Customer Comments

I fell in love with Moreno-Garcia's storytelling ability after reading Mexican Gothic (as so many others have), and will happily give whatever topic she turns her hand to a read, even if it isn't of particular interest to me in usual circumstances. Such is the case with this newest story. I'm not one for science fiction and definitely not for horror, and while I've seen this book described as both, I'd say that it only glances at those descriptors and truly inhabits its own space. I've heard of the original Doctor Moreau of course, but it never was something I was eager to read, so I went into this story with only the sketchiest understanding of the inspiration she came to this novel with. That said, it's clear that Moreno-Garcia has created a very original story and made it her own. It held my interest and kept me coming back to a story that was engrossing and almost seemed possible if only we just had the right circumstances and knowledge. Well done indeed. My thanks to Random House - Ballantine/Del Rey, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book I've read from Runyan, and I have to say I'm very impressed with her attention to detail and dedication to researching and bringing out lesser known women in history. This is a wonderful story that held my attention from start to finish. Ruby was an engaging and believable character, and I loved her story. She was strong, determined and just a joy to travel with, even in the hell of war. The only thing disappointing in the slightest was the ending, as it felt just a bit rushed to me. Not sure if it truly was, or if it was just my disappointment in getting to the end of her story. Well worth the read, and I look forward to more from Runyan in the years to come. This is an honest review in exchange for an author provided ARC from NetGalley.

I'm not sure how I missed posting this review since I read this book ages ago, but let's just get right to it now - I loved this book. The description of the challenging relationship between the two sisters, as well as May's relationship with herself was so very real and engrossing. You truly feel like you're right in the middle of everything. It was wonderful seeing how she grew as a person, both in temperament and in her ability to learn about herself and her abilities. I am very happy to have had the chance to read this book and to meet Ms. Hooper when she did her book tour, and am excited to read her newest book that is just being published.

I read this as an audiobook, and while it was somewhat interesting, it wasn't really great. If you want to know about his sex life and drug usage, this is where you want to go. It was also rather disconcerting to have a male narrator for a female authored book. Overall, it was slightly disappointing, but it burned up some hours in the car, so I guess I can't be entirely mad. But I'd've been better off just listening to Bowie sing.

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this story, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. The idea of two people who were very much outside of their comfort zones finding each other and being each others comfort was joyful and heartening. There is much more to this story than that, but I'll not spoil it, other than to say this is a complicated and yet simple book that is worth the read.

Actual rating 3.5, bumped up for nostalgia. I have read most of Danielle Steel's novels up until about the last 7 or 8 years simply because my mom was addicted to her books and so our bookshelves had every single thing she wrote. When this showed up in the chemo library I grabbed it because I knew it would be entertaining and easy to read. Not to come across as dismissive, but this is a typical Steel novel, no more, no less. It was exactly what I expected and so in that way it was good enough. It just wasn't enough to make me want to go back and read the ones I haven't read in recent years.

This was my first Alice Hoffman book, but definitely will not be my last. I was completely drawn in and could hardly bear to put this down. Hoffman has an amazing ability to create mystical worlds within reality and not have it come across as hokey or unlikely. I feel like I truly could meet people like these in real life. A well written story that you should not pass up.

I loved the premise of this book, but somehow it just didn't click for me, and left me feeling rather flat and underwhelmed. Maggie was quite unconvincing as an undercover operative and I just couldn't make myself care about the characters. The writing was easy to follow but I would hesitate before trying another book from this series, which is disappointing considering the premise.

This was an intense ride that left me breathless more often than I expected. The twists and turns just never stopped coming and even at the end I was still trying to slow my heart down from the excitement. Logan did an excellent job in engaging and diverting and just generally entertaining the reader. A well written story definitely worth your time. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

I loved this book. The idea of being a woman of a certain age and being basically invisible really struck home for me, and I think Ms. Hearon did an excellent job of describing how it feels. It was a bit too fairy tale to be entirely realistic, but overall an excellent story and one that I would recommend.

Holy hell this was one wild ride! Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing, and I guarantee you won't ever feel totally secure until the end, and maybe not even after that! This was really well done and I look forward to more from this author.

