On a trip to the grocery store, Nick Hansen sees a young girl who is the spitting image of his old college girlfriend Marissa.  Even their mannerisms are the same.  Nick approaches the girl and she rushes away without even speaking to him.  Nick is slightly unnerved by the whole encounter, especially considering his college girlfriend died tragically in a fire, just after breaking up with him.  Things only get more mysterious when the girl from the grocery store turns up dead the next day with a note in her pocket with Nick's name and address on it.  

David Bell does an excellent job weaving this multi-layered tale of suspense.  There are just enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.  Just when I thought I had something figured out, a new development in the story would lead me in another direction.  I would recommend clearing your schedule because once you start reading this book, you won't want to put it down.  It just simply is that good.  

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry is a quirky story full of interesting characters. I enjoyed getting to meet Elsa, an almost eight year old, who has a special bond with her grandmother. Elsa's mother and grandmother are often at odds with each other and have a strained relationship. Elsa's grandmother tells her the most amazing fairy tales when they journey to the Land-of-Almost-Awake.  Unfortunately, Elsa's grandmother dies early in the book.  However, she leaves a letter for Elsa asking her to deliver apology letters to people her grandmother knew. The process helps Elsa to learn more about her grandmother and also the fairy tales she told her.

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry is a heartwarming story about the human spirit.  It also is a story about the bond between family and those people that become like family to us.  The diverse cast of characters is brought to vivid life by the author and each one has a unique voice in the story.

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry will make you laugh, cry, and dream as only an almost eight year old can do.  

My son had a very special bond with his grandmother and this story definitely reminded me of that unique relationship. This book provides many topics for discussion and would make a good book club selection.  I look forward to reading more books by Fredrik Backman.  


I received a copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I discovered Michelle Moran quite some time ago when reading her book Nefertiti.  Her historical fiction novels are so well researched that often when I reach the end of one of her books, I have to remind myself I wasn't actually reading the character's journals, but instead was reading a work of fiction.  

The Rebel Queen introduces us to Sita, one of the guards in Queen Lakshmi's all female army.  Sita's journey, from growing up in a village where all of the women were in purdah to serving as one of the most trusted members of the Queen's army, is one of immense growth and change.  It was so interesting to learn about the differing roles of women at that time, both in India and the United Kingdom.  Set in 1850s India, the Rebel Queen explores a time and place that isn't often covered in traditional reading selections.  I was left with a completely different understanding of the colonization of India and many of the cultural struggles that were felt both by the British and the residents of Jhansi.  

The Rebel Queen is an excellent book club selection, with discussion questions and suggestions for enhancing your book club meeting included.  I would also suggest going to Michelle Moran's website, where you can see actual photos of the historical figures in the book.  Our book club group chose to bring Indian dishes for our meeting and we had great fun!  

Michelle Moran is a wonderful historical fiction writer and I appreciate her attention to unique characters, setting and times. 

Reading Wishful Thinking was more fun that I have had in a long time!  The story begins when Jennifer has lost her cell phone, only to have it returned with a new and intriguing app Wishful Thinking.  Before she has a chance to examine her phone more closely, she has to rush to get her two young boys to school and not be too late for her meeting at work.  Jennifer faces the struggles so many of us face, trying to raise children, maintain or establish a romantic relationship and also be a dedicated employee, all at the same time.  Enter the Wishful Thinking app and its creator Dr. Diane Sexton, who just happens to be Jennifer's neighbor.  Through some physics, modern technology and wormholes, Jennifer is able to be in two places at the same time.  Haven't we all wished for that ability!  The Wishful Thinking app is the perfect solution to all of Jennifer's problems.  She can now be Super Mom, Employee of the Year and maybe even meet the man of her dreams.  

Kamy Wicoff is a great voice in women's fiction and I look forward to reading more books written by her.  Wishful Thinking is refreshing, humorous, insightful and engaging read.  It also has an important message at its core.  There are book club discussion questions included and Wishful Thinking would make a great book club selection.  

The Grown Ups by Robin Antalek is an engaging story about a group of friends and the journeys their lives take from middle school into adulthood.  The story is told from the perspectives of Sam, Bella and Suzie.  In addition, we meet Sam's older brother Michael and all the parents of Sam, Bella and Suzie.  Their paths start together, branch apart and come back together throughout their lives.  I really enjoyed being able to watch each character grow and change throughout the course of the book.  While each character faced very different challenges, they were all relatable.  The story also delves into the role our parents play in our lives and the changes to that relationship over time.  

The Grown Ups is a story about love, forgiveness and growing up.  I believe The Grown Ups would be a good book club selection and there are discussion questions included.  

