self-help books, his over-supportive best friend Jean and an alarming level of self-confidence, Patch is confident that this mission will be a complete success. Whether or not they actually like boys or him is a problem for later.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King is a heartfelt, laugh-out-loud comedy from rising star Harry Trevaldwyn, a story about boldly being yourself, going for what you want, but never losing sight of who truly has your back.]]> 352 Harry Trevaldwyn 125036678X Kim 0 to-read 3.98 2025 The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King
author: Harry Trevaldwyn
name: Kim
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/22
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]]> <![CDATA[What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust (Flavia de Luce, #11)]]> 203164414
Flavia de Luce, along with her pestilent younger cousin, investigates the murder of a former public hangman and uncovers secrets that bring the greatest shock of her life.



Poisonous mushrooms, pestilent cousins—and a most perplexing murder...

There's a new arrival at Buckshaw—Flavia de Luce's obnoxious cousin Undine. Flavia reluctantly takes on the mentorship of her fellow orphan, who in her best moments shows some potential for trespassing and trickery.

When Major Greyleigh, a former hangman, is found dead from a breakfast of poisonous mushrooms, suspicion falls on the de Luce family's longtime cook, Mrs. Mullet. After all, didn't she pick the mushrooms and serve them to Greyleigh moments before his death?

Flavia knows her beloved Mrs. Mullet is innocent. Together with Dogger, estate gardener and partner-in-crime, and the odious Undine, she sets out to find the real killer and clear Mrs. Mullet's good name.

But following the case's twists and turns will lead her to a most surprising discovery—one with the power to upend her entire life...]]> 298 Alan Bradley 0593724518 Kim 0 to-read 3.97 2024 What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust (Flavia de Luce, #11)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/21
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]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Tresses of the Dead (Flavia de Luce, #10)]]> 38763327
Flavia is not your normal twelve-year-old girl. An expert in the chemical nature of poisons, she has solved many mysteries, sharpening her considerable detection skills to the point where she had little choice but to turn professional. So Flavia and dependable Dogger, estate gardener and sounding board extraordinaire, set up shop at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, eager to serve—not so simple an endeavor with her odious little moon-faced cousin, Undine, constantly underfoot. But Flavia and Dogger persevere. Little does she know that their first case will be extremely close to home, beginning with an unwelcome discovery in Ophelia’s wedding cake: a human finger.]]> 352 Alan Bradley 0345540042 Kim 0 to-read 3.91 2019 The Golden Tresses of the Dead (Flavia de Luce, #10)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The Grave's a Fine and Private Place (Flavia de Luce, #9)]]> 33596091
Brought to shore, the dead man is found to be dressed in blue silk with ribbons at the knee, and wearing a single red ballet slipper.

Flavia needs to put her super-sleuthing skills to the test to investigate the murder of three gossips in the local church, and to keep her sisters out of danger. But what could possibly connect the son of an executed killer, a far too canny police constable, a travelling circus, and the publican's mysteriously talented wife?]]> 365 Alan Bradley 1409172880 Kim 0 to-read 3.95 2018 The Grave's a Fine and Private Place (Flavia de Luce, #9)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse (Flavia de Luce, #6.5)]]> 23480520
Murder! the letter says, Come at once. Anson House, Greyminster, Staircase No. 3. How can Flavia de Luce resist such an urgent plea? After all, examining a dead body sounds like a perfectly splendid way to spend a Sunday. So Flavia hops upon her trusted bicycle, Gladys, whose rubber tires hiss happily along the rainy road, and arrives at her father’s mist-shrouded old school. There, a terrified boy leads her to the loo where, sitting in a bathtub, is what appears to be a statue. But, To Flavia’s surprise, the thing is in fact a naked dead man. Save his face, he seems to have been carved out of copper. Never one to shy away from the macabre, Flavia gets to work—only to find that when an investigation begins with a metallic cadaver, ever more curious twists are to be expected.]]> 22 Alan Bradley 1101884916 Kim 0 to-read 3.77 2014 The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse (Flavia de Luce, #6.5)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd (Flavia de Luce, #8)]]> 26194013 307 Alan Bradley 1409149501 Kim 0 to-read 3.97 2016 Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd (Flavia de Luce, #8)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[I Am Half-Sick of Shadows (Flavia de Luce, #4)]]> 33215762
For Flavia and her sisters, it's as if all their beloved Christmases have come at once - but filming is soon slowed down by a series of nasty accidents and then brought to a halt as a heavy snowstorm cuts Buckshaw off from the outside world. As they are prepared to wait out the weather, they are stunned by a gruesomely dramatic murder - and suddenly Flavia, in the midst of designing an experiment to prove the existence of Father Christmas - has another, far deadlier mystery to solve.]]> 305 Alan Bradley Kim 0 to-read 4.11 2011 I Am Half-Sick of Shadows (Flavia de Luce, #4)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (Flavia de Luce, #6)]]> 41017660 Blithe Spirit—Flavia will do anything, even take to the skies, to land a killer.

