The Seven O'Clock Club
by Amelia Ireland
Great debut (12/9/2024)
Debut authors have my heart, knowing what my own daughter goes through as she puts her soul on paper, hoping someone bites. It's not easy.
The premise of this debut novel doesn't sound unique but you'll need patience. It begins with four people, all grieving 'someone,' unknown for a long time, working as a group with a counselor.
Candidly, I wasn't sure at first if I was invested enough to continue but oh, I am so so glad that I did! The four grieving humans slowly but surely wrapped their lives into my heart. And the twist at about 2/3rds through was MIND-BLOWING.
Ireland's writing is solid, her dialogue is well-written, occasionally too much description but it is in the service of furthering her characters' development which is a good thing.
This book made me THINK and FEEL, as well as consider my own life choices, the people I have lost, and how my life has been impacted by their absence. This book reminded me that we are not static characters; we grow and change with the movement in our lives. And oh, how I love a book that lingers.
I will be pushing this book when it comes out in April, and I will be in line for her next story; well done, Amelia Ireland!
North Woods: A Novel
by Daniel Mason
Mixed Bag (11/1/2023)
I loved some threads, like the creepy twins, the slave catcher, the gay artist. And yet I was bored by other chapters and just weirded out by the beetle sex thread! I could see the brilliance of the writing, yet felt like some of it was a tad pretentious. And I wondered why author skipped over the post civil war era completely? Interesting book that I think would definitely provide book clubs with tons of discussion!
This Other Eden: A Novel
by Paul Harding
Five Star Read (1/23/2023)
If you’re tired of mindless thrillers, poorly written stories, books that make you say “meh” The Other Eden is waiting for you. It BLEW me away.
Based on a sad piece of American history, it is the story of a small island off the coast of Maine, inhabited for six generations, a mix of indigenous, Black, and white immigrants living as a community of one, in the 18th and 19th century. However, as the new century is born, so is the idea of eugenics. Thus ends this community.
Author Paul Harding is a master of his craft. The writing is simply sublime, even as it is not my typical favorite style. Long paragraphs, little dialogue, much description and yet, I could not put this short book down. I became invested in the lives of every person living on “Apple Island.” It almost feels like a fairy tale, told out of time, wrenching and heartbreaking, but also inspiring, leaving me awestruck at Harding’s skills.
This book shines a powerful spotlight on humanity’s consistent need to “Other” people who don’t fit into the majority’s opinion of what humans society should contain. This story may break your heart, as it did mine. It may also open our eyes.
We might want to take a lesson from this, as I do not believe history will be kind to what many Americans are doing today to immigrants, refugees, children, and our lgbtqia+ communities. Kindness, compassion, and empathy will make us historical heroes; racism, hatred, and bigotry will find us condemned.
Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney
Outstanding dark and twisty thriller (11/6/2017)
Hold onto your black, twisted, psychological thriller hat - this book is a DOOZY! Heck, just look at the title. The main character, Amber, is in a coma, she believes her husband has fallen out of love with her, and yes, sometimes she lies. And that is just the beginning. Told in three different time periods, debut author Feeney does a masterful job of stringing the audience along: Amber's story of "Now," as she experiences her present coma and all the visitors to her hospital room; Amber's story of the previous week prior to her car accident that precipitates the coma; and diaries from a long-ago childhood that tell of a poverty-stricken, loveless, abusive childhood and her best friend. An ex-boyfriend makes an appearance, while the husband and sister play pivotal parts, making one wonder what happened in this 'idyllic' adult life. The red herrings along the roadside are thick and plentiful, and you will find yourself crashing against them throughout the pages of this short, crisp, well-told thriller. I began this book on a Saturday morning, and closed the cover that same night while my husband wondered if my nose was ever going to rise from the pages. It is that kind of book. It will make a reader question the narrator (is she reliable or is she stringing us along?), question the ending (did this really just happen or did I miss something earlier?), and question when the next book by this author is coming out. In other words, this book is a HIT.
Beartown
by Fredrik Backman
Best one yet (4/24/2017)
The author of the international bestseller, A Man Called Ove, is back! On the surface, Beartown is a novel of a small town where every man, woman, and child is obsessed by hockey, driven to watch, cheer, and kowtow to anyone connected to the rink, and willing to look the other way for both small as well as life-changing offenses. Yet, hockey only grazes the surface. This is the story of Amat, the phenom who skates for free while his mother cleans the rink. It is the story of David, who needs to win and will motivate his boys any way he can. It is the story of Benji, a player with a huge heart and an even bigger secret. And it is the story of a family and a girl, whose core belief in their town, in what is true and honorable and right, is shaken to its very core. All these dynamic characters are drawn together and tested as a terrible tragedy strikes the hockey family, and ultimately the entire town. This story will sear your heart, force you to question your own actions, and make you cheer for the heroes that emerge. Backman is back...and this is his most powerful book yet.
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