Friday 5ive- January 28, 2022

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly post featuring five things that caught my attention this week. We're preparing for a Nor'easter storm here in NYC, we'll see if we get one inch of snow or 8-12 inches of snow. Either way, we have enough wine and books in our apartment to survive.

1)  Everyone is playing the new Internet game sensation Wordle, and so I gave it a try this week. Once a day, a new puzzle is released. You get six chances to guess the 5 letter word of the day (you can only play once a day, which I like). I've only been doing it for four days, and each day I got the word in four tries- until today, I needed all six tries to get the word. You start by guessing a random five-letter word. If a letter is in the correct place, the tile turns green. If the letter is in the word but in the wrong place, the tile turns yellow. If the letter is not in the word at all, the tile turns black. It's a lot of fun and it really makes you use your brain power. You can play or get more information here. This is my Wordle from the other day.

2)  I saw this ad from McDonald's for their new "off the menu" items, specialty items you can ask for that aren't featured on their regular menu. When I saw their Surf 'n Turf- which appears to be a Big Mac with a Filet O' Fish stacked inside- I thought it was a joke. I'm guessing perhaps it was created by someone who had the munchies after smoking something. 

3)  I joined in on two terrific online book events on Wednesday evening. The first was Buzz Books Editors Panel, presented by Publishers Lunch and the American Booksellers Association. Six editors each presented a book they were excited about in a short conversation with the authors. The Buzz Books Editors Panel was always one of my favorite events at the late, lamented Book Expo, and I really like the new addition of hearing from the authors as well. I'm most excited to read Robin Peguero's debut legal thriller With Prejudice from Grand Central Publishing (publishing May 17th) and Take My Hand, a historical fiction from Dolen Perkins-Valdez (publishing April 12th from Berkley).

The second event was William Morrow's Summer Fiction Showcase. Tavia from William Morrow was our delightful host as authors from six novels publishing this summer introduced their books in taped pieces. Interspersed in the event were short messages from popular authors- Christopher Moore, Paul Tremblay, Susan Wiggs and more- who gave us a quick peek at their upcoming books. It was so well done and moved so quickly, they covered a lot of books in a short time. The ones I am most intrigued by are Shirlene Obuobi's On Rotation, (publishing June 21st) a novel about a Black female medical resident in Chicago, and Kirsten Miller's The Change, (publishing May 3rd) a "feel-good feminist revenge fantasy". You can watch the presentation on William Morrow's Crowdcast channel here. My To-Be-Read list expanded exponentially this week.

4)  We watched the first part of season four of Ozark, all seven episodes over the weekend. Things are winding down for the Byrde family, and not in a good way. It's reminding me more and more of Breaking Bad, as these people are in way over their head, and the tension is racheting up moment by moment. I find it interesting that the women are leading the way- Wendy Byrde is very scary, her daughter Charlotte is becoming a mini-version of Mom, Wendy's archenemy Darlene Snell is seriously unhinged, FBI Agent Maya Miller is walking a dangerous line, and Ruth, oh dear, Ruth, what will happen to you? We can't wait for the second part of season four, the end of the story (or do we already know the end???) 

5)  I read three good and very different books this week. My favorite was Steven Rowley's novel 

The Guncle, a sweet story about Patrick, a gay man who opens up his home to his young niece and nephew for the summer after their mother (his best friend from college) dies and their father (his brother) has to go to rehab. Patrick made his fortune as an actor on a hit TV sitcom, and left LA for Palm Springs once the show was over, leaving acting behind. I absolutely loved the characters and the relationship between the children and Patrick.  (His Guncle Rules are delightful.) This book made me smile as I read it, and you can actually feel your heart opening up to bring these characters inside. I hope this becomes a movie, because I heard Dan Levy's voice (Schitt's Creek) as Patrick as I was reading. He would be perfect! This is a truly feel-good book, albeit tinged with some sadness. Kind of like life, right? 