Acclaim for Alan Bradley’s beloved Flavia de Luce novels, winners of the Crime Writers� Association Debut Dagger Award, Barry Award, Agatha Award, Macavity Award, Dilys Winn Award, and Arthur Ellis Award

“If ever there were a sleuth who’s bold, brilliant, and, yes, adorable, it’s Flavia de Luce.��USA Today

“Irresistibly appealing.� —The New York Times Book Review , on A Red Herring Without Mustard

“Original, charming, devilishly creative.�—BǴǰǰٱ, on I Am Half-Sick of Shadows

“Delightful and entertaining.��San Jose Mercury News, on Speaking from Among the Bones]]> 338 Alan Bradley 0345539699 Kim 0 to-read 4.23 2014 The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (Flavia de Luce, #6)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia de Luce, #7)]]> 21874813 392 Alan Bradley 0345539931 Kim 0 to-read 3.95 2015 As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia de Luce, #7)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Speaking from Among the Bones (Flavia de Luce, #5)]]> 13642963 From award-winning author Alan Bradley comes the next cozy British mystery starring intrepid young sleuth Flavia de Luce, hailed by USA Today as “one of the most remarkable creations in recent literature.�

Eleven-year-old amateur detective and ardent chemist Flavia de Luce is used to digging up clues, whether they’re found among the potions in her laboratory or between the pages of her insufferable sisters� diaries. What she is not accustomed to is digging up bodies. Upon the five-hundredth anniversary of St. Tancred’s death, the English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey is busily preparing to open its patron saint’s tomb. Nobody is more excited to peek inside the crypt than Flavia, yet what she finds will halt the proceedings dead in their tracks: the body of Mr. Collicutt, the church organist, his face grotesquely and inexplicably masked. Who held a vendetta against Mr. Collicutt, and why would they hide him in such a sacred resting place? The irrepressible Flavia decides to find out. And what she unearths will prove there’s never such thing as an open-and-shut case.]]> 378 Alan Bradley 0385344031 Kim 0 to-read 4.15 2013 Speaking from Among the Bones (Flavia de Luce, #5)
author: Alan Bradley
name: Kim
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife]]> 204158999 For readers of Remarkably Bright Creatures and A Man Called Ove, a warm, life-affirming debut about a zany case of mistaken identity that allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family.

‘Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life? I promise I’ll take excellent care of it.'

Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from. At eighty-two, he’s desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness. But Fred’s luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of grumpy Bernard Greer at the local nursing home. Now he has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his poker face is in better shape than his prostate and that his look-alike never turns up.

Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard's facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter's health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again.

As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise's suspicions about his true identity. When unexpected truths are revealed, Fred and Denise rediscover their sense of purpose and learn how to return a broken life to mint condition.

Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a hilarious, feel-good, clever novel about grief, forgiveness, redemption, and finding family.]]> 336 Anna Johnston 0063397293 Kim 0 to-read 4.28 2024 The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
author: Anna Johnston
name: Kim
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Truth or Dare (The Men Of The Sisterhood)]]> 36602114
When the call comes, the Men of the Sisterhood drop everything to help their friends. This time it’s Cyrus, their four-legged hound dog and unofficial mascot. While member Joe Espinosa is driving along an isolated country road with Cyrus in tow, he catches a glimpse of movement in the woods bordering the road and notes Cyrus pawing desperately at the car window. As soon as he pulls over to investigate, Cyrus bolts out the door and leads Joe to three children clustered together—bedraggled, silent, and scared out of their wits. As soon as he has brought the children to safety, Espinosa arranges an urgent meeting.

Charles, Abner, Jack, Dennis, Harry and the rest of the crew gather at BOLO headquarters to hear a shocking story that confirms their worst suspicions. Many more children are still in danger. But in order to protect and avenge the victims, the team must use more cunning than ever before. With so many vulnerable young lives at stake, one mistake would be too many . . .

Praise for Fern Michaels

“The Men of the Sisterhood series has it all . . . Michaels manages to surprise and delight fans of all ages with her novel’s unexpected twists and turns.”�
� RT Book Reviews , 4 Stars, on High Stakes]]> 352 Fern Michaels 142014071X Kim 3 4.15 Truth or Dare (The Men Of The Sisterhood)
author: Fern Michaels
name: Kim
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/18
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves:
review:
A quick read about child abduction and the hunt for the real people behind it all!
]]> The Excitements 145654359
Meet the Williamson sisters, Britain’s most beloved World War II veterans. Now in their late nineties, Josephine and Penny are in huge demand, beloved of journalists and producers, popping up on red carpets and at fundraisers and festivals all over the country. Despite their age, they’re still in great form—perfectly put together, sprightly and sparky, and always in search of their next “excitement.�

This time it’s a trip to Paris to receive the Légion d’Honneur for their part in liberating France. As always, they will be accompanied by their devoted gay nephew, Archie, who moved in with his aunts right after he came out. The press has always reported that these lady heroes worked for the Royal Navy and the nursing corps, but that’s their official cover. In reality, Josephine was an intelligence operative who drew maps used for the D-Day invasion while Penny was a spy and specialist at hand-to-combat, risking her teenage life in France. And this trip to Paris is not what it seems either. Scandal and crime have always quietly trailed the Williamson sisters, even in the decades after the war.

Now armed with new information about an old adversary, these much decorated (but admittedly ancient) veterans intend to settle scores, avenge lost friends, and pull off one last, daring heist before the curtain finally comes down on their illustrious careers.

A deliciously fast-paced and witty drama, The Excitements is the tale of two remarkably clever and brave women who helped save the world and survived the unthinkable, without ever losing their killer instinct... or their joie de vivre.]]> 304 C.J. Wray 0063337487 Kim 5 3.82 2024 The Excitements
author: C.J. Wray
name: Kim
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/11
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves:
review:
Such a fun read! The two sisters have such incredible personalities and a zest for living! This book provided laughter, tears and was full of adventure!
]]> The Memory Library 202464276 For forty-two years, Sally Harrison has been building a library.

