Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman, 324 pages

This is a psychological thriller that would be perfect for a vacation read.  It's a quick read, but as the tension builds it would be nice to finish it in one fell swoop instead of having to put it down and come back to it.

This is Catherine Steadman's first novel, and while her characters aren't totally lovable, it is a good story.  Somewhere beyond the midpoint in the book I began getting tired of it, but it redeemed itself in the end with a twist I wasn't expecting.  That is always a bonus for me.

I would definitely put this on the "not too deep but fun" recommendation list.

The Stars are Fire by Anita Shreve, 272 pages

 

This is a fiction book based on a real event, the largest fire in Maine's history.  Set in 1947, Grace is a young wife with a toddler and a baby.  She is struggling in her marriage to a WWII veteran when a fire destroys her home and devastates her hometown.

The story begins in earnest in the aftermath of the fire as Grace works to rebuild her life.  This was an engrossing story that shed light on what it would have been like to be an American woman in the late 1940's.

Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng, 338 pages

The story begins with a house burning down and then details backward, explaining what happened in a seemingly serene suburban community.  Set mostly in the late 1990's, the book is an emotional thriller about being a woman and motherhood.

I listened to 3/4 of this book and then read the last 1/4 because I was desperate to finish it.  The story was so emotionally fraught I just wanted to finish it as quickly as possible.

I wasn't really sure if I liked the book and then it ended and I thought, oh wow, that was good.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman, 432 pages

Swedish author Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors.  He tends to write sweet tales about eccentric characters who find love and validation through friends.  That is not this book.

Beartown is a dying town deep in a forest and they have one point of pride - the hockey club and its various teams.  Something bad happens to someone and the aftermath threatens to destroy the club and the town.

Yowza, this was brutal and powerful.  Racism, rape, bullying and peer pressure are all explored.  I loved this in a whole different way from my normal awe of Fredrik Backman.   There is now a follow-up to this book, "Us Against You."  Ohh, can't wait!

I Found You by Lisa Jewell, 342 page

Fabulous summer read that is set mostly on the coast of England, in the little coastal town of Ridinghouse Bay.

A man is seen sitting for a day on a rainy beach in Ridinghouse Bay and it turns out he has no idea who he is.  Meanwhile, in London, a young newlywed is frantic because her husband is missing . . .

Sound like a great set up to a fast paced mystery adventure?  Yep, it is.  Enjoy the ride.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, 462 pages

This is one of my all-time favorite books.  It is the story of a Russian aristocrat who, instead of being shot in 1922 is sentenced at the age of 33, to house arrest in the Metropol Hotel in Moscow.  Count Alexander Rostov has already been in residence there four years but is moved from his swank suite of rooms to a small attic room.

This is a story of love in many forms, kindness, friendship and even adventure.  Almost all of it happening within the walls of the Metropol Hotel.  I listened to the book and enjoyed every moment of Nicholas Guy Smith's fabulous voice.    Two sentences on the book jacket of the print book sum up this book perfectly for me. "He can't leave. You won't want to." 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, 260 pages

When the story begins, A.J. Fikry is a 39-year old curmudgeonly widower and book store owner.  This book is one of my nerdy librarian subgenre favorites: books about books.  It also has hope and likeable characters.

Double Bonus:  I listened to this book and it was read by one of my favorite readers, Scott Brick.  (sigh of satisfaction.)

To sum up, here is a longish quote from the book: "Why is any one book different from any other books? . . . We have to look inside many. . . We agree to be disappointed sometimes so that we can be exhilarated every now and again."  Thank you, Ms. Zevin for the exhilaration.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, 160 pages

I have seen "A Christmas Carol" and many movies based on the premise, but somehow had never read it.  I am so glad the Library Book Clubs are reading it. 

This is a classic that really is a treasure.  It took away any visions of scrooge I had towards this year's Christmas and entire holiday season.  I definitely recommend this slim little volume for anyone's reading pleasure in the deep dark winter. 

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick, 331 pages

This sweet little tale tells the story of 69 year-old Arthur Pepper and the physical and emotional journey he embarks on a year after he is widowed.

He begins the story feeling helpless, abandoned and alone.  By the end, Arthur has come into his own.  He finds he is not helpless, not abandoned and not alone.

This would be a great book to read during the frenzy of the holidays.  Need to relax?  Sit down, pour a cup of tea, and embark on a journey with our friend Arthur.

The Passenger by Lisa Lutz, 294 pages

The book begins with Tanya Dubois on the run because her husband has just died and she can't afford to be around if any difficult questions are asked. 

Through this fast paced story, the true story of Tanya Dubois is revealed, along with the reasons why she ran (it turns out) for the second time.

This is one of the fast, suspenseful books best read in one quick sitting so you don't think too much about the story.  It was a fun, suspenseful romp, with plenty of twists and turns. 

The Lake House by Kate Morton, 494 pages

Detective Constable Sadie Sparrow is on a month's forced leave from the London Police because she got too close to a murder case.