Well-written and enjoyable. The author had a good grip on handling the separation and made it seem plausible. I would read another from Ms. Friedland.

This was a book I had eagerly been awaiting and it did not disappoint. I do not typically enjoy the "mash-up" genre, but this one really worked. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but it definitely picked up and I was rather sad to see it end. Definitely recommend highly, so much so that when I checked it in to the library I handed it over to one of my coworkers so that she could check it out immediately! Perks of being a volunteer, you get to check out all of the great reads as soon as you see them!

Actual rating 2.75 I listened to this on an audiobook, which I believe was the only way to get through it. I knew what I was getting in to, and was interested because I had heard about the documentary that is being made, so I thought I'd go straight to the source. As far as believability, I'm sure there is an element of truth, and probably a bit more than might be expected, but by no means did I listen to this and accept it as gospel. It's disturbing, and parts are very hard to get through, but in the end it certainly shines light on how things likely were in the golden age of Hollywood, and I appreciated the view from someone who was clearly involved from more than just the very outer fringes.

Actual rating 2.75 I listened to this on an audiobook, which I believe was the only way to get through it. I knew what I was getting in to, and was interested because I had heard about the documentary that is being made, so I thought I'd go straight to the source. As far as believability, I'm sure there is an element of truth, and probably a bit more than might be expected, but by no means did I listen to this and accept it as gospel. It's disturbing, and parts are very hard to get through, but in the end it certainly shines light on how things likely were in the golden age of Hollywood, and I appreciated the view from someone who was clearly involved from more than just the very outer fringes.

Actual rating 3.5 This is a genre that I truly enjoy diving into, so I was very interested in reading this book. Unfortunately, I never entirely clicked with the story. Perhaps I wasn't as interested in the subject as I thought I might be; my tastes do typically run to earlier years. However the writing was excellent and clearly Ms. Bloom did her research, so although I did not enjoy it as much as I would have liked, I think it will be well-received by others.

This should have been a really great book and an enticing read, but somehow it just dragged on for me and I never was able to get fully engaged with it. Honestly, I had a hard time even making myself finish and truthfully do not remember a lot of what went on. It just became more of an obligation than a joy to read and so I'm not left with fond memories. I think perhaps I will try again at another time and see if I fare any better with this author because I really do find the premise interesting.

I really liked the premise of this novel, but somehow it just didn't work for me. The solutions were too easy, and didn't feel real. I was disappointed because I really had high hopes for this story. It wasn't badly written, it just wasn't something I ever was able to connect with.

This was an excellent read, very engaging and well composed. I had no problem finding myself transported to time and place, which is always a sign of a strong descriptive ability. Definitely recommend.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think the word that sums it up best is quirky. Easy to read, but not a fluff book; plenty of substance to keep me entertained and wanting to read just one more page before I put it down for the night. Definitely recommend.

This book had a good premise, and I was prepared to get involved in a fairly dramatic story, but in the end was left feeling unimpressed. The author didn't invite us in to get to really know her characters, so everything that happened felt only surface deep. There was no connection built and the story suffers for it. The interactions also often felt unnatural, and the conversations felt stilted. Overall, it was a bit disappointing and I walked away dissatisfied.

I have heard of Camille Pagan and her other novels, but though they sound interesting to me, I have not had the opportunity to read any of them until this one. What an introduction to a talented writer! The story was realistic and the characters and situations were believable. I really have no complaints other than I stayed up far too late reading this simply because I didn't want to leave without knowing what was happening on the next page, and the next, and the next. Well-written, well-paced, overall an entirely enjoyable read. Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This was a stunning read that pulled no punches. As apt today as it was when it was written, it is truly a must read for everyone. I found that rather than reading through it quickly I had to take a few pages at a time so that I could really ponder and digest his words. Amazing.

HOLY F*&#!!! Yep, that's a big, bad curse word up there, but this was a big, bad curse word of a story. IT GAVE ME NIGHTMARES YOU GUYS!!! Books don't give me nightmares, so suffice it to say that this one left me seriously unbalanced. This is not the type of story I usually read, but when the publisher offered me an advance copy I decided to give it a try. This was an amazing debut, one you're not likely to forget. I'm not entirely sure, but the ending left me with the feeling that there could be a follow up. If you like reading about dysfunctional families with uber-creepy kids, then mark your calendars for summer 2018, because this book is meant for you! Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book.