Each year, on her daughter’s birthday, she adds a new book to her shelves � with a note in the front dedicated to her own greatest work.

But Ella � Sally’s only child � fled to Australia twenty-two years ago after a heated exchange, and never looked back. And though Sally still dutifully adds a new paperback to the shelves every time the clock strikes midnight on July 11th, her hopes of her daughter ever thumbing through the pages are starting to dwindle.

Then disaster strikes and Ella is forced to return to the home she once knew.

She is soon to discover that when one chapter ends, another will soon follow�

All you have to do is turn the page�

Journey through the pages of this heartwarming novel, where hope, friendship and second changes are written in the margins.]]> 336 Kate Storey 0008658544 Kim 5 4.14 2024 The Memory Library
author: Kate Storey
name: Kim
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/02
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves:
review:
Loved this book for many reasons! Most important and dear to me is the love of family and friends and, of course, the reading of a good book! This book is full of hope and moving forward!
]]> <![CDATA[The Grey Wolf (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #19)]]> 203578881 The nineteenth mystery in the #1 New York Times bestselling Armand Gamache series

Relentless phone calls interrupt the peace of a warm August morning in Three Pines. Though the tiny Québec village is impossible to find on any map, someone has managed to track down Armand Gamache, head of homicide at the Sûreté, as he sits with his wife in their back garden. Reine-Marie watches with increasing unease as her husband refuses to pick up, though he clearly knows who is on the other end. When he finally answers, his rage shatters the calm of their quiet Sunday morning.

That's only the first in a sequence of strange events that begin The Grey Wolf, the nineteenth novel in Louise Penny's #1 New York Times bestselling series. A missing coat, an intruder alarm, a note for Gamache reading "This might interest you," a puzzling scrap of paper with a mysterious list—and then a murder. All propel Chief Inspector Gamache and his team toward a terrible realization. Something much more sinister than any one murder or any one case is fast approaching.

Armand Gamache; Jean-Guy Beauvoir, his son-in-law and second in command; and Inspector Isabelle Lacoste can only trust each other, as old friends begin to act like enemies, and long-time enemies appear to be friends. Determined to track down the threat before it becomes a reality, their pursuit takes them across Québec and across borders. Their hunt grows increasingly desperate, even frantic, as the enormity of the creature they’re chasing becomes clear. If they fail, the devastating consequences would reach into the largest of cities and the smallest of villages.]]> 421 Louise Penny 1250328136 Kim 0 to-read 3.95 2024 The Grey Wolf (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #19)
author: Louise Penny
name: Kim
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Omand's Creek 55951006 A young woman has been brutally murdered, her body left on the banks of Omand’s Creek. Similarities with a murder a month earlier lead Detective Michael Shelter to believe he’s dealing with a killer preying on sex workers in the city’s large Indigenous community. He soon realizes he’s facing a far more cunning adversary than he’d imagined.
As he races to find the killer, Shelter uncovers a trail of corruption, racist violence and long-held secrets that reaches into the city's elite. Along the way, he struggles to raise his defiant teenage daughter as a single father and come to terms with the reality of racism in the city and his own blind spots.
"By focusing on something quite specific, Macdonald has achieved something that will resonate wherever it is read. Omand’s Creek is the best Canadian crime debut in recent memory." - Montreal Gazette]]> 268 Don MacDonald 1777362903 Kim 4 4.00 Omand's Creek
author: Don MacDonald
name: Kim
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/27
date added: 2024/08/27
shelves:
review:
This was a riveting crime novel with unexpected twists! Great read!
]]> 11/22/63 13547452 Dallas, 11/22/63: Three shots ring out.
President John F. Kennedy is dead.

Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in a Maine town. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away . . . but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke. . . . Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten . . . and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful.
(back cover)

------------------------------------------------------------

The following is the Library of Congress Summary

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? The author's new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination. In this novel that is a tribute to a simpler era, he sweeps readers back in time to another moment, a real life moment, when everything went wrong: the JFK assassination. And he introduces readers to a character who has the power to change the course of history. Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students, a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night fifty years ago when Harry Dunning's father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk. Not much later, Jake's friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane, and insanely possible, mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake's new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake's life, a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

------------------------------------------------------------

This is the full sized trade paperback, nearly identical to the first hardback edition. The back of the dust jacket from the hardcover edition, became page one on this full sized trade paperback.

~]]> 849 Stephen King 1451627297 Kim 5 ]]> 4.46 2011 11/22/63
author: Stephen King
name: Kim
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/23
date added: 2024/08/23
shelves:
review:
This was a Stephen King book I throughly enjoyed! It involves time travel and trying to stop the murder of JFK as well as a few other events along the way. But then you have to ponder the butterfly effect and how altering one event impacts the future. Very interesting and thought provoking book!!!

]]> When the World Fell Silent 204208184
Nora Crowell wants more than her sister’s life as a wife and mother. As WWI rages across the Atlantic, she becomes a lieutenant in the Canadian Army Nursing Corp. But trouble is looming and it won’t be long before the truth comes to light.

Having lost her beloved husband in the trenches and with no-one else to turn to, Charlotte Campbell now lives with his haughty relations who treat her like the help. It is baby Aileen, the joy and light of her life, who spurs her to dream of a better life.