She goes to Cornwall to visit her grandfather and stumbles on an abandoned manor house and a 70 year old mystery.

The novel weaves between 1911, the early 1930s and 2003.  A story of war, tragedy and suspense unfolds.  Quite the satisfying read.

The Alphabet Sisters by Monica McInerney, 437 pages

The "Alphabet Sisters" is the story of three estranged sisters and their grandmother who finagles them back in the same room again by demanding they attend her 80th birthday party.

Set in Australia, it is the story of the sisters relationship with each other and the men in their lives.  It is also the story of the sisters being on their own for the three years they didn't speak and how that changed them.

This book was okay but I would have been happier if it ended 100 pages earlier than it did.  

The Past by Tessa Hadley, 362 pages

This is a book club book for the library.  Some of the book club members didn't like it.  Not much happens.  It's about four adult siblings, three sisters and one brother, who spend three weeks at their grandparents house in the English countryside.  The group has to decide if they are going to keep the house or sell it. 

I liked the family dynamics and one dramatic part in the book, okay really, one line saved the whole thing for me. 

So, if someone is looking for a mostly calm, well written book with not a whole lot of action then this just might be the book for you.

Harmony by Carolyn Parkhurst, 278 pages

In the mood for a bit of psychological thriller?  Interested in a book about the autism spectrum?  Like a good family story?  This book has all that and more.

The story unfolds from the perspective of three characters: Alexandra (mom), Tilly (on the spectrum) and Iris (Tilly's sister).  Alexandra and Josh, parents to Tilly and Iris, are looking for help with raising Tilly the best way possible.  They think the find the answer in Scott Bean, who has a blog about how to have a harmonious family with a child on the autism spectrum.  Scott Bean has the idea of starting Camp Harmony, a camp where families will spend a week, learning how to better interact with each other.

Alexandra, Josh and the girls leave their life and head to Camp Harmony to help start the camp with two other families, along with Scott.  Unfortunately, things end up being not so harmonious at the camp . . .

The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy, 295 pages

This is one of those books that has a story happening now (2007 in the United States) and then (1945 in Germany.)  Then details the life of Elsie Schmidt, who is 17, working in her family bakery in the middle of Nazi Germany.  Now mostly focuses on Reba, a reporter who meets Elsie and her daughter Jane.  Reba comes to Elsie's German Bakery to get a feel-good Christmas story about Christmas in Germany.

Most World War II related books I read tell the story of the Holocaust or life in England during the war.  This told the story from the perspective of Germans and their lives under Nazi propaganda and rule.  It also had a nice juxtaposition dealing with modern life and illegal immigration in America.  When do we get passes for how we treat people?  This is a book club book for the library this year and I am looking forward to our discussion.

The Bartender's Tale by Ivan Doig, 414 pages

This is billed is a Western, which frankly, is not my genre of choice.  Set in a small Montana town in 1960, it may be a Western but it is also a coming of age story.

Rusty lives with his bachelor father, Tom, who owns the locally famous bar, the Medicine Lodge.  Rusty's mom left when Rusty was just a baby, but the two do just fine on their own.

The summer Rusty turns 12 brings changes to their lives.  This is a slow paced tale that totally captivated me from the beginning. 

Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa, 312 pages

This is a well written and devastating fictional account about the protests at the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle.

There is Victor, the 19 year-old runaway who has returned home to Seattle to protest and perhaps, see his step-father the Chief of Police.  There is John Henry, the proponent of non-violent protest and his girlfriend, King, who struggles with rage.  We meet two police officers, Julie and Park, who battle in the protests.  Finally, we meet Dr. Charles Wickramsingne, who is a delegate from Sri Lanka and has a must-get-to meeting with President Clinton to ensure Sri Lanka's entry in the WTO.

This is a fast and unsettling book about one violent day and event.

The Outside Boy by Jeanine Cummins, 360 pages

It is 1959 and 12-year old Christy Hurley lives in Ireland with his father and extended family.  They are travellers, tinkers, nomads.  Christy's grandfather dies, the extended family settles down for a time so that Christy and his cousin Martin can get confirmed and Christy discovers a family secret that changes his world.

This is one of those rare novels that is so beautifully written that I didn't want it to end.

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger, 307 pages

It is the summer of 1961 and Frank Drum, the middle of three children, is 13 years old.  The family lives in New Bremen, Minnesota and five deaths happen over the summer, some of which change Frank and his family forever.

The book is beautifully written and is told from the perspective of Frank 40 years later.  It is ultimately a book of hope, family and love.  Perfect for the season.

The Rocks by Peter Nichols, 432 pages

This is a book club book I am not looking forward to discussing.  The setting is beautiful: Mallorca, an idyllic island off of Spain.  The people who inhabit the story are less so.

The story spans the years from 1948 to 2005 and revolves around a failed honeymoon, the honeymooners themselves and the future families of those failed honeymooners.

The characters weren't all that likable and some of them were downright despicable.  Meh.