I read a thriller by Adele Parks titled Woman Last Seen. Leigh is married to Mark and stepmum to his two sons. The older son has become surly and angry with her, and Leigh doesn't know why. It hurts her that Mark doesn't defend her to his son. When Leigh fails to return home from work, Mark contacts the police. At the same time, a woman named Kai, who is married to a wealthy Dutch businessman, goes missing as well. DCI Clements is investigating the women's disappearance, which she believes may be connected even if her boss thinks both women are runaways. This book has a huge twist in the middle that shakes up the whole story. My full review publishes on Sunday. 

The third book I read was Brenda Janowitz's fascinating family story The Liz Taylor Ring. When a young Lizzie marries her sister's former boyfriend Ritchie (against her parents' better judgement), they have their ups and downs, and Ritchie doesn't seem to be able to keep a job. When Lizzie and Ritchie separate and reunite after nine months, Ritchie gifts Lizzie with a huge diamond ring like the one Richard Burton gave Liz Taylor after their separation. The ring resurfaces after the death of Ritchie many years later and that causes their three children- Addy, Nathan and Courtney- to fight over what to do with the ring. This is a wonderful family story, a love story between Lizzie and Ritchie, and there is much here that people will be able to relate to- sibling relationships, parental loss, and issues of addiction. My full review publishes Monday. 

 

Stay safe and warm everyone.

Three New Books to Dip In and Out Of

Reprinted from auburnpub.com:

One of the side effects of being cooped up inside for so long is that our attention spans have shrunk. After binge-watching episode after episode of the latest Netflix craze, we need a break. When it comes to reading, the thought of tackling a big novel or doorstopper of a biography can be too daunting. This month’s Book Report has three suggestions for books you can dip into and out of to give your self a break.

Todd Doughty’s book Little Pieces of Hope had its origins on March 11, 2020 when he began to make a list of “happy-making things in a difficult world” and posted the list with a photo on his Instagram account (@todddoughty). That was the day the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic. 

The post became the basis for his book. Most of his lists are a single page, so this makes it the perfect book to just grab when you have a few minutes and want something to bring a smile to your face as you recognize things that brought you joy as a youngster or give you hope today. 

He lists things like “Staying up late and hearing “Live From New York, it’s Saturday Night!”, “A day at the state fair”,  and “Ripping open the presents” that evoke a visceral memory for so many of us. He has pages titled “Bucket-List Suggestions” (seeing a Red Sox- Yankees game at Fenway), “Things You Might Consider Doing Today” (make Ina Garten’s weeknight Bolognese), and “That Moment in Life When You” (realized your parents are people too). 

There are many things in this delightful book to make you think, make you smile, make you nostalgic. Sometimes it’s just one word- “Kevin!” (from the movie Home Alone), or his Mixtape pages of songs that will have you rushing to make a Spotify playlist to dance to that bring you happiness. I particularly like his lists of characters from my favorite TV shows of yore, or books I Ioved. His name-checking of famous paintings and photographs had me Googling them to take a look. 

Little Pieces of Hope is the kind of book you’ll want to take a highlighter to so you can refer back to your favorite sections, or call your siblings or best friends to ask them if they remember this or that. It will bring a smile to your face and earn a permanent place on your favorites bookshelf.

Ann Patchett’s book of essays These Precious Days compiles some of her best pieces of nonfiction writing where she asked herself “what mattered most in this precarious and precious life.” The first essay, “Three Fathers” is a beautiful homage to the men her mother married, including her own father, and recalls what each brought to her life. She shares a lovely photo of her with the men at a family wedding in 2005, shortly before she began to lose them. 

In “Flight Plan”, Ann relays her doctor-husband’s love of piloting his plane, and how even though she worries when he takes off, she knows how much joy it brings to his life. The title essay, “These Precious Days” is the best of the book. Ann met Tom Hanks’ assistant Sooki at an event and was drawn to her right away. 

Sooki had a serious illness, and one of the medical trials for her condition was taking place in Nashville, where Ann lived. Ann’s husband was able to get Sooki into the trial, and Ann insisted Sooki stay with them during the trial. Shortly after Sooki arrived the pandemic hit, and she ended up staying with Ann for much longer than expected. Sooki staying with Ann and her husband changed their lives, and this essay is one of the most moving I have ever read.

