A BOOKISH WEEK…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

CURRENTLY READING:

Nomadland, by Jessica Bruder

“People who thought the 2008 financial collapse was over a long time ago need to meet the people Jessica Bruder got to know in this scorching, beautifully written, vivid, disturbing (and occasionally wryly funny) book.” —Rebecca Solnit

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BOOKS READ SINCE MY LAST POST OF 7/7/20:

The Swap, by Robyn Harding

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What You Wish For, by Katherine Center (NetGalley – 7/14/20)

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Stranger in the Lake, by Kimberly Belle

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:

I discovered the newest Sally Hepworth book this week, and now can’t wait to read it:  The Good Sister, with a release date of 4/13/21.  Yes, a long wait!

 

Synopsis:  Sally Hepworth, the author of The Mother-In-Law, delivers a knock-out of a novel about the lies that bind two sisters.

From the outside, everyone might think Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be: Rose is the responsible one, with a home and a husband and a fierce desire to become a mother. Fern is the quirky one, the free spirit, the librarian who avoids social interaction and whom the world might just describe as truly odd. But the sisters are devoted to one another and Rose has always been Fern’s protector from the time they were small.

Fern needed protecting because their mother was a true sociopath who hid her true nature from the world, and only Rose could see it. Fern always saw the good in everyone. Years ago, Fern did something very, very bad. And Rose has never told a soul. When Fern decides to help her sister achieve her heart’s desire of having a baby, Rose realizes with growing horror that Fern might make choices that can only have a terrible outcome. What Rose doesn’t realize is that Fern is growing more and more aware of the secrets Rose, herself, is keeping. And that their mother might have the last word after all.

Spine tingling, creepy, utterly compelling and unpredictable, The Good Sister is about the ties that bind sisters together…and about the madness that lurks where you least expect it.

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?

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MY WWW POST…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

CURRENTLY READING:

What You Wish For, by Katherine Center – (NetGalley – 7/14/20)

“The story’s message, that people should choose joy even (and especially) in difficult and painful times, seems tailor-made for this moment. A timely, uplifting read about finding joy in the midst of tragedy, filled with quirky characters and comforting warmth.”—Kirkus (starred review)

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BOOKS READ SINCE MY LAST POST OF 6/30/20:

The House Guest, by Mark Edwards

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Dead Letters, by Caite Dolan-Leach

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The Half Sister, by Sandie Jones

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:

I discovered this book on other blogs, and loved the blurb and the timeliness of it.  Nomadland:  Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, by Jessica Bruder

The book is available now, so I plan to add it to my shelves soon.

Description:  “People who thought the 2008 financial collapse was over a long time ago need to meet the people Jessica Bruder got to know in this scorching, beautifully written, vivid, disturbing (and occasionally wryly funny) book.” —Rebecca Solnit

From the beet fields of North Dakota to the campgrounds of California to Amazon’s CamperForce program in Texas, employers have discovered a new, low-cost labor pool, made up largely of transient older adults. These invisible casualties of the Great Recession have taken to the road by the tens of thousands in RVs and modified vans, forming a growing community of nomads.

Nomadland tells a revelatory tale of the dark underbelly of the American economy—one which foreshadows the precarious future that may await many more of us. At the same time, it celebrates the exceptional resilience and creativity of these Americans who have given up ordinary rootedness to survive, but have not given up hope.

Soon to be a major motion picture. 

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?

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HUMP DAY BOOKS…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

 

 

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CURRENTLY READING:

  Pretty Things, by Janelle Brown

Two wildly different women—one a grifter, the other an heiress—are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in a page-turner from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear.

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BOOKS READ SINCE MY 6/9/20 POST:

This Is How I Lied, by Heather Gudenkauf

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The Closer You Get, by Mary Torjussen

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A Week at the Shore, by Barbara Delinsky

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING: 

Today I pre-ordered The Switch, by Beth O’Leary, which will be released on August 18, 2020.  I recently read another book by the author, and loved it. (The Flatshare).

Synopsis:  When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some long-overdue rest.

Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She’d like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen.

So they decide to try a two-month swap.

Eileen will live in London and look for love. She’ll take Leena’s flat, and learn all about casual dating, swiping right, and city neighbors. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire: Eileen’s sweet cottage and garden, her idyllic, quiet village, and her little neighborhood projects.

But stepping into one another’s shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected. Will swapping lives help Eileen and Leena find themselves…and maybe even find true love? In Beth O’Leary’s The Switch, it’s never too late to change everything….or to find yourself.

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Another great week for me!  What did yours look like?