When tragedy strikes in Halifax Harbour, nothing for these two women will ever be the same again. Their paths will cross in the most unexpected way, trailing both heartbreak and joy its wake…]]> 376 Donna Jones Alward 0008647046 Kim 0 to-read 4.32 2024 When the World Fell Silent
author: Donna Jones Alward
name: Kim
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[I, Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #16)]]> 6543851 374 James Patterson 1846052602 Kim 4 3.94 2009 I, Alex Cross (Alex Cross, #16)
author: James Patterson
name: Kim
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/06
date added: 2024/08/06
shelves:
review:
Another exciting Alex Cross novel by James Patterson that I couldn’t put down!
]]> <![CDATA[Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman]]> 2936415 The bestselling author of Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, and Under the Banner of Heaven delivers a stunning, eloquent account of a remarkable young man’s haunting journey.

Like the men whose epic stories Jon Krakauer has told in his previous bestsellers, Pat Tillman was an irrepressible individualist and iconoclast. In May 2002, Tillman walked away from his $3.6 million NFL contract to enlist in the United States Army. He was deeply troubled by 9/11, and he felt a strong moral obligation to join the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Two years later, he died on a desolate hillside in southeastern Afghanistan.

Though obvious to most of the two dozen soldiers on the scene that a ranger in Tillman’s own platoon had fired the fatal shots, the Army aggressively maneuvered to keep this information from Tillman’s wife, other family members, and the American public for five weeks following his death. During this time, President Bush repeatedly invoked Tillman’s name to promote his administration’s foreign policy. Long after Tillman’s nationally televised memorial service, the Army grudgingly notified his closest relatives that he had “probably� been killed by friendly fire while it continued to dissemble about the details of his death and who was responsible.

In Where Men Win Glory, Jon Krakauer draws on Tillman’s journals and letters, interviews with his wife and friends, conversations with the soldiers who served alongside him, and extensive research on the ground in Afghanistan to render an intricate mosaic of this driven, complex, and uncommonly compelling figure as well as the definitive account of the events and actions that led to his death. Before he enlisted in the army, Tillman was familiar to sports aficionados as an undersized, overachieving Arizona Cardinals safety whose virtuosity in the defensive backfield was spellbinding. With his shoulder-length hair, outspoken views, and boundless intellectual curiosity, Tillman was considered a maverick. America was fascinated when he traded the bright lights and riches of the NFL for boot camp and a buzz cut. Sent first to Iraq—a war he would openly declare was “illegal as hell”—and eventually to Afghanistan, Tillman was driven by complicated, emotionally charged, sometimes contradictory notions of duty, honor, justice, patriotism, and masculine pride, and he was determined to serve his entire three-year commitment. But on April 22, 2004, his life would end in a barrage of bullets fired by his fellow soldiers.

Krakauer chronicles Tillman’s riveting, tragic odyssey in engrossing detail highlighting his remarkable character and personality while closely examining the murky, heartbreaking circumstances of his death. Infused with the power and authenticity readers have come to expect from Krakauer’s storytelling, Where Men Win Glory exposes shattering truths about men and war.
From the inside cover of ISBN 0385522266 / 9780385522267]]> 383 Jon Krakauer 0385522266 Kim 0 to-read 4.07 2009 Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman
author: Jon Krakauer
name: Kim
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross, #2)]]> 13148
In Los Angeles, a reporter investigating a series of murders is killed.

In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a beautiful medical intern suddenly disappears.

And in Washington D.C., Cross needs to find the solution to the most baffling and terrifying murder case ever. Two clever pattern killers are collaborating, cooperating, competing - and they are working coast to coast. Is Alex Cross up to the challenge?]]> 481 James Patterson 0446677388 Kim 0 to-read 3.99 1995 Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross, #2)
author: James Patterson
name: Kim
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1995
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross, #1)]]> 13145
Gary Soneji wants to commit the crime of the century. Alex Cross is the brilliant homicide detective pitted against him. Jezzie Flanagan is the first female supervisor of the Secret Service. They complete one of the most unusual suspense triangles in any thriller you have ever read.

Alex and Jezzie are about to have a forbidden love affair—at the worst possible time for both of them. Because Gary Soneji is playing at the top of his game. The latest of the unspeakable crimes happens in Alex Cross's precinct and it happens under the nose of Jezzie and her men.

Alex faces the ultimate test: how do you outmaneuver a brilliant psychopath?]]> 449 James Patterson 0446692638 Kim 0 to-read 4.13 1993 Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross, #1)
author: James Patterson
name: Kim
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1993
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pursuit of Honor (Mitch Rapp, #12)]]> 6993071 Mitch Rapp—the “mainstay of the modern techno-thriller� (New York Journal of Books)—returns in this exhilarating political thriller as he fights for the sake of his country and the pursuit of honor.

Less than a week after a series of deadly explosions devastated Washington, DC, key officials are up in arms over whether to make friends or foes of the clandestine elite counterterrorism operatives that stepped between the enemy and countless American lives. Not for the first time, Mitch Rapp finds himself struggling to illustrate the realities of national security to politicians who are content to sit on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, three al-Qaeda terrorists are still at large, and Rapp has been unofficially ordered to find them by any means necessary. No one knows the personal, physical, and emotional sacrifices required of the job better than Rapp. When he sees his colleague Mike Nash cracking under the pressure, he makes a call he hopes will save his friend, assuage the naysayers on Capitol Hill, and get him one step closer to the enemy before it’s too late. Once again, Rapp proves himself to be a hero unafraid “to walk the fine line between the moral high ground and violence� (The Salt Lake Tribune) for our country’s safety and for the pursuit of honor.]]> 448 Vince Flynn 1439100500 Kim 5 4.07 2009 Pursuit of Honor (Mitch Rapp, #12)
author: Vince Flynn
name: Kim
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/02
date added: 2024/08/02
shelves:
review:
Mitch Rapp and team ending the terror spree that has been taking place in the states at its best! Great read!
]]> The Last Sane Woman 199775178 A beguiling debut novel about friendship and failure, written with unusual craft and spryness by an acclaimed poet

Nicola is a few years out of a fine arts degree, listless and unenthusiastically employed in London. She begins to spend her hours at a university archive dedicated to women's art, because she 'wants to read about women who can't make things'.