This book was the selection for my February knitting book club, and honestly, I SO MUCH wanted to like this book. The story of a small community that takes in thousands of strangers with almost no notice in the midst of a global-level crisis? How could that not be interesting? Truth be told, the story is entirely engrossing, but the presentation was less so. Mr. DeFede is clearly a good journalist, but journalistic writing does not serve well when writing a full book. The story was quite choppy and unsatisfying, and would have been better with a clearer focus on perhaps fewer stories. I admit to being quite disappointed in the result, considering the material he had to work with. At least I got an idea of what these amazing people did in the midst of the crisis, and that was enough to give me a bit of hope for humanity, hope that has been seriously lacking of late.

I entered this story without any prejudices as I only know the general outline of the popular version, which was a nice way to approach Ms. Webb's version. Overall I felt the story was very good, although there were some places that didn't feel like they entirely made sense. I liked the idea of Christine wanting to be an illusionist, but I didn't always get the sense that it was as important to her as was implied. I also had a bit of trouble seeing why she was so committed to the Angel, as he came across as more of a malevolent figure than anything else. The connection between the two of them never felt quite real to me. In general, it was a good read, and would be an excellent choice for anyone whether they know the story or not.

Tips For Living was an enjoyable story with a realistic premise. Age-old story of marital infidelity followed by break-up, but with the twist of the cheaters following the injured party to her new home and ending up dead. I must admit I did see where the story was going, but it was still an engrossing read. The character development and dialogue was realistic, although some of it was a bit too obvious. Overall I would rate this at 3.5 stars, rounded up for good quality overall. Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

First and foremost, you must read the first book in this series, "Everything We Keep" or else you will not know what is going on. This second book is just as interesting as the first, and I enjoyed it greatly. My only real complaint was that it was a bit difficult to differentiate between Carlos and James at times. They were similar enough to create a bit of confusion, especially since other characters were present in both of their lives. But overall this was a well written and engaging story which has left me eager to read the next volume when it is published later this year.

This book was chosen for my knitting book club (I crochet, but I'm a rebel like that!) and I almost gave it a pass. I knew nothing of the Kopp sisters, or how Constance was one of the nation's first female deputies, and wasn't particularly interested to learn. But upon buying a copy of Ms. Stewart's nonfiction book The Drunken Botanist for a friend for the holidays, I was reminded of this book and decided to give it a go. That was a great decision. The Kopps are the kind of women I could see myself being friends with - well, maybe not so much with Fleurette, she was fairly annoying, but quite realistically portrayed as they all were. The story was interesting and kept me turning the pages. Someone at book club mentioned that they thought there were two more books about Constance, and after reading this introduction, I'd be glad to read them.