Crime fiction writer Laura Lippman’s short story collection Seasonal Work is filled with unforgettable characters, mostly girls and young women. “Seasonal Work” is the first and strongest story, about a family whose van filled with their Christmas gifts is robbed on Christmas Eve. “Snowflake Time” is a sly story about “the woke culture” and how it affects a television news personality. People spying on others is a theme- a woman thinks her neighbor is up to no good, a wife finds her husband’s secret burner phone- and it doesn’t always end well. Even though you can read one story at a time, I admit I devoured this delectable collection in one day. 

Little Pieces of Hope by Todd Doughty- A 

Published by Penguin Life

Trade paperback, $16, 245 pages

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett- A

Published by Harper

Hardcover, $26.99, 336 pages

Seasonal Work by Laura Lippman- A

Published by William Morrow

Hardcover, $26.99, 336 pages

Friday 5ive- January 21, 2022

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly-ish blog post featuring five things that caught my attention this week. It's been a cold week here in NYC, and the weekend is supposed to be even colder. It's a good time to stay inside and read.

1) Last week we were in Florida, where the weather was warm and sunny. I spent one perfect day at the beach, not too hot, no breeze, just sun and sand. 

2) I've been trying to cook more now, and I pinned some recipes from The Washington Post 's Top Ten Most Popular Recipes from 2021. I made Aaron Hutcherson's Baked Chicken Thighs with Butter and Onions, and it was hit. Next up is the Leslie Brenner's Classic Ragu Bolognese. They all look really great.

I also made Katie Lee Beigel's Banana Cake after I saw an episode of The Kitchen on the Food Network. If you ever thought "You know what would make this banana bread better? Cream cheese frosting", then this recipe is for you. My husband loved it.

3) There's a new type of 15 minute grocery delivery service in New York City. They have small store fronts filled with things like diapers, water, fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, poptarts- lots of stuff. You place an order on an app, and within 15 minutes (or so), your order is delivered. I passed by Fridge No More in my neighborhood and I am curious. It's great if you're home and need something quick for a recipe or you're not feeling well and don't want to go out. There's no minimum order, and the prices seem pretty reasonable compared to the grocery stores. I haven't tried it yet, but I may just to see if it works.

4) One of my favorite books is JR Moehringer's memoir, The Tender Bar, it's always on my Staff Recommends shelf at the Book Cellar. I've been waiting for the movie based on the book to hit Amazon Prime Video, and we watched it this week. George Clooney directs the movie, with Ben Affleck playing Uncle Charlie to JR, who is played by Daniel Ranieri (as a young boy), and Tye Sheridan (as a young man) All of them are very good. JR is being raised by his single mom, played beautifully by Lily Rabe. They moved back in with her parents, brother (Affleck), and various other siblings and nieces and nephews who seem to come and go depending on circumstances. It's a lovely movie about family, and having a mom who believes in you. I adored the 70's music, I hope I can find the soundtrack. You can watch the trailer here.

5) I read a fabulous book this week.  Adriana Trigiani's upcoming novel, The Good Left Undone is an epic, sweeping story about a family of artisans in Tuscany, Italy. The Cabrelli family has been creating and selling beautiful jewelry for generations, and now Matelda, the elderly matriarch, is reflecting on her life as her 25 year-old granddaughter Anina is questioning the choices she has made in her own life. The story is told in present day and in the days leading up to WWII where Domenica is a young nurse who runs afoul of the local parish priest and is sent away from her family to Marseille, France to work with nuns in a hospital. She meets handsome Scottish sea merchant captain John McVicars there and quickly falls in love. 

As war approaches France, Domenica is sent to Scotland, and then Liverpool, England, where Italians are sent to an internment camp because the British government feels they can't be trusted, as Mussolini has aligned Italy with the Nazis. Trigiani once again gives us a fantastic generational family story, and layers in a historical lesson that many of us did not know- Italians (many whom had lived in England and Scotland for years) were rounded up and imprisoned based solely on their heritage. (Susan Elia MacNeal's The King's Justice dealt with this topic as well.) This is similar to what the United States did to people of Japanese descent after Pearl Harbor.

One of the best things about reading an Adriana Trigiani novel is that it is a treat for all of your senses.You can hear the tents snapping in the wind at Carnevale, smell apple strudel baking, taste the delicious cherry cake (I would love that recipe!), and see in your mind's eye the beautifully crafted jewelry "glistening like ribbon candy" in its case. 