There she discovers one side of a correspondence beginning in 1976 and spanning a dozen years, written from one woman � a ceramics graduate, uncannily like Nicola � to her friend, who is living a contrasting and conventionally moored life. As she reads on, an acute sense of affinement turns to obsession, and she abandons one job after another to make time for the archive.

The litany of coincidences in the letters start to chime uncomfortably, and Nicola's feeling of ownership begets a growing what if she doesn't like what the letters lead to?]]> 0 Hannah Regel 1804295396 Kim 0 to-read 3.51 2024 The Last Sane Woman
author: Hannah Regel
name: Kim
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith]]> 1894
At the core of Krakauer’s book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America’s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.


From the Trade Paperback edition.]]> 399 Jon Krakauer 1400032806 Kim 2 3.97 2003 Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
author: Jon Krakauer
name: Kim
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2003
rating: 2
read at: 2024/07/27
date added: 2024/07/27
shelves:
review:
Interesting book to read but not the thrilling read I anticipated.
]]> Find You First 54870100 The New York Times bestselling author of Elevator Pitch and master of psychological suspense returns with a riveting thriller in which the possible heirs of a dying tech millionaire are mysteriously being eliminated, one by one.

Tech millionaire Miles Cookson has more money than he can ever spend, and everything he could dream of—except time. He has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and there is a fifty percent chance that it can be passed on to the next generation. For Miles, this means taking a long hard look at his past . . .

Two decades ago, a young, struggling Miles was a sperm donor. Somewhere out there, he has kids—nine of them. And they might be about to inherit both the good and the bad from him—maybe his fortune, or maybe something much worse.

As Miles begins to search for the children he’s never known, aspiring film documentarian Chloe Swanson embarks on a quest to find her biological father, armed with the knowledge that twenty-two years ago, her mother used a New York sperm bank to become pregnant.

When Miles and Chloe eventually connect, their excitement at finding each other is overshadowed by a series of mysterious and terrifying events. One by one, Miles’s other potential heirs are vanishing—every trace of them wiped, like they never existed at all.

Who is the vicious killer—another heir methodically erasing rivals? Or is something even more sinister going on?

It’s a deadly race against time . . .]]> 438 Linwood Barclay 0062678310 Kim 5 3.99 2021 Find You First
author: Linwood Barclay
name: Kim
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/07
date added: 2024/07/27
shelves:
review:
This book was truly a rollercoaster ride from start to finish! I was gripped from the start to the end and there were a number of totally unexpected twists! Great start to my 2024 reading!!!
]]> Deadline (Godmothers, Book 4) 12842216
No sooner have Toots Loudenberry and her three best friends--Sophie, Ida, and Mavis--returned from Sacramento, where Sophie provided some much-needed psychic advice to the First Lady of California, when another situation demands their attention. . .

Laura Leigh, a Hollywood starlet whose main talent seems to be landing in trouble, is missing. Toots' daughter, Abby, has both a personal and professional stake in the story. Not only is she editor-in-chief at gossip magazine The Informer, but entertainment attorney Chris Clay, Abby's would-be beau, was the last person seen with Laura. And now he's missing, too.

With the help of friends in high--and low--places, the Godmothers will navigate Hollywood's glittering inner circles and seedy underbelly to discover the truth. Along the way, they'll uncover unexpected secrets that not even one of Sophie's séances could have predicted. . .

Praise for Fern Michaels and The Godmothers Series

"Pure recession-proof fun." -- Publishers Weekly

"Delightful. . .witty, charming, and complicated, these four childhood chums prove that life is a gift no matter what age you are." -- RT Reviews]]> 262 Fern Michaels 0758266049 Kim 4 This was a quick fun read! 4.08 2012 Deadline (Godmothers, Book 4)
author: Fern Michaels
name: Kim
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/12
date added: 2024/07/12
shelves:
review:
This was a quick fun read!
]]> The Accidental Apprentice 17252236
Life pivots on a few key moments. This is one of them.

Sapna Sinha works in an electronics store in downtown Delhi. She hates her job, but she is ambitious and determined to succeed, and she knows without the money she brings in, her family won't be able to survive. Little does she know it but her life is about to change forever.

As she leaves the shop on her lunch break one day, she is approached by a man who claims to be CEO of one of India's biggest companies. He tells her he is looking for an heir for his business empire. And that he has decided it should be her.

There are just seven tests she must pass. And then the biggest lottery ticket of all time will be hers.]]> 436 Vikas Swarup 1471113175 Kim 5 3.39 2013 The Accidental Apprentice
author: Vikas Swarup
name: Kim
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/08
date added: 2024/07/08
shelves:
review:
Such an interesting book set in India! It tests the mettle of a woman as she struggles through 7 tests to try to become CEO of a billionaire’s company. I was instantly sucked into the story from start to finish!
]]> The Push 53733726
A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family, told through the eyes of a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for--and everything she feared.

Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, supportive mother she never had to her new baby Violet.