Let me just say that I think the story itself was a solid 4 stars. I wish I could have loved it more and rated it higher, but the back and forth of the years was just too confusing and I kept getting lost in what was going on.. I think it was a brave thing to try to accomplish, but it just didn't work for me. I'd love to read another book from this author, because I believe she has a great ability to tell a story, but not in this format. I was provided an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I don't want to say much about this book because SPOILERS, but you guys, I YELLED AT THIS BOOK. That is so much not a thing I ever do, and yet it happened, twice, and startled the heck out of my daughter and my dog. I'm usually pretty good with figuring out what's going on, but this book kept me so very unbalanced most of the time that I just didn't know what was up. This is one of the three books I read during this first week of 2018 and it definitely started the year out with a bang. Get yourself a copy right away, but don't start it unless you have time to finish it, it's just that good. I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I've been very lucky to have had the opportunity to read three amazing new releases in this first week of 2018. The Immortalists is one of those three and am I ever so glad it was. First off, I have to correct an earlier impression I had - in pictures the cover looked ok, but nothing exceptional. In person it's absolutely gorgeous and I've found myself petting the book, which isn't a thing I do, but there it is! But that's just the outside, and what counts is the story, and it's one hell of a story. What would you do if you knew the date of your death? That's the journey we are taken on with the four Gold siblings, and it's a journey of immense proportions. This is a story that grabs you and doesn't let go, and for me that was just fine because I didn't want it to end. The characters were real and the incidents were believable and I recognized so many places described. It was a wonderful journey that I'm thrilled to have taken. I was provided a copy of this book by Bookish First in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good read, very engaging with a twist I didn't figure out right away. I'd say it falls squarely in the category of a solid beach read. I did have some issues with a couple of the characters, but it didn't entirely get in the way of enjoying the book. I look forward to reading the next one out to see how the story progresses. Definitely an excellent job for a debut. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable book overall, although some parts did not ring true to me. Fairly easy read, and the characters were engaging. Unfortunately I'd have to say it wasn't terribly memorable as I'm having a hard time remembering a lot about the details and I only finished it about a week and a half ago, hence the slim review. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko was an intense read that grabs you at the very start and doesn't let go until you are completely wrung out from laughter and tears. I must admit, it was not the story I expected, having formed a different idea of what it might involve from reading a small blurb, but I have no regrets about how it actually presented itself. Ivan is far too real, despite what the critics say about his perceived cruelty. Life has taught him to be as he is, and I appreciated the reality, no matter how brutal it appeared. This is a story to be approached with an open heart and mind, but cautiously and with respect. As I said, not the story I expected, but well worth the time.

I had not heard of the Tiffany girls before reading this book, so I came into it with no knowledge of their history. I must admit to being slightly disappointed in what I did learn, as it wasn't nearly as much as I'd hoped to. The story was a good one, although parts felt a bit unrealistic, but overall it was an enjoyable read, if somewhat lacking in historical detail. Definitely left me wanting to know more about these women and the work they did for Louis Tiffany. Actual rating is 3.5. I received a copy of Tiffany Girl from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I got this as an Amazon free ebook because it sounded like something I might enjoy. Sadly, it's proven to be forgettable. I know I thought it was fairly well written, but as far as the plot, it was a bit contrived. Problems popped up and were solved with too much ease and frequency. Came across as rather unrealistic. The descriptions were good, and I think the characters were well developed. Unfortunately, it just didn't stick with me and I'm unlikely to seek this author out for more books unless they are free offerings.

I had heard of Aimie Runyan through a readers group I belong to, but had never read any of her books although her first two have been on my radar for awhile. This book was a wonderful introduction to her as an author. I went into Daughters of the Night Sky not knowing anything about the female Russian pilots who bombed the Germans during WWII, but that did not keep me from understanding or enjoying this book. Runyan clearly did a lot of research on the subject and has managed to put us squarely in the middle of the war with her vivid descriptions. The writing is excellent, the characters are real and believable, and the story grabs you and brings you in close the entire time. Overall a very enjoyable read. I was provided an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was surprising and touching and funny and I never felt entirely settled while reading it, which may not sound promising, but it means I didn't know what to expect, which doesn't happen often. I identified with Sanya more than I expected, and loved seeing her change and grow. The only thing that was a bit distracting for me was the amount of characters in the story, which at times created a bit of confusion. Overall, excellent read, and highly recommended. I've never read any books by Ms. Malladi before this one, but would definitely be interested in discovering more from her. I was given an ARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Overall an enlightening story about newlyweds and their life on a chicken farm on the Washington peninsula in the late 1920's. Although some of the descriptions were quite offensive, particularly with regard to the Native Americans, it is important to remember this book was written in a time when such prejudices were common. Her descriptions of the scenery were excellent and put you right there against the mountains. I'm glad I read it for the historical aspect, but would not consider this a classic as so many do.