I received this book as part of the BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge 2015.  

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The title of this book appealed to me since I lost my mother two years ago and would relish the opportunity to have more time with her.  In The Year My Mother Came Back, the author is experiencing a particularly traumatic and stressful time in her life.  Her oldest daughter is just starting college and has also decided to reconnect with her birth mother.  Her youngest daughter will be undergoing a leg lengthening procedure, which will of course be painful and the recuperation time  long.  In addition to those life changing events, Alice is diagnosed with breast cancer, which will require surgery and radiation treatment.  It is during this time that Alice reconnects with her deceased mother through imagined visits and conversations.  It made me wish for the opportunity to have my mother's advice and support as I navigate the waters of motherhood and life itself.  It also made me realize that I still have her support and guidance within myself.  

This book is truly a tribute to the complex relationships between mothers and daughters.  While I didn't have the tumultuous relationship with my mother that Alice experienced with her mother, I could relate to their relationship throughout this book.  I would recommend this book for book clubs and anyone who enjoys memoirs.  

I received this book as part of the BookSparks 2015 Summer Reading Challenge.  

Inside the O'Briens is the first book I have read by Lisa Genova and all I can say is Wow!  Inside the O'Briens will engage your mind and your heart.  The story centers around the O'Brien family, an Irish Catholic family living in the Boston area.  Joe O'Brien is proud to be a police officer and his family means everything to him.  His wife Rosie is the glue that holds the family together.  Their four children, J.J., a firefighter, Meaghan, a star ballerina, Katie, a yoga teacher and Patrick, a struggling bartender, all remain close to home in Charlestown and are just finding their way as young adults.  

Early in the book, Joe is diagnosed with Huntingtons disease, an inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of voluntary motor control and an increase in involuntary movements.  HD is typically diagnosed between the ages of thirty-five and forty-five, proceeding inexorably to death in ten to twenty years.  There is no treatment that affects the progression and no cure.  

The author does an amazing job of making each diverse character relatable.  I could empathize with Joe as he struggled with the disease and worried more about whether his children would inherit the chromosome and how to set an example for them of living and dying with HD.  I also understood the dilemma the children faced when deciding whether to have the blood test to determine their HD diagnosis.  Rosie's struggle to be the anchor for her family is also powerfully portrayed.  

I especially liked the ending of the book.  While I may not have had the conclusion to each character's journey, it was the perfect way to leave things.  

Even though the story is a work of fiction, it was a very realistic portrayal of what many families must face in dealing with Huntingtons disease.  I had no previous knowledge about HD and I'm grateful to the author for bringing attention to this disease.  

Ultimately, I believe Katie O'Brien said it best, "Every breath is a risk.  Love is why we breathe."  I recommend putting Inside the O'Briens on your must read list.  I received this book as part of the GoodReads First Reads program.  

The House of Hawthorne took me on a journey back in time into the heart of a marriage between the elusive author Nathaniel Hawthorne and his devoted wife Sophia Peabody.  I truly felt that the author had a unique insight into these two artistic characters and the book read more like a biography than a work of fiction.  While I was familiar with Nathaniel Hawthorne's literary works, I was not familiar with his personal story nor that of his wife.  The House of Hawthorne is a testament to the role Sophia Peabody Hawthorne played in the making of one of the greatest American authors.  We see how Sophia used her artistic talents to support her family, when needed, but also gave up her artistic endeavors when her role as a mother and a wife was more important.  The book also shines a light on the struggle faced by the Hawthornes over the ethics of slavery and the hope to avoid war.  It further provides glimpses into the artistic circle of that time with appearances by Thoreau, Emerson and Hemingway, among others.  Fans of historical fiction should add The House of Hawthorne to their must read list!  I received this book from Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.   

Cotton Malone is back and Steve Berry has another spellbinding tale!  If you aren't acquainted with Steve Berry's work or his main character Cotton Malone, your life isn't complete (in my opinion).  Cotton Malone is back working for the Magellan Billet, a special government agency and this time, he is pursuing some potentially damaging documents that have gotten into the hands of the brother of the North Korean leader.  Without telling too much of the plot, those documents could have an impact on the legality of income tax and some potential governmental coverup.  Steve Berry writes extraordinary thrillers and ties in some very interesting historical points.  I always appreciate at the end of the book, he points out all that is fictional and all that is factual.  I'm never disappointed in a Steve Berry book and again, feel that Cotton Malone has to be one of the best literary characters of all time.  Our book club selected this book and I'm looking forward to discussing it with our members.  Highly recommend this book!