But in the thick of motherhood's exhausting early days, Blythe doesn't find the connection with her daughter she expected. She's convinced that something is wrong with Violet--the little girl is distant, rejects affection, and becomes increasingly disruptive at preschool.

Or is it all in Blythe's head? Her husband, Fox, says she is imagining things. Fox doesn't see what Blythe sees; he sees a wife who is struggling to cope with the day-to-day challenges of being a mother. And the more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity...

Then their son Sam is born--and with him, Blythe has the natural maternal connection she'd always dreamed of. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth about herself, her past, and her daughter.

The Push is a rare and extraordinary gift to readers: a novel about the expectations of motherhood we're taught not to challenge and what really happens behind the closed doors of even the most perfect-looking families. It's impossible to put down and impossible to forget.]]> 303 Ashley Audrain 0735239894 Kim 4 4.03 2021 The Push
author: Ashley Audrain
name: Kim
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/28
date added: 2024/06/28
shelves:
review:
Lots of feelings while reading this book from grief, anger, disbelief and calm. The author weaves a story through the loss of a child in a way you don’t want to ever comprehend. Tough book to read.
]]> Lion 30375879 Soon to be a major motion picture starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara, this #1 international best-seller tells the miraculous and triumphant story of a young man who rediscovers not only his childhood life and home...but an identity long-since left behind.

At only five years old, Saroo Brierley got lost on a train in India. Unable to read or write or recall the name of his hometown or even his own last name, he survived alone for weeks on the rough streets of Calcutta before ultimately being transferred to an agency and adopted by a couple in Australia.
Despite his gratitude, Brierley always wondered about his origins. Eventually, with the advent of Google Earth, he had the opportunity to look for the needle in a haystack he once called home, and pore over satellite images for landmarks he might recognize or mathematical equations that might further narrow down the labyrinthine map of India. One day, after years of searching, he miraculously found what he was looking for and set off to find his family.
]]> 273 Saroo Brierley 0735233691 Kim 4 4.04 2013 Lion
author: Saroo Brierley
name: Kim
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2018/05/02
date added: 2024/06/27
shelves:
review:
An interesting story - made me cry - but left me feeling very happy for wonderful way Saroo Brierley wove his two families into his life!!!
]]> Now I Found You 58608721 Seven years ago, Kate Hartfield's little sister disappeared.

An ordinary summer day of fun at the lake turned into a nightmare when young Emily Hartfield suddenly could not be found. When badly battered body parts were discovered three days later, the investigation concluded that they were Emily's and the case was closed as an accidental drowning.

Now Kate has returned to her hometown in the Catskills for the first time since her sister's death, for a work retreat. While at her boss's lake house, she briefly spies a familiar face.

It's Emily.

She's all grown up, but Kate knows her sister's face better than anyone. The sighting reignites the doubts Kate has always had, and forces her to revisit all the mysterious circumstances that surrounded that day. As she desperately tries to track down the girl she saw at the lake house with the help of her hometown ex-boyfriend, Kate discovers shocking secrets from the past, confronts her own guilt from that day, and becomes obsessed with uncovering the answer to one question.

What really happened to Emily?]]> 113 Mila Oliver Kim 0 to-read 4.23 2021 Now I Found You
author: Mila Oliver
name: Kim
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> In the Hour of Crows 215081510 Black ferns grow where death will follow.
And Weatherly Opal Wilder is a Death Talker.

When called upon, she can talk the death out of the dying and save their lives; only once, never twice. But this truly unique gift comes at a price, rooting Weatherly to people who only want her around when they need her and resent her backwater ways when they don’t.

Weatherly’s cousin Adaire also has a gift, she’s a Scryer and can see the future reflected back in dark surfaces. Right before she is killed in an accident, Adaire saw something unnerving, and that’s why Weatherly believes she was murdered—never thinking for a moment that it was an accident. But when Weatherly, for the first time, is unable to talk the death out of the mayor’s son, the whole town suspects she is out for revenge, that shewouldn’tsave him.

With the help of clues Adaire left behind and her family’s Granny Witch recipe box, Weatherly sets out to find the truth behind her cousin’s death, whatever it takes.

Imbued with magic, witchery, and suspense, Dana Elmendorf’s In the Hour of Crowsis a thrilling tale of friendship, identity, and love.]]> 288 Dana Elmendorf 0778310493 Kim 0 to-read 3.71 2024 In the Hour of Crows
author: Dana Elmendorf
name: Kim
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Expatriates 29952624
“Devastating and heartwarming, and exquisite in every way, this is a book you’ll fall deeply in love with and never want to put down.�
—Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Piano Teacher, a searing novel of marriage, motherhood, and the search for connection far from home.

In the glittering city of Hong Kong, expats arrive daily for myriad reasons—to find or lose themselves in a foreign place, and to forget or remake themselves far from home. Amidst this hothouse atmosphere, a tragic incident causes three American women’s lives to collide in ways that will rewrite every assumption of their privileged world: Mercy, a young Korean American and recent Columbia graduate, once again finds herself compromised and adrift, trying to start her life anew; Hilary, a wealthy housewife, is haunted by her struggle to have a child, hoping to save her uncertain marriage; meanwhile, Margaret, once the enviable mother of three, tries to negotiate an existence that has become utterly unrecognizable after a catastrophic event. Faced with unthinkable choices, these three women form a profound connection that defies the norms of the sequestered community—finding in each other a strength borne of need, forgiveness, and ultimately hope.

Atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Expatriates showcases Lee’s exceptional talent as one of our keenest observers of women’s inner lives.]]> 332 Janice Y.K. Lee 0143108425 Kim 3 3.57 2016 The Expatriates
author: Janice Y.K. Lee
name: Kim
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/17
date added: 2024/06/17
shelves:
review:
An interesting story about the lives of 3 American women that are living in Hong Kong. I found it a bit boring but still found it amazing how they adjust to their circumstances.
]]> <![CDATA[Murder at the Summer Fete (The Dedley End Mysteries #2)]]> 60187388 an unforgettable crime-fighting trio. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.' Angela Marsons, author of Stolen Ones

A fete worse than death�

After finding the killer of Lucy Roth six months ago, life has settled back to normal for bookshop owner, Nancy Hunter, and her grandmother, Jane. The annual Dedley End village fete is just around the corner, and Nancy is delighted when bestselling author, Thomas Green, agrees to launch his first new novel in ten years there.

But then a series of sinister events lead Nancy to realise someone is trying to sabotage their fete, so she, along with Jane and their journalist friend Jonathan, must turn detective to discover who isn’t at all thrilled about the return of Thomas Green.

When a body is discovered at the summer fete, the death scene mirroring that in Thomas� latest bestseller, they realise that there’s another killer in Dedley End, but can they outsmart someone who appears to have pulled off the perfect crime?

The clues are right under Nancy and Jane’s noses, if only they can find them. Because the answers to life’s questions can always be found in a book�!

A twisty, unputdownable cozy mystery that fans of Richard Osman, S.J. Bennett and The Marlow Murder Club will love.

Readers can't get enough of Murder at the Summer Fete:

'A joy of a read... I was gripped!� Melanie Blake, author of Ruthless Women

'Cleverly crafted cosy crime at its absolute best!' Heidi Swain, author of A Taste of Home

'A well crafted cosy mystery with warm characters and an excellent twist. I can't wait to visit Dedley End again!' Hannah Hendy, author of The Dinner Lady Detectives

'A team of likeable amateur detectives, a delightful bookshop setting and a cast of intriguing suspects. Tremendous fun.' Clare Chase, author of Mystery at the Church

�A perfect read!...Will entice even the most seasoned mystery reader. If you're a fan of Agatha Christie and M.C. Beaton, you can't miss this series.� ☆☆☆☆� Reader Review‘What a fun and cozy read!...A fantastic page-turner that made my winter night far warmer.� Reader Review

�This. Is. Brilliant. Could not put it down. I really hope there's more Dedley End adventures!� ☆☆☆☆� Reader Review

�Absolutely loved this book!...The characters were great and the story flowed along nicely. I read the book in a day, I couldn't put it down!� ☆☆☆☆� Reader Review

‘Just as intricate, twisty, and fun as the first. It kept me guessing and I just love the small village settings.� ☆☆☆☆� Reader Review



‘It was very engrossing and I read it within one day� I love this book�every new mystery by Victoria Walters is an auto-read for me� Reader Review



‘The second entry in this cozy series is even better than the fi]]> 352 Victoria Walters 1800328508 Kim 0 to-read 3.61 Murder at the Summer Fete (The Dedley End Mysteries #2)
author: Victoria Walters
name: Kim
average rating: 3.61
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Murder at the Village Church (The Dedley End Mysteries #3)]]> 105736624
As Nancy delves into the mystery in her own family, the village of Dedley End is rocked by the appearance of Sebastian Holmes, recently released from a long stretch in prison for his part in a jewellery robbery in London. And when someone is found murdered in the local church, it seems that there may be more danger hiding in their sleepy Cotswold village�

Nancy and her grandmother Jane, Dedley End’s resident amateur sleuths and owners of a crime fiction bookshop, set about trying to solve the mystery of just who could be the killer, and how they managed a murder in a locked room � but what they don’t know is that finding the murderer might just bring them closer to finding Samantha. But does she want to be found? And what made her hide away for so many years?]]> 330 Victoria Walters 1804369268 Kim 0 to-read 4.09 Murder at the Village Church (The Dedley End Mysteries #3)
author: Victoria Walters
name: Kim
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The President Is Missing 35085389 The President Is Missing confronts a threat so huge that it jeopardizes not just Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street, but all of America. Uncertainty and fear grip the nation. There are whispers of cyberterror and espionage and a traitor in the Cabinet. Even the President himself becomes a suspect, and then he disappears from public view...

Set over the course of three days, The President Is Missing sheds a stunning light upon the inner workings and vulnerabilities of our nation. Filled with information that only a former Commander-in-Chief could know, this is the most authentic, terrifying novel to come along in many years.]]> 513 Bill Clinton 0316412694 Kim 5 3.77 2018 The President Is Missing
author: Bill Clinton
name: Kim
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/10
date added: 2024/06/10
shelves:
review:
Wow - this book was an amazing read! Also scary and gripping because of the fact that what happened is a very real possibility. So many facets to this book and I loved the wrap up!
]]> <![CDATA[Always and Forever (Glendale Hall #4)]]> 58842323
Anna Stewart is lost. After barely surviving a car accident as a teenager, Anna is scared of settling. Flitting between jobs, boyfriends and homes whenever she gets bored, she has no idea what the future holds. Then her brother Brodie, minister of Glendale, suggests she moves to the beautiful Scottish village, lining up a housekeeper job for her at Glendale Hall.