As someone who grew up attending Catholic school, I appreciated the nuns in the story. The care they provided as nurses to their charges, the kindness they showed to Domenica, the strength they exhibit, these are the women I grew up knowing. One of my favorite scenes occurs when Anina and her fiancé go to their parish priest for advice. The priest is a wise man, who listens to their concerns and relates his best advice- "Forgive.Forget.Repeat."

At a time when we have all missed seeing our family- parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles- falling into this big, beautiful book about, as Matelda says, how "a family is only as strong as its stories" will encourage us to share our own family's stories with each other. And as Father Fracassi says, we must "reflect on the past, (and) make peace with it. You cannot control the evil done to you. You cannot turn back and right the good left undone." There is so much to ponder in The Good Left Undone, it's the kind of book that once you turn the last page, you want to immediately begin to reread it. I give it my highest recommendation. It publishes in April, preorder it today from your favorite bookseller.

I hope you all stay safe and healthy and warm. 

The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton

The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton

Published by Graydon House ISBN 9781525811609

Trade paperback, $16.99, 352 pages

January seems to be the month for domestic thrillers about shady husbands (I read Kimberly Belle's My Darling Husband last week). Karen Hamilton's twisty novel, The Ex-Husband, takes the reader through the relationship between Sam, a charming cruise ship croupier and grifter/con man and Charlotte, the woman who becomes entranced with Sam and his exciting and dangerous lifestyle.

The novel opens up in the present day with Charlotte, now separated from Sam and building an events planning business in Cornwall, England. When she gets word that Sam has disappeared and feared dead, Charlotte thinks it is just another one of Sam's cons.

The story then moves back in time. We see how Sam swept Charlotte off her feet when they both worked on a cruise ship. Charlotte became a willing participant in Sam's cons, believing Sam when he tells her that the people they are stealing from are not victims. Those people have more than enough money, they will never miss what Sam and Charlotte are taking from them. 

At first, it was exciting, and Charlotte enjoyed the gifts Sam lavished on her. But soon, Charlotte sees a darker side to Sam. He cheats on her, and eventually becomes violent when she dares to criticize his plans. When they nearly get caught stealing an expensive necklace, and Sam leaves Charlotte holding the bag, she has finally had enough.

In the present day, Charlotte takes a job as an assistant planner on a luxury yacht sailing to the Caribbean. Things seem fine at first, but then someone leaves threatening notes for Charlotte, telling her that she must pay up or she will die. Charlotte has no money, and when she begins to suffer from "accidents", she believes that Sam is somehow behind all this.  

Fans of Bravo's Below Deck will enjoy the luxury yacht setting, as so much of the story takes place on the yacht with the demanding and wealthy travelers. The "locked room" trope of the story rachets up the suspense as Charlotte is trapped on the yacht with someone who means her harm. The Ex-Husband will appeal to readers of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley's novels. 

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Winter 2022 Winter Reads Blog Tour.

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

Published by Park Row on March 8, 2022 ISBN 9780778311560

Trade paperback, $16.99, 352 pages

In Kimberly Belle's newest thriller My Darling Husband, Jade's life, while hectic, is pretty good. Her husband Cam is one of Atlanta's most celebrated chefs, known as the Steak King of Atlanta. He owns several popular high-end restaurants, and they live in a McMansion in a wealthy neighborhood.

Jade spends her days shuttling her nine year-old daughter Beatrix, a possible violin prodigy, and six year-old son Baxter, a typical energetic little boy, between school and activities. One day they returned home to find a masked man with a gun in their garage.

Frightened, Jade offers to give him her SUV, her wallet, phone, anything, if he will just leave. But that is not what he wants. He moves them all into the house and instructs Jade to call Cam and tell him that if her doesn't bring a very specific large sum of money to him by 7pm, he will kill the family.

Cam is dealing with a disasterous fire in his most profitable restaurant when Jade calls him. Although he tells the man he can't get that much cash in that short a period of time, the man reiterates his threat to Jade and the children.

