The description of this book immediately appealed to me.  Doris, a 96 year old woman, lives alone in Stockholm and looks forward to her weekly Skype calls with her great niece and only relative Jenny in the US.  As Doris pages through her cherished red address book, she decides to write down her precious memories for Jenny so that someone will know her story when she is gone.  The colorful life Doris has led comes to light with each entry she writes.  She was truly a woman who stood strong in the face of adversity and played the game of life no matter the cards she was dealt.    

Our older generation has so much to teach us and each person has stories that are interesting and valuable.  The Red Address Book should be a reminder to all of us, if we would just stop and listen once in a while, we would be better for it.  

This book was a solid four star read for me and is one I remember for some time to come.  

I received this book courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

I just discovered Lisa Jewell last year when our book club read Then She Was Gone and all I can say is, thank you to the book club member that recommended Lisa Jewell's books. Watching You is the perfect mix of suspense and what I like to call the dark and twisty parts.  

Joey Mullen and her newlywed husband have recently moved into Melville Heights to live with her brother and his pregnant wife Rebecca. While Joey's life seemed to be headed in one direction, she can't seem to get established now that she has moved back to England and can't stop herself from developing an infatuation with Tom Fitzwilliam, her married neighbor and school headmaster.

Melville Heights boasts an eclectic blend of characters, each adding their unique flavor to the cast - Tom Fitzwilliam's teenage son Freddie who likes to spy on the entire neighborhood as opposed to interacting with anyone individually; Jenna Tripp, a student at Tom Fitzwilliam's school, whose mother suffers from paranoid delusions and believes she is being targeted; Rebecca, Joey's sister-in-law, that is as detached as can be and has yet to develop any bond with Joey; Tom's wife Nicola who plays the perfect trophy wife.  While Joey keeps going deeper into murky waters with Tom Fitzwilliam, Freddie and Jenna begin to suspicion that there is more to Mr. Fitzwilliam's squeaky clean reputation that meets the eye. 

Watching You is like a spider web of storylines that keeps you guessing up to the very end.  This was a five star read with many twists and turns along the way.  Highly recommend!

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Atria Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

I love how Juliet Blackwell transitions seamlessly between an engaging present day story with interesting yet flawed characters to two separate time periods with more unique personalities with their own stories to tell.  The Lost Carousel of Provence is just such a book.  

Cady Drake has lived a difficult life, devoid of much human attachment, outside of her dear friend Maxine, who has just recently passed away.  Cady's only other friend Olivia encourages Cady to travel to Paris and pursue a photography project involving carousels and to try and learn the story behind Gus, an antique carousel rabbit that belongs to Cady.  Cady's journey through France leads her to an aging chateau and its curmudgeonly resident Fabrice Clement.  As Cady's story develops, we also learn about how the carousel came to be at Chateau Clement and also about Fabrice's past.  

I really enjoyed this book and it kept me coming back to read more.  The descriptions of the carousel as well as the French countryside are so vivid that it truly created a picture in my mind.  I felt all three narratives were equally compelling and I very much enjoyed this book.  A solid four star read for me!  

I received an ARC courtesy of Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Marilla of Green Gables really took me back to Avonlea and the lovely Anne of Green Gables stories.  Most of us probably read Anne of Green Gables when we were growing up and after reading Marilla of Green Gables, it made me want to start the series all over again. 

We meet Marilla when she is just a young lady growing up on her family farm and learn so much about what made her the character we remember from the Anne of Green Gables novels.  Her life story grows and develops through this re-telling.  Sometimes when an author re-visits a well known and loved character or setting, it can be a total disaster or make the reader feel like coming home.  Marilla of Green Gables was definitely a sweet homecoming for me.  It is everything you remember about Avonlea along with new memorable characters.  Truly, it is just a well written novel and very enjoyable read.  I believe even if you weren't a fan of the Anne of Green Gables series, this book could be read and appreciated for the great piece of historical fiction it is.  

I can imagine Marilla of Green Gables being a wonderful book club selection that could be enhanced by also reading Anne of Green Gables.  

I received this book courtesy of William Morrow through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

I was so thrilled when I found out that Elizabeth Berg was going to revisit the fictional town of Mason, Missouri and continue the narrative that began with The Story of Arthur Truluv.  And Night of Miracles was another five star read for me and absolutely one of the best books I've read this year!  

Night of Miracles continues the story of Lucille Howard. Her baking classes are really taking off and she has developed quite the following.  Through Lucille, we also meet the young family who lives next door and see first hand the challenges they face.  We also meet Iris, Lucille's newly hired assistant, and witness how her life changes over the course of the book.  I just can't tell you how well Elizabeth Berg develops characters that you really feel like you know.  I became so invested in this story and loved every minute.  

Night of Miracles is a story about the depth of human kindness and is a touching and endearing read.  I highly recommend Night of Miracles, and while it is a sequel, it could truly be read as a stand alone as well. 