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HUMP DAY READING…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

***

CURRENTLY READING: 

This Is How I Lied, by Heather Gudenkauf

Everyone has a secret they’ll do anything to hide…

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BOOKS READ SINCE MY LAST POST ON 6/2/20:

A Piece of the World, by Christina Baker Kline

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Watch Me Disappear, by Janelle Brown

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The Flatshare, by Beth O’Leary

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:

The Cousins, by Karen M. McManus, will be released on December 1, 2020.  That is a long time to wait, so I’ll be on pins and needles.

Synopsis:  From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You’ll never feel the same about family again.

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each other, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point–not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious–and dark–their family’s past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over–and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?

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HUMP DAY BOOKS…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

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CURRENTLY READING:  A Piece of the World, by Christina Baker Kline

This is a story about the burdens and blessings of family history, and how artist and muse can come together to forge a new and timeless legacy.

I have had this book since February 22, 2017, and rediscovered it in my search through my backlog books.  I hope to love it.

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BOOKS READ SINCE MY LAST POST OF 5/26/20:

The Sea of Lost Girls, by Carol Goodman

 

My Dark Vanessa, by Kate Elizabeth Russell

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The Dilemma, by B. A. Paris (NG-6/30/20)

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After Anna, by Alex Lake

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:   I am waiting for a copy of The Half Sister, by Sandie Jones, an author I enjoy.

Synopsis: 

THE TRUTH

Sisters Kate and Lauren meet for Sunday lunch every week without fail, especially after the loss of their father.

THE LIE

But a knock at the door is about to change everything. A young woman by the name of Jess holds a note with the results of a DNA test, claiming to be their half sister.

THE UNTHINKABLE

As the fallout starts, it’s clear that they are all hiding secrets, and perhaps this family isn’t as perfect as it appears.

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So that was my week.  I loved the books I read!  What did you enjoy?

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A HUMP DAY OF READING…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

***

CURRENTLY READING:

  The Sea of Lost Girls, by Carol Goodman

In the tradition of Daphne du Maurier, Shari Lapena, and Michelle Richmond comes a new thriller from the bestselling author of The Lake of Dead Languages—a twisty, harrowing story set at a prestigious prep school in which one woman’s carefully hidden past might destroy her future.

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BOOKS READ SINCE MY LAST POST OF 5/12/20:

Hungry Heart, by Jennifer Weiner – (For the Nonfiction Reading Challenge)

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The Sweeney Sisters, by Lian Dolan

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The Last House Guest, by Megan Miranda

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Crime Scene, by Jonathan & Jesse Kellerman

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A Good Marriage, by Kimberly McCreight

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:  Sister Dear, by Hannah Mary McKinnon

I ordered this book from Amazon recently, and it is headed my way.  I was drawn to the cover and the description.

Synopsis: Beauty. Wealth. Success.

She’s got it all.

And it all should’ve been mine.

When Eleanor Hardwicke’s beloved father dies, her world is further shattered by a gut-wrenching secret: the man she’s grieving isn’t really her dad. Eleanor was the product of an affair and her biological father is still out there, living blissfully with the family he chose. With her personal life spiraling, a desperate Eleanor seeks him out, leading her to uncover another branch on her family tree—an infuriatingly enviable half sister.

Perfectly perfect Victoria has everything Eleanor could ever dream of. Loving childhood, luxury home, devoted husband. All of it stolen from Eleanor, who plans to take it back. After all, good sisters are supposed to share. And quiet little Eleanor has been waiting far too long for her turn to play.

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That was my fortnight.  What did yours look like?

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ANOTHER BOOKISH HUMP DAY…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

CURRENTLY READING: 

Hungry Heart, by Jennifer Weiner

Jennifer Weiner is many things: a bestselling author, a Twitter phenomenon, and an “unlikely feminist enforcer” (The New Yorker). She’s also a mom, a daughter, and a sister, a clumsy yogini, and a reality-TV devotee. In this “unflinching look at her own experiences” (Entertainment Weekly), Jennifer fashions tales of modern-day womanhood as uproariously funny and moving as the best of Nora Ephron and Tina Fey.

No subject is off-limits in these intimate and honest essays: sex, weight, envy, money, her mother’s coming out of the closet, her estranged father’s death. From lonely adolescence to hearing her six-year-old daughter say the F word—fat—for the first time, Jen dives into the heart of female experience, with the wit and candor that have endeared her to readers all over the world.

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BOOKS FINISHED SINCE 4/29/20:

The New Husband, by D.J. Palmer

On Ocean Boulevard, by Mary Alice Monroe (NG-5/19/20)

Big Summer, by Jennifer Weiner – (NG-5/5/20)

Have You Seen Me?, by Kate White

The Girl in White Gloves, by Kerri Maher

Little Secrets, by Jennifer Hillier

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:

The Guest List, by Lucy Foley, will be released on June 2, and I can’t wait to get it!  Not long to wait, though, which is a good thing.