The masked man knows a lot about Jade's husband, and tells her that her husband isn't the successful, wonderful man she thinks he is. Jade has to use her wits to figure out who this man is and how to keep him from hurting her children. The action moves between Jade in the house and Cam racing to find enough money to save his family.

My Darling Husband is breakneck thriller that gets parents right where they live- the safety of their children's lives. Your heart will pound as you read, and you'll wrack your brain as you try to figure out along with Jade how this man knows so much about Jade and Cam.

This novel has all the makings of a great Lifetime thriller movie, I wouldn't be surprised to see it next year on my television screen. If domestic thrillers are your favorite reads, My Darling Husband should be next up on your list.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Fall 2021 Mystery & Thriller Blog Tour. 

Friday 5ive- January 7, 2022

Welcome back to the Friday 5ive, a weekly(ish) blog post about five things that caught me attention this week. It's been awhile since I posted a Friday 5ive, the holidays and work kept me very busy, but now that it's 2022, it's time to get back on track.

1) Like everyone else in the world, I was saddened to hear of the death of Betty White. I know that most people associate her with The Golden Girls, but for my money her best performance was as the Happy Homemaker Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I have been watching reruns of that show on my Echo show in my kitchen while  making dinner at night and I'm up to seasons 6 and 7, when Sue Ann had some great storylines. (Season 6, episode 15- What Do You Want To Do When You Produce?, Season 6, episode 23- Sue Ann Falls in Love, Season 7, episode 3- Sue Ann's Sister are standouts.) You can find it on Hulu. 

2) We had family visit us for Christmas, and my rusty coooking skills got a workout. Two breakfast recipes were so popular, I made the each twice. The first is Berry Croissant Bake, a recipe I found on Kara Creates on Pinterest. You make it with already baked croissants from the bakery, top with fresh or frozen berries and a cream cheese, eggs and milk mixture. It was so good, there were nearly fistfights over the leftovers. The recipe is here, and the photo is from Kara Creates webpage. 

The second recipe is for Baked Western Omelet is from The Seasoned Mom, and is one I have made in years past. It's an easy casserole with eggs, milk, cheddar cheese, diced peppers and onions and ham (I also made a smaller dish without ham for our vegetarian fans). This recipe makes a great lunch or light dinner too. The recipe is here. The photo is from The Seasoned Mom. 

3)  Last night I listened to a fascinating Zoom conversation with author John Searles in discussion with Laura Lippman celebrating 25 years as an author  (20 novels, 2 essay collections, and 2 short story collections) and her current book of short stories, Seasonal Work (which is terrific, especially the title story.) I like both of these authors and their discussion ranged from Lippman's pandemic closet remodel and her daily posting of her outfits she bought on ThredUp on Twitter (she is marvelous on Twitter!) to her channeling of the voices of her characters in Seasonal Work. Lippman has always been interested in female characters, particularly young women and girls, and that comes through in this amazing collection set mostly in her beloved Baltimore. Searles' upcoming novel, Her Last Affair, out in March, is also a great read, especially if you like creepy psychological suspense stories, and the setting of an abandoned drive-in is genius. The Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore hosted the event. 

4)  I watched the movie Being The Ricardos on Amazon Prime this week. Nicole Kidman's astonishing transformation into Lucille Ball really impressed me, especially in light of all the criticism she took on prior to the filming. Javier Bardem is great as Desi Arnaz, and although the movie focuses on one week in the life of Lucy when she was accused of being a Communist during the filming of season two of I Love Lucy, we get flashbacks to their early relationship. The rest of the cast is fantastic, including JK Simmons (as William Frawley aka Fred Mertz), Nina Arianda (as Vivian Vance aka Ethel Mertz) and Tony Hale as executive producer Jess Oppenheimer. Aaron Sorkin wrote and directed the movie, and it's a must-see for anyone (aka everyone in America) who grew up watching reruns of I Love Lucy. 

