McRaven's put together an amazing collection of stories from his childhood as an Army brat overseas, to his Seal Training, the missions he performed, and his working at the White House as commander of the Special Operations Forces with President's Bush and Obama. It reads like a military thriller, but is also contains the wisdom and themes of his previous book and runaway bestseller Make your Bed, which taught us to think big while taking care of the small things. (Bob)
This writer writes like an ecologist in that everything in her novels is interconnected to an astonishing degree. You should start to read The Glass Hotel by reading the authors previous book, Station Eleven. Such an amazing writer! The Glass Hotel is about many things but the plot follows the career of a man who runs a Ponzi scheme and investigates the lives that touch his, often in disturbing ways. Highly recommended. I am looking forward to her next book with extreme eagerness. (Kim)
This is the second book by Dervla featuring Detective Cormac Reilly set in Galway, Ireland. She certainly doesn't disappoint in this follow-up as I found it just as hard to put down as her first book, "The Ruin". Reilly has to cut through many layers of deception to get to the truth behind a hit & run on the Galway University campus. There are many plausible suspects, including his girlfriend, Dr. Emma Sweeney. Reilly is not very popular with many of his co-workers, which hinders the investigation at points, but he won't stop until the mystery is solved. (Sue)
Julia Keegan and Will Slater are about to be married on a remote island off the Irish Coast. As the wedding party and the elite guests begin arriving, the secrets that lie festering just below their perfect façade threaten to expose the truth behind their smiles. Reminiscent of "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie this story had me staying up very late because I couldn't put it down. The characters with their explosive secrets and the extreme remoteness of the wedding location combine to create a perfect storm that will keep you guessing until the very end. I highly recommend this addictive thriller! (Lisa)
Tara's upbringing is not one for the faint of heart. The story of her life up in the Idaho mountains with her survivalist parents and siblings was absolutely unbelievable. This was my first biography and an absolute page turner! (Bonnie)
I am not a Beach Read reader in general. As the odds of me getting to the beach this year seem slim, I've decided to jump into the genre. I was sucked into Big Summer immediately. Girl unhappy with her body being patronized by rich, perfect, mean girls. We've all been there or seen it. Daphne is easy to cheer for. Are there some unbelievable plot devices ? Yes but it's a beach book so I expected that and they weren't so far out . Fun wedding romance. Bit of a murder mystery. Happy ending. Kept me up late last night to get to the end so I mark that as a success. (Candie)
A heartwarming story about how the love and loyalty you get from your dogs can help people learn to love and trust each other. Set at a run-down Inn in the Berkshires, all of the characters are experiencing certain problems and struggles that seem insurmountable, but with the help of 2 loveable dogs, they will see their way through them and maybe even find a family with each other. (Sue)
A new detective series set in Galway, Ireland. Detective Cormac Reilly is investigating the supposed suicide death of a young man named Jack when he realizes one of his first acts on the police force years before was to remove Jack and his sister Maude from their home after their mother dies. Maude does not believe her brother committed suicide and she pushes Cormac to discover the truth. A twisty tale where the past has a big impact on the present. I love to read stories set in other countries and this one did not disappoint. (Sue)
A devastating betrayal by her supposed fiancé leaves Paulien Mertens in need of a new home and identity and sets her on a path to prove her innocence in a scam that robbed her family and their close friends of money and precious art work. She becomes a constant companion and assistant to wealthy art collector Edwin Bradley and becomes caught up in the art world of the 1920's in Paris and the US, including an affair with Matisse. Shapiro has once again crafted a historical art thriller that weaves together many different elements and keeps you turning the pages. (Sue)