Holy cow this was one intense ride! I had to put this book aside several times because it got so unnerving. It was disturbing and enthralling and grabs you and doesn't let go. The writing is excellent and well-paced, and the characters are believable. Overall, an excellent story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Just don't read it late at night if you want to get some restful sleep. I was provided an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Who doesn't want to be locked in a house with their family for seven days? Yeah, me neither! But what a fun thing to read about! I enjoyed the story for the most part, however it seemed a little overdone with the amount of drama packed in to just one week. I know life isn't placid, but there sure were a lot of big ticket items being dealt with. Felt a little bit pressured at times. That said, the writing was good, and the characters were believable and it was overall a good read. I received an advance reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was a stunning book, full of twists and turns that left me questioning at times. The portrayal of Narcissistic Personality Disorder was quite well done, not at all sensationalized or presented in a light manner can often be the case. The characters are believable with the exception of the father. The story moves along and keeps you very engaged until the very end. Hugely enjoyable read. This is an honest review in exchange for an advance copy from NetGalley.

I wish I had known of the existence of this book before I saw the movie, because I just can't separate the two, and they really are vastly different stories. I loved the movie, not only for the story it told, but for the actors as well, so of course I was excited to read the book. The story was so radically different in so many key areas that it left me cold. I truly believe that if I had been able to read the story first I would've enjoyed it so much more. The writing is good and the characters are believable, but they just don't compare to the movie.

Full disclosure - I LOVE Auntie Mame, and will watch it over and over. How it is that I don't own a copy of that movie confuses me. That said, when I discovered this book years ago at a secondhand store I scooped it up immediately and am so glad I did. I've read it several times and enjoyed it just as much as the first time. Everett Tanner III, better known as Patrick Dennis and Virginia Rowans, led one of the most interesting and at times heartbreaking lives I've ever had the pleasure to read about. At times he was the most impetuous and wild person you could imagine, but there was a loyalty and sincerity to him that always shone through. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys biographies or Auntie Mame.

Pieces of Happiness was attractive to me for several reasons - for one, the cover is simply lovely; also I've never read a book by a Norwegian author, especially one that is translated to English from its' original language, which was an exciting prospect; and finally, the story itself sounded like it would draw me in and not let go. This was a wonderful story about friendship and life as experienced by a group of old friends. Things aren't perfect. People have made mistakes and poor choices, but what comes through in the end is the respect, support and love these people have for each other. We could all hope to have this in our lives. Well done. I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is not the sort of book I would normally read, but since I was auto-approved for it, and the premise sounded interesting, I decided to give it a try. It was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. I could definitely see this as being a true story, which is about as high a compliment as I can give. And in a wildly shocking twist, I actually found myself crying, which just doesn't happen, so kudos to Ms. Prowse for touching me so unexpectedly. This is an honest review in exchange for an ARC from NetGalley.

Amazing. Fabulous. Stupendous. Huge words with huge meanings that barely do this book justice. I'm not one for YA books, but my daughter insisted I give it a try and I'm glad she did. This was actually my second reading of this book as I recently picked up the second book at Powell's as a gift for my daughter. The weaving together of a unique and intriguing story to go with the found pictures is a wonderful premise that Ransom Riggs has done a wonderful job creating. I truly can't wait to read the second and third books in the series, and will probably end up reading the second before I give it to my girl. Hey, she's away at college, it's fair! The only sad thing for me is that I watched the movie not knowing that they pulled story from the second book, which has spoiled the reading of that a bit.

I first was introduced to Edna St. Vincent Millay by the accidental thrift shop discovery of a book called Savage Beauty by Nancy Milford. After reading it twice over (as soon as I finished I started it again!), I became a devotee of Ms. Millay and wanted to learn more about her life and her work. Luckily for me, I learned about Erika Robuck and her book Fallen Beauty. This was my first experience with the writing of Ms. Robuck, but it most definitely will not be the last. Fallen Beauty takes place in late 1920's New York at Millay's Steepletop hideaway and in the nearby town. It introduces the fictional character of Laura Kelley as the town seamstress to interact with Millay and her husband through the ordering of a wardrobe for Millay's speaking tours. Without giving any of the story away, I was really impressed with how Ms. Robuck managed to weave the two separate stories of Laura and Millay together while developing each separately. Her character development was excellent, and the secret kept me guessing until the end. I loved seeing more of Millay, even in a somewhat fictionalized form, and was genuinely unhappy when the book came to an end. Although this was my first book by Ms. Robuck, it will not be my last, as I have Call Me Zelda in my towering bedside stack just waiting for me to dive in.