5)  After a brief hiatus from reading, I managed to get four books read over the Christmas break. Dana Spiotta's critically acclaimed novel Wayward is set in Syracuse. Spiotta is a professor at Syracuse University and her novel is centered around Sam, an upper class woman in her 50s who, after the 2016 election, has a midlife crisis and decides to leave her husband and buy a dipidated home in a troubled neighborhood in Syracuse. She has a good relationship with her mother, but her relationship with her seventeen year-old daughter is fraying at the seams. Sam is trying to connect with the people in her neighborhood, and when she witnesses a police officer shooting a young black man, she grapples with how to deal with that.  There is also a lot of architectural history about Syracuse (I grew up in nearby Auburn) in this deeply moving story that I found so interesting, it makes me want to research it more thoroughly. 

Kimberly Belle's My Darling Husband would make a terrific Lifetime movie. The story centers around Jade, a woman married to Cam, a celebrated chef and restauranteur in Atlanta. They live in a McMansion with their two young children and all is well until a man follows Jade home and holds her and the two children hostage. He demands that Cam bring him a very specific large sum of money by 7pm or he will kill the family. Cam has been hiding things from Jade, and she must use all her skills to figure out who this intruder really is and how to keep her children safe. My full review posts January 10th. It's a pulse pounding read. 

If you remember watching the sitcom Roseanne, Jenny Pentland's memoir This Will be Funny Later is one you will want to read. Pentland is Roseanne Barr's daughter, and she, her older sister Jessica, and younger brother Jake were youngsters when their mother rocketed to fame as a standup comic and then sitcom superstar. The family lived in Denver and eventually moved to Los Angeles when the sitcom took off.  The family came apart when Roseanne divorced their father Bill and became involved with Tom Arnold. Jessica and Jenny were both sent away to various facilities over the years to deal with their behavorial, psychological and drug problems, and Jenny's descriptions of the places she lived in are harrowing at times. The price of fame for the Pentland family was way too much, and if you ever dreamed of what it would be like to be rich and famous, this book will disabuse of any notion you have. 

And finally, as mentioned above, I read Laura Lippman's brilliant short story crime fiction collection Seasonal Work. Lippman excels in creating full-bodied characters in these short stories that many novelists would not be able to do in a full novel. The first story, Seasonal Work, is the strongest one about a down-on-their-luck family whose car is broken into on Christmas Eve and all their presents are stolen. Tess Monaghan, the star of many of Lippman's twenty novels, makes a welcome appearance in this story and another for true Lippman fans. The other stories, including the hilarious Snowflake Time, with its Bill O'Reilly-type main character, draw the reader in immediately. Many of these stories have been seen in other collections, but the new one, Just One More, combines Lippman's love of the TV show Columbo with a bored couple during the pandemic. If your attention span suffered during the pandemic, Seasonal Work is a great cure. 

I hope you all had a happy holiday season, and that you stayed safe and healthy. Until next time.

The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard

The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Published by MIRA, ISBN 9780369717559

Hardcover, $27.99, 352 pages

Author Ann Patchett said that if a book doesn't grab her from the first sentence or page, she will stop reading it. The first sentence of Jacquelyn Mitchard's novel, The Good Son, grabs the reader hard.

"I was picking up my son at the prison gates when I spotted the mother of the girl he murdered."

How can you not read on after that?

Thea was at the prison to pick up Stefan, her twenty year-old son who had just served nearly three years in prison for killing his girlfriend in a drug-induced haze. He was so out of it, he didn't remember what he had done.

As the story progresses, we discover that Stefan was obsessed with his high school girlfriend Belinda, and was distraught when she went away to college. They continued to see each other, and Stefan was planning on going to the same college when she was killed. 

Thea and her husband Jep saw that Stefan was obsessed, but didn't know what to do. For the past three years, Thea has visited Stefan in prison every chance she could, but her and Jep's life settled into a routine; Jep is a well-respected college football coach, Thea a professor. Other than the young women (organized by Belinda's devout and distraught mother) who protested about domestic violence outside of their home on a daily basis, life went on.

But things changed when Stefan came home. He had to adjust to life outside prison, and plan for a new life. No one would hire him. He was depressed, and Thea and Jep feared that he might harm himself. Stefan needed to find a purpose for his life or he was doomed.

There were repercussions for Stefan coming home. His release made people in the community uncomfortable, including the people at Thea's college. Now that people were face-to-face with Stefan and his crime, reactions to the family were different than when he was away in prison.