Coriolanus Snow, eighteen years old and very ambitious, has just been chosen to be a mentor to one of the district's tributes in the tenth annual Hunger Games. His once wealthy and influential family has fallen on very hard times since the end of the war. As he plots and positions himself to become the future President of Panem, he finds himself drawn to the District 12 tribute he has been assigned to and begins to question his future. As a fan of the Hunger Games trilogy, I was eager to read this prequel to learn some of the backstory of not only the games but also Coriolanus Snow. Throughout the book, I was thinking what made Coriolanus Snow the monster he was in the trilogy. His entitled, morally bereft attitude towards others made me incredibly sad as did the attitude of the Capitol residents around him towards the people of the districts. This book does not end on a hopeful note nor is there a hero stepping up to fight against tyranny, but it was interesting to learn more and makes me eager to revisit the trilogy with a new perspective of the events that happen in them. (Lisa)
After a devastating loss, Mitchell Fisher finds comfort in a rigid schedule designed to help him raise his young daughter. On a sweltering hot day, he breaks his disciplined timetable and courageously saves a woman who has fallen from a bridge into the treacherous waters below. Hailed as a hero, Mitchell has no idea that his actions will change his life forever. I loved the journey Mitchell takes from his stagnant existence to the small steps he takes to start living his life again. I especially enjoyed the letters Mitchell receives from complete strangers who shares their thoughts, stories and feelings with him after his selfless act. Filled with charming, eccentric characters that Phaedra Patrick writes so well, I found this to be the perfect tale of hope in these uncertain times. (Lisa)
Colter Shaw is on the trail of two teenagers who are accused of committing a horrible hate crime. When the recovery takes an unexpected turn, Colter has more questions than answers. In his search for answers, he must infiltrate a shady organization that claims to be a grief support group. Jeffrey Deaver is a master of building suspense making it very hard to put down his books. His well-researched portrayal of the cult at the center of the mystery was not only disturbing but at times truly terrifying. Colter Shaw is a fascinating character and I look forward to his next adventure! (Lisa)
After much praise of this book I finally decided to pick it up and I definitely could not put it down. Abandoned at a very young age by her whole family Kya Clark survives on her own out in the marsh. With no schooling and really no social skills she is a mystery to the town. When the local football star is found dead the locals immediately blame “Marsh girl” as she’s known. The twists and turns kept me turning the pages of this novel! It is definitely a must read! (Bonnie)
Consuelo Vanderbilt, American heiress, was forced into a loveless marriage to the 9th Duke of Marlboro by her mother Alva Vanderbilt. After producing "An heir and a spare" Consuelo's marriage falls apart. She scandalously separates and forges and path of her own. Her fight for women's suffrage and medical care of children give her meaning in a world she had to make her own. This was a great story and a great character. Her story was very inspiring! (Bonnie)
Anna Princess of Kleve is engaged to the enigmatic King Henry VIII. While she is afraid from all the rumors she has heard she is also interested to learn about the man he truly is. While, as history tells we know the marriage does not last, Anna does not lose her head but becomes the sister to the queen and lives an independent life. This headstrong woman's life was both interesting and a joy to read. (Bonnie)
This thriller has been hyped by RI media all over the place. Set in R.I., it is filled with local color. That was fun. It is the story of a woman who decides to investigate a friend's murder as a way to lift her postpartum depression. At first that sounds far fetched, but Devon had been an investigator of sorts with dicey ethics before she got pregnant and vowed to change her life- so it works. The mystery is good, the locale is so fun, but the ending BLEW ME AWAY. I am that person who always knows the ending ( my husband finds it very annoying)- but I truly had no idea this time. Great read! (Candie)
Zelda is a 21 yr old Viking enthusiast who lives with her older brother Gert. She has very specific rules to help keep her world in order- her mom drank excessively while pregnant so Zelda has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She figures out that not only is Gert breaking the house rules but is putting their whole world in danger. She decides to become the legend of her own story to put their lives back in order. Such an uplifting heartwarming book! (Candie)
I like a little bit of the spooky in the Fall. This memoir by prolific memoirist Augusten Burroughs , is about his being a witch. Burroughs has detailed many aspects of his life in some of his previous books : Running With Scissors, Dry , Lust and Wonder and A Wolf at the Table, but has never before come out as a witch. In his colorful often whimsical style, Burroughs relates that he is from a long line of witches and then offers up a variety of personal stories often hysterically funny , sometimes creepy and occasionally poignant to back up his claim. (Candie)