I came into this without a particular affinity for Nathaniel Hawthorne, and with no prior knowledge of Sophia Peabody, but having read two of Erika Robuck's earlier novels and having been thoroughly enchanted by them, I made certain to guarantee a copy of this one. I was not disappointed; the story of Nathaniel and Sophia is a lovely one, and has given me greater insight into a time that I knew very little of. The writing, as usual, is wonderful, and I found myself transported into the period with little effort. I didn't want the story to end, and can't wait until the book is available for purchase so that I can own a copy to read over again. Brava, and well done! I received an advance copy of this book from Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.

Behave provided an interesting look at the life of Rosalie Rayner, a little known scientist associated with the famous behaviorist John Watson. She started as his assistant after graduation from Vassar, but was drawn to him through his somewhat Svengali-like ways and ended up having an affair with him, which ended with him divorcing his wife and marrying her, causing them no end of grief, with both losing their positions at Johns Hopkins and finding themselves somewhat shunned by the world for their socially unacceptable choices. I've never been much of a fan of John Watson, but this was an intriguing look at Ms. Rayner's life and what it was like living with the notoriously severe Watson. Ms. Romano-Lax did an excellent job of fleshing out what was undoubtedly a difficult research subject since there isn't much known about Rayner. The descriptions of life with Watson during the 1920's and '30's were well done and felt realistic. Her writing is strong and I would definitely look into other books by her. I was provided an ARC of Behave by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise for this book was intriguing, and I really wanted it to work, but for what I believe is the first time ever, I was unable to finish this book. I loved the idea of strong women taking charge, but the book just fell flat and I had to abandon it after the first eight chapters, about a third of the way through. There was also too much insurance-speak, which was clearly from someone who is well acquainted with the industry, but not presented in a way for the layperson to understand or be interested in. I feel badly for having to leave such a low review, but I just can't see giving any higher for a book I couldn't finish or enjoy on any level. I was provided an ARC of Hatchet Women by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 3.5 stars I wanted to love this book. The fact that it took took me months to get through it made that impossible. Ms. Shukert is an excellent writer, which is why I gave the 4th star, but the content was just so grim I found I could only read so much at a time. In the end I just pushed my way through so it wouldn't continue to sit on my bedside table, silently judging me for not finishing the job. I've read biographies of this sort before, so I don't know why this one was such a challenge. Perhaps I've hit my limit - who's to say? At any rate, I can recommend reading it for quality, and that's the best I can offer at this point.

A friend bought this book and passed it on to me when she was done. It sat on my shelves for years before I finally decided to read it. Wow. That was pretty awful, and I had relatively low expectations. I'm a long-time Duran Duran fan, so any backstory is likely to be interesting to me, but this was just written and edited so poorly that it took some of the fun out of reading it. He most definitely has led an exciting and eventful life, one with some fairly tragic circumstances that made for good storytelling, but it was too hard getting through the awful writing. I'm somewhat ashamed to even admit that I've read this, and taking it to donate I will definitely hide it amongst less embarrassing titles.

I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy of this book from the publisher, and I am thanking everything on earth I was chosen. Mrs. Saint and the Defectives was a wonderful read, with characters that reached out and brought you into their world. And what a world it is. When I first heard about this book, I thought that Mrs. Saint was the type of person you simultaneously would want as a neighbor, and dread to have as one. I wasn't wrong. By the time I hit chapter 3 I knew I was in for an amazing story. By the time I hit chapter 33, I was knocked for a loop and was dreading how close I was to the end of the book, and therefore near the end of my time with this wonderful group of people. I think it's safe to say that this is the best book I've read so far this year, and I expect I'll be thinking about it for awhile. I've never read anything by Julie Lawson Timmer before, but after this experience I will definitely search out her other novels.