They were used to getting phone calls about Stefan's crime while he was in prison, but now a young woman keeps calling Thea saying that they don't know the truth about what happened the night Stefan killed Belinda. There is also a man who keeps showing up wherever Thea and Stefan are, trying to run them off the road, and even breaking into their home.

I liked the premise of the book- what if your child did something so horrible, it was unforgiveable? How do you live with that as a parent, and still love and support your son? Do you question what you did or didn't do as a parent? Mitchard does an wonderful job putting the reader in Thea's shoes.

There is the question of redemption, can Stefan redeem himself in his own eyes and the eyes of the community? And what does he owe the mother of the woman he killed?

Without giving away the ending of the book, I will say that I found the end disappointing. Up until the end, I liked where Mitchard had taken us with this book, but the resolution took it in a different direction. I really liked Mitchard's The Deep End of the Ocean, she knows how to write family drama that gets you right in the heart, and The Good Son does the same. I recommend it for that reason.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on Jacquelyn Mitchard's tour.

The Most Compelling Books of 2021

Reprinted from auburnpub.com:

It’s that time of year for a list of the Most Compelling Books I read this year. It was difficult to whittle the list down to only ten because I read so many great books in 2021. These are the books I still think about, some long after I read them.

Lauren Willig’s Band of Sisters tells the fictionalized story of the all-female Smith College alumni who traveled to France during WWI to aid villagers displaced by war. Willig based her novel on letters written by the real women who risked their lives to help others, and it is a riveting tale of bravery and friendship. (My full review here)

Nancy Johnson’s debut novel, The Kindest Lie, is set just after the 2008 election of Barack Obama. Ruth Tuttle, a Yale-educated Black engineer in Chicago, returns to her small hometown to discover what happened to the baby she secretly gave birth to the summer before she went away to college. It’s a poignant tale of race, family, secrets, and class. (My full review here) 

Patry Francis’ novel All The Children Are Home begins in 1959, and centers on Louie and Dahlia and the foster children they take in and adopt. Dahlia is an unforgettable character, and this story of what it means to be a family is heartwarming, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful. (My full review here) 

Julietta Henderson’s The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman is a road trip tale about 12 year-old Norman’s quest to perform standup comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to honor his best friend Jax who died. Norman and his mom Sadie set out on a journey and meet some kind people who help them along the way. This lovely story will restore your faith in humanity. (My full review here) 

Amor Towles’ The Lincoln Highway is also a road trip story. Set in 1954, Emmett returns home to Nebraska to his eight year-old brother after a stay in a juvenile facility. He wants to move to California but is waylaid after two young men escape from the facility and convince him to drive them to New York. It’s an epic tale filled with many fascinating characters. (More on the book here) 

Damhnait Monaghan’s delightful debut novel, New Girl in Little Cove takes place in a small town in Newfoundland after Rachel leaves Toronto to teach there. The characters in this town take her in and make her feel like one of their own. If you like a good small town story, this one will make you smile. (My full review here) 

Another wonderful small town story is Katherine Heiny’s Early Morning Riser. When young second grade teacher Jane locks herself out of her house, she meets and falls in love with Duncan, the locksmith who comes to her rescue. Jane becomes involved with Duncan’s formidable ex-wife Aggie, Aggie’s quirky new husband Gary, and Jimmy, a young man who works for Duncan. The story moves from 2002-2018 as we see how a tragedy brings all these people together as a family. It’s such a lovely story. (More on the book here) 

Louise Erdrich’s new novel, The Sentence is about Tookie, an Indigenous woman who finds a job in an independent bookstore after her release from prison. Tookie is being haunted at the bookstore by Flora, a customer who died on All Souls Day. The story is set in Minneapolis from 2019-2020 and also deals with the pandemic and the fallout of George Floyd’s murder, which took place nearby. It is a thought-provoking, elegantly written story that will appeal to book lovers. 

There are two nonfiction books on my list this year.  Eleanor Henderson’s Everything I Have Is Yours shares the story of her marriage to a man who suffers from a severely painful chronic condition that may or may not be psychological in nature. Henderson holds down a full-time job, cares for her two young sons and her husband, and maneuvers the maze that is healthcare in this country. This brilliantly written book illuminates what it means to be committed to your marriage and love so deeply. 