Synopsis:  A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the author of The Hunting Party.

The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner  – The bridesmaid – The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

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That was my past two weeks.  What did yours look like?

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HUMP DAY READING…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

***

CURRENTLY READING:  The New Husband, by D.J. Palmer

I am enjoying this one, but I haven’t been won over by this “perfect guy.”  I am definitely seeing red flags.

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BOOKS READ SINCE LAST WEEK:

Something She’s Not Telling Us, by Darcey Bell

Redhead by the Side of the Road, by Anne Tyler – I LOVED this one!

The New Girl, by Harriet Walker – (NetGalley – 5/19/20)

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:  I have pre-ordered a book that will arrive on July 28, from an author I love.

The Silent Wife, by Karin Slaughter

Synopsis:  Atlanta, Georgia. Present day. A young woman is brutally attacked and left for dead. The police investigate but the trail goes cold. Until a chance assignment takes GBI investigator Will Trent to the state penitentiary, and to a prisoner who says he recognizes the MO. The attack looks identical to the one he was accused of eight years earlier. The prisoner’s always insisted that he was innocent, and now he’s sure he has proof. The killer is still out there.  

As Will digs into both crimes it becomes clear that he must solve the original case in order to reach the truth. Yet nearly a decade has passed—time for memories to fade, witnesses to vanish, evidence to disappear. And now he needs medical examiner Sara Linton to help him hunt down a ruthless murderer. But when the past and present collide, everything Will values is at stake…

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Come on by and share!

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IT’S HUMP DAY! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING?

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

***

CURRENTLY READING:

  Something She’s Not Telling Us, by Darcey Bell

Named most anticipated book of 2020 by Cosmopolitan, Women’s Wear Daily, Woman’s Day, She Reads, The Nerd Daily, and Sassy Sarah Reads.

From the New York Times bestselling author of A Simple Favor comes an electrifying domestic thriller of how one woman’s life is turned upside down when her brother brings his new girlfriend to visit—and no one is telling the truth about who they really are.

She’s on the verge of having it all…

But one woman stands in her way.

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BOOKS READ SINCE MY LAST POST OF 4/7/20:

Cross Her Heart, by Melinda Leigh

 

The Sea Glass Cottage, by RaeAnne Thayne

 

Elsie Dinsmore, by Martha Finley

 

Separation Anxiety, by Laura Zigman

 

Safe House, by Jo Jakeman

 

Mrs., by Caitlin Macy

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING: 

Confessions on the 7:45, by Lisa Unger, is a book coming on October 6, 2020…from a much-loved author.  Of course I have pre-ordered it.

Synopsis:  Be careful to whom you tell your darkest secrets…

Selena Murphy is commuting home from her job in the city when the train stalls out on the tracks. She strikes up a conversation with a beautiful stranger in the next seat, and their connection is fast and easy. The woman introduces herself as Martha and confesses that she’s been stuck in an affair with her boss. Selena, in turn, confesses that she suspects her husband is sleeping with the nanny. When the train arrives at Selena’s station, the two women part ways, presumably never to meet again.

But days later, Selena’s nanny disappears.

Soon Selena finds her once-perfect life upended. As she is pulled into the mystery of the missing nanny, and as the fractures in her marriage grow deeper, Selena begins to wonder, who was Martha really? But she is hardly prepared for what she’ll discover.

Expertly plotted and reminiscent of the timeless classic Strangers on a Train, Confessions on the 7:45 is a gripping thriller about the delicate facades we create around our lives.

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These are my WWW selections this week.  What does your post tell us about your reading/reviewing?

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MY HUMP DAY READING…

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays, at Taking on a World of Words.  Here’s how it works:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next, and/or what are you eagerly awaiting?

***

CURRENTLY READING:  Cross Her Heart, by Melinda Leigh, a book I am loving so far.

A homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, secrets, and retribution.

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BOOKS READ SINCE MY MARCH 24 POST:

And They Called It Camelot, by Stephanie Marie Thornton

Wallis in Love, by Andrew Morton (Read for Nonfiction Reading Challenge)

Heaven Adjacent, by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Follow Me, by Kathleen Barber

The Operator, by Gretchen Berg

Cornelli, by Johanna Spyri

The Watergate Girl, by Jill Wine-Banks (Read for Nonfiction Reading Challenge)

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EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:

I am a fan of Heather Gudenkauf, so her upcoming release of May 12, 2020, is bookmarked on Amazon…This Is How I Lied will drop automatically onto my Kindle named Paige.

Synopsis:  Everyone has a secret they’ll do anything to hide…

Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold.

For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.

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These were the books I read in the last two weeks.  What did your fortnight look like?

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