I received this book courtesy of Random House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

I loved everything about this book!  Diane Chamberlain always does an amazing job of writing a wonderful story, but The Dream Daughter takes it to another level.  

Carly Sears has just lost her husband in the Vietnam War and finds herself pregnant but the baby has a heart defect that will most likely be fatal.  How much more can one person handle?  Her brother-in-law Hunter proposes what seems like a preposterous and unlikely idea, but what mother wouldn't take any opportunity to try and save her child.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but I was completely drawn into this story and loved every minute.  

I truly enjoyed every little nuance and twist that Diane Chamberlain made in this narrative.  It was a dream to read and a story that will stay with me long after.  Five stars and a highly recommend from me!  

I received this book courtesy of St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

I've read several books by Mitch Albom and loved them all.  I'm probably one of a very few people who hasn't read The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and I was slightly worried that since this was a sequel of sorts or a continuation of that story that I might have trouble following the book.  I found this not to be the case at all.  I was touched by this story and feel that it can definitely stand on its own.  

Mitch Albom's books always make me take a step back and think about life, how every day we touch someone's life, sometimes without even knowing it.  I'd love to talk about all the ways this book was special to me, but I feel that it would only spoil the reading experience for others.  I will just simply say this book is worth the journey and I highly recommend it.  Mitch Albom is a tremendous storyteller and this book is certainly no exception.  I think it would make a lovely gift and you could even package both The Five People You Meet in Heaven along with The Next Person You Meet in Heaven as a special present.  

I received this book courtesy of Harper Collins through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

My Squirrel Days basically details Ellie Kemper's rise to fame and her journey along the way.  I enjoyed her quirky character on The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and since my son is a big fan of Julie's Greenroom on Netflix, I've watched the episode numerous times where Ellie teaches the kids about improv. 

While I enjoyed learning about how Ellie became the star she is today, I probably most enjoyed the stories about her personal life and growing up.  My favorite passages were about her unique method of washing her dad's car and also her reaction to germs as a first time mom.  Those were both laugh out loud moments for me.  

I received this book courtesy of Scribner through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Jodi Picoult is a literary icon and the thing I most appreciate about her books is how she deals with controversial topics and makes you see sides of an issue that maybe you had not considered before or enlightens you to an alternative viewpoint.  A Spark of Light is no different.  It considers all the lives that are touched when a shooter enters an abortion clinic in Mississippi.  It features a diverse cast of characters: Wren, the young high schooler who entered the clinic to obtain birth control; Bex, Wren's aunt, that took Wren to the clinic so that she wouldn't have to get her father's consent; Joy, who is at the clinic for an abortion; Janine, who is a pro-life advocate that entered the clinic posing as a pregnant woman wanting an abortion so that she could uncover information to be used against the clinic; Izzy, the clinic nurse who is also pregnant herself; George Goddard, the shooter who came to avenge his daughter; Dr. Louie Ward, the doctor who performs the abortions; and Hugh, the hostage negotiator and Wren's father.  

A Spark of Light is so well researched and really delves into such a weighty issue with a finesse that only Jodi Picoult can.  It is the epitome of a conversation starter and it touches on things that could only benefit people on both sides of the issue to consider.  

I would recommend this novel, but I will say that the format of the storytelling takes a little getting used to.  The story opens with the ending of the day at the clinic and then flashes back an hour at a time, so for me, that did interrupt the flow of the storyline some.  After finishing the novel, I did go back and re-read the first chapter so that I could remind myself how the storylines ended for a few of the characters.    

This is a novel that will stay with me for some time and as always, I have a deeper appreciation for Jodi Picoult's prowess as an author after reading her work.  

I received this book courtesy of Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

The Glass Ocean provides a unique historical glimpse into two very different female passengers as they set sail on board the RMS Lusitania and in 2013, a young writer looking for inspiration for her next novel decides to delve into her family's  connection to the RMS Lusitania.  

There couldn't be two more diverse personalities than Savannah's southern princess Caroline Hochstetter and scrappy Tessa Fairweather who has had her share of hard knocks in life, but their paths are destined to cross when they board the ill-fated Lusitania.  In the middle of both ladies is the charming Robert Langford.  

Sarah Blake is desperate to come up with a followup to her previous bestseller and decides she must travel to England to explore her family's link to the Lusitania and determine the answer to the mystery which has been closely held by her family for generations.  

I truly enjoyed this novel and the opportunity to learn more about this time in history. The Glass Ocean is mystery, intrigue, romance and historical fiction rolled all into one.  I love the concept of three of my favorite authors working together to create these unique stories and hope that there is more to come.  I think historical fiction fans will find this book very satisfying and anyone who just simply enjoys a well told story will be happy too.  A solid four star read! 

I received this book courtesy of William Morrow Harper Collins through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.