Out of options, Anna agrees to take the job just for the summer. Once at the hall, her culinary skills impress everyone, and she agrees to give Hilltop Farm’s new manager, Cameron, cooking lessons. Sparks fly between Anna and the handsome Scot, but Cameron keeps pushing Anna away, and Anna definitely isn't looking for love. But it's wedding season at Glendale Hall, and Anna is about to discover that her new home has a way of working its magic on even the coldest of hearts.

Will she really be able to just walk away at the end of summer, or could Anna have finally found a place to belong?

It’s summertime so pack your bags and escape to beautiful Highlands village of Glendale with this gorgeously uplifting, romantic read. Fans of Milly Johnson, Heidi Swain and Holly Martin will love this charming romance.]]> 379 Victoria Walters 1912973618 Kim 4 3.40 Always and Forever (Glendale Hall #4)
author: Victoria Walters
name: Kim
average rating: 3.40
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/03
date added: 2024/06/03
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed this 4th book in the series. It was a delight to read how all the lives of the people in Glendale are moving forward and introducing us to Brodie’s sister, Anna and her boyfriend, Cameron. This romantic story was a lovely read!
]]> <![CDATA[Murder at the House on the Hill (The Dedley End Mysteries #1)]]> 58510488
Nancy Hunter and her grandmother Jane Hunter run the Dedley Endings Bookshop, selling crime, thriller and mystery books, in a small, quiet Cotswold village where nothing ever happens�

That is, until the wealthy and reclusive Roth family open up their mansion for the first time in thirty years, inviting the people of Dedley End to a lavish engagement party.

While everyone is thrilled to finally look around the mansion on the hill, the festivities are quickly cut short when beautiful Lucy, recently married to young Harry Roth, is found dead after being pushed over the first-floor balustrade.

But who among the guests could have been capable of her murder � and why?

Nancy and Jane decide to investigate � after all, not only do they own a crime themed bookshop, they were also both named after famous literary detectives � but soon wonder if they’ve taken on more than they can handle. Especially when it seems the killer has worked out that they’re hot on their heels�

Can they catch the murderer before the murderer catches up with them? Or will there be a deadly ending to this story?

Join the unlikeliest detective duo for the first of
The Dedley End Mysteries series, for fans of Richard Osman and Charlaine Harris� Aurora Teagarden series.

Praise for Murder at the House on the Hill:

'An enchanting mystery, packed to the rafters with intriguing and delightful characters, which kept me guessing throughout.' Jane Isaac, author of One Good Lie]]> 322 Victoria Walters Kim 0 to-read 3.80 2021 Murder at the House on the Hill (The Dedley End Mysteries #1)
author: Victoria Walters
name: Kim
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)]]> 29626641
Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter..]]> 378 Colleen Hoover 1471156265 Kim 4 4.05 2016 It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Kim
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/29
date added: 2024/05/29
shelves:
review:
An abusive relationship would never be easy to live with nor would it be easy to witness. The author Colleen Hoover did a great job trying to portray the life of witnessing such a situation and living in such a situation and the great strength needed to get out and start over! Thank you for sharing the struggles and human resilience!
]]> <![CDATA[The Madness of Crowds (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #17)]]> 56269078 You’re a coward.

Time and again, as the New Year approaches, that charge is leveled against Armand Gamache.

It starts innocently enough.

While the residents of the Québec village of Three Pines take advantage of the deep snow to ski and toboggan, to drink hot chocolate in the bistro and share meals together, the Chief Inspector finds his holiday with his family interrupted by a simple request.

He’s asked to provide security for what promises to be a non-event. A visiting Professor of Statistics will be giving a lecture at the nearby university.

While he is perplexed as to why the head of homicide for the Sûreté du Québec would be assigned this task, it sounds easy enough. That is until Gamache starts looking into Professor Abigail Robinson and discovers an agenda so repulsive he begs the university to cancel the lecture.

They refuse, citing academic freedom, and accuse Gamache of censorship and intellectual cowardice. Before long, Professor Robinson’s views start seeping into conversations. Spreading and infecting. So that truth and fact, reality and delusion are so confused it’s near impossible to tell them apart.

Discussions become debates, debates become arguments, which turn into fights. As sides are declared, a madness takes hold.

Abigail Robinson promises that, if they follow her, ça va bien aller. All will be well. But not, Gamache and his team know, for everyone.

When a murder is committed it falls to Armand Gamache, his second-in-command Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and their team to investigate the crime as well as this extraordinary popular delusion.

And the madness of crowds.]]> 436 Louise Penny 1250145260 Kim 3 4.05 2021 The Madness of Crowds (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #17)
author: Louise Penny
name: Kim
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/25
date added: 2024/05/25
shelves:
review:
Not a huge fan of this book by Louise Penny I am sad to say. I usually love her books but this one was boring and repetitive I felt.
]]> Then She Was Gone 38532131 She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.

Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?

Who still has secrets to hide?]]> 384 Lisa Jewell 1501154656 Kim 4
I enjoyed the pace of the novel and the way the story moves and twists to the ending along with the interactions between characters. ]]> 4.11 2017 Then She Was Gone
author: Lisa Jewell
name: Kim
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/08/11
date added: 2024/05/11
shelves:
review:
Ellie Mack is a loved child of 15 by her parents and 2 siblings as well as by her friends and teachers. She is smart and does well in school. She just has her GCSEs ahead of her to write and then a leisure summer with time to spend with her boyfriend, Theo. Then the unthinkable happens and Ellie doesn’t come home�

I enjoyed the pace of the novel and the way the story moves and twists to the ending along with the interactions between characters.
]]>