Amber and Lacey Ruffin’s You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey describes the many situations that Lacey deals with on a daily basis as a Black woman in Omaha. I shook my head in disbelief as they share with humor and dismay the things people say and do to Lacey, not realizing or perhaps not caring how hurtful or harmful it can be. It’s an eye-opener of a book. (More on the book here) 

I hope you read many great books this year as well. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Holiday Short Stories

The holiday season has begun and with so many things on our to-do list, sometimes reading entire books doesn't make the cut. This year, Amazon has short stories from four popular authors that will give you  snack-sized treats for the holiday season, stocking stuffers if you will. These charming stories are free for Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited subscribers and perfect for a quick read to wind down at the end of the day.

J. Courtney Sullivan's Model Home is one for fans of all of the HGTV home remodeling shows. Katie and Damien are the queen and king of home remodeling shows, delighting America with their snappy reparteé and style. But Damien has told the Katie and the network that he wants out- of the show and his marriage- after this last holiday remodel special. 

Can Katie convince Damien to change his mind? The network is willing to renegotiate their huge contract, but Damien is adamant that he wants out. Their two young daughters are unhappy, feeling neglected by their busy parents, raised by the family assistant and social media. Katie is not willing to make a change in her lavish lifestyle just because Damien and the girls are unhappy. 

I really liked the clever twist at the end, one I did not see coming. I've always enjoyed J. Courtney Sullivan's novels (Saints For All Occasions is a favorite), and if you have never read any of her books, start here and you'll be hooked.

Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor & Park) tackles the pandemic in her holiday story If The Fates Allow. Reagan has quarantined herself for two weeks and followed all COVID protocols so that she can spend Christmas with her grandfather, who lost recently his wife. Reagan's family has not followed COVID protocol, they don't believe in it, even though with their health issues they should.

Reagan's grandfather's neighbor's adult son Mason has returned home to Nebraska from Washington DC to ride out the pandemic. He and Reagan went to high school together, and the loneliness of being cooped up inside has brought them together, even though Mason thought Reagan was a mean girl in high shcool.

Rowell does a terrific job with her characters, she fleshes them out so well in such a short time; Reagan, Mason, and Grandpa grew on me in just a few pages. "Reagan was the person you called when you wanted someone to talk you into leaving your husband. Or when you needed someone to call the bank to straighten out your overdraft fees." That is great descriptive language there. 

In Suzanne Redfearn's (Hadley & Grace) story The Marriage Test, Ava has agreed to marry Justin after dating him for just a few months. Before they can marry, though, they have to pass the Marriage Test, which requires Justin to procure a frigate bird's egg from the Everglades to bake into their wedding cake. Only then can they be sure their marriage will last. 

Justin is up to the crazy task, and he, Ava, and Ava's business partner (and Justin's ex-best friend) Walton travel to the Everglades to retrieve the delicate egg from the bird's nest in the marsh. Why are Justin and Walton no longer best friends and does Ava really believe in this family superstition? You'll have to read the story to find out the answer to those burning questions.

The last story is Chandler Baker's Oh. What. Fun., about a family's traditional Christmas celebration. Claire is a retired schoolteacher who stays in constant contact with her two adult sons and adult daughter. She frequently texts them, mostly about the morning talk show host she adores. 

When it comes to Christmas, Claire does everything. She buys the groceries, cooks their favorite meals, babysits her two beautiful granddaughters, decorates the house, and buys gifts for all the neighbors. Her children love her, but Claire can be a little too much sometimes. And something seems a little off with Claire this Christmas. 

One of Claire's sons narrates this story, a story that any mom will shake her head in recognition of all the things Claire has to do to make Christmas run smoothly, and how Claire is treated for it. When Claire buys the entire family tickets to see Disney On Ice, all the fun the family has disappears when something unbelievable happens.

Oh.What.Fun. is the best story of the four. I found myself laughing and simultaneously feeling sad for Claire. I think every mom of adult children should read this story to her kids after she reads them The Night Before Christmas. 

Happy Holidays to all!