Ugh. I did not enjoy this at all, which is a shame, because I've heard so much about what a great writer John Updike is. There were points where I just had to force myself to keep going rather than pitch the book aside in something close to disgust, although as a bonus, some of those times I actually was bored to sleep. Glass half full, I guess. To be quite honest, the only reasons I was able to get through this book are a) I had seen the movie and really enjoyed it, so I kept hoping for something better, and b) I ALWAYS finish any book I start, no matter how long it takes, even Moby Dick, which I hated with a passion. Don't get me started on that one. Actual rating 2.5 stars

This is a stunning debut novel that I am so very pleased to have been given the opportunity to read. The story is about a brutal crime against a teenage girl, and the boy who not only was infatuated by her, but was one of four suspects in the crime. The boy, forever nameless, serves as the narrator for the story, told in flashback from his adult self. The settings are vivid; I almost felt the sweat running down the back of my neck and found myself craving iced tea, even though it was December in San Francisco and not summer in Louisiana as I was reading. The people were well-developed, and I was left wondering from one page to the next as to who had motive and what people's secrets were. The attention to detail was engaging, and enhanced the story greatly, rather than detract from it, as can sometimes be the case. I'm not often in the position of being held captive by a story, and usually I have an idea how things will turn out. This was not the case with My Sunshine Away. I was surprised even until the last pages. Kudos to Mr. Walsh; he has written a stunning story and I look forward to seeing more from him. This is an honest review given in exchange for an ARC from Penguin's First To Read program.

This was a wonderful story about the woman who became Josephine Bonaparte. Strongly recommended for anyone interested in the history of a dynamic, strong woman who helped change history in Europe.

I couldn't put this book down. The story of Camille Claudel and her fight for position in the male dominated world of sculpture, not to mention her constant battle against the demons in her head, kept me thoroughly enthralled, and much to my surprise, in tears near the end. Well written and researched, I look forward to more from this author.

As I was reading this I found myself thinking over and over again that this was just so REAL, that I could actually see this happening to someone I might actually know. This is not a feeling I often get in the books I read, which kept me turning the pages much later than I intended to stay up the night I started it. But then the book took a decided turn into fantasyland, and I was somewhat disappointed. The quality of the writing didn't suffer, but the story became unbelievable for me. I finished the book, but was not entirely happy with what I had read. This is probably one of the biggest reasons I do not enjoy this type of book, nor will I ever. This is an honest review given in exchange for an ARC from NetGalley.

This book has been on my radar for months, so when I was fortunate enough to win a copy from Goodreads First Reads program, I was ecstatic. Then my excitement morphed into worry that all of my anticipation was going to ruin the reality because I had built up so much expectation of the book. I didn't need to worry. Sonja Yoerg has provided us with a stupendous debut novel. This is a novel of family and relationships, and how complicated each of those things can be. The writing is at times lyrical, but always clear and concise, moving the story forward beautifully. The story is told from the point of view of three generations of strong women; grandmother, mother and daughter who have been thrown together by the reckless actions of the grandmother. This results in upheaval to the carefully, if somewhat precariously structured dynamic, and ends with belief systems shattering left and right. This was an unexpectedly personal story for me, and I suspect that many others will feel the same. The issues are universal and gripping, which kept me reading far later into the night than was wise, but I have no regrets. If you don't find at least one piece of yourself in this novel, no matter how infinitesimal, who are you really keeping secrets from? Bravo to Ms. Yoerg on a glorious debut. I look forward to her next story.

I will admit I was hesitant to read this book, even though I have greatly enjoyed her first two books. Too often mental illness is portrayed as a joke, or the author doesn't do their research and applies every tired cliché to the afflicted character, making them nothing more than a caricature, rather than a real, fleshed out person with issues that are not the whole personality, but indeed an important part to understand. Ms. Yoerg did her research, and in this book she presented a true vision of living with a mental illness and how it affects daily life of the sufferer as well as those closest to her. It was an intense story, one that I had to put down a couple of times so that I could catch my breath, but a well told story indeed. I really should have known based on reading her previous books that she would do this subject justice, and hope to have the pleasure of reading many more books of hers in the years to come.

I'm a fan of Graham Norton, so when I discovered that he had written a fiction book, I jumped at the chance to read it. I already was familiar with his abilities as a storyteller, and this book did not disappoint. The characters are well-developed and engaging, and the story flows nicely. Mystery is not my usual preferred genre, but this was a very enjoyable read, and I'd be glad to read more from him. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.