I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

This is a new author.  Mr. Hayes is an accomplished writer of movies such as Dead Calm and has won numerous awards but this is his first novel. 

To begin with let me say--WOW!  After finishing this title, I read the comments on the back cover.  David Baldacci's comments were right on and I totally agree with him.  This was by far one of the best spy/thrillers I have ever read.  It was really hard to put it down.  It was fast-paced yet told an intricate story of subterfuge. 

Jude Garrett aka is a former FBI agent who has been called up to handle a series of mysterious happenings.  There are four parts to this book which might be disconceerting to some readers but not to this reader.  All four parts are interrelated and do not force the reader to reconnoiter each time you start a new part. 

The story is one which is very plausible but you need to hope and pray that it never really happens.

Looking for something to read on a hot humid day?  Grab a cold drink and sit under an umbrella in a place where you won't be distracted because you will not want to miss a single word.

Great work Mr. Hayes!  Please write another.


Ladybookbug!

The Garden of Happy Endings by Barbara O'Neal

Published in 2013, I 'discovered' this gem on the bookshelf.  I have read a previous entry by this author entitled How to Bake a Perfect Life.  She's also written several other titles which I plan to read shortly.

If I were forced to put a genre label to this title, I would have to say it's drama.   Elsa is a minister in the Unity church.  She is pastoring a congregation of about 250 parishioners in Seattle, Washington.  A terrible tragedy occurs to one of her flock.  Elsa was already in a difficult space spiritually and the tragedy pushes her over the edge.  Her congregation strongly encourages her to take a sabbatical.

Elsa returns to her childhood home in Pueblo, Colorado where she is enveloped by an old friend/flame who is now the priest of a local parish.  Elsa's sister has a tragedy of her own and comes to live with Elsa. 

This is a story about one woman's quest to deal with her spiritual questions, review her calling and take a bold step toward recovering her future.

Although it poses some interesting questions about faith, this story is uplifting as well.

Ladybookbug!

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

A non-fiction work of tatamount proportions, Ms. Boo has introduced us to the lower members of the caste system in Mumbai, India.  This is the author's first book but I'm sure I am not the first reader to state, it will not be her last.

Through intricate storytelling, we are enveloped in the day-to-day lives of the slum dwellers.  Fraught with illness, starvation and the unsavory political and economic systems prevalent in India today, the people still have hope that they will somehow climb out of their dire existence into a better place.

This is obviously a well-researched book.  It is also a well-written story that invites the reader to become immersed in the day-to-day happenings of a society most of us are not familiar with.

As a reader of light-hearted novels and some mysteries, this book was a must read.  As members of humankind, we must not insulate ourselves against the atrocities that are occurring every moment in various parts of our world.  By being informed readers, it is my hope that we can take our own small steps toward making the world a better place for all.

Ladybookbug!

Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans

This is the fifth and final book in an unforgettable series entitled "The Walk".  Mr. Evans is a prolific writer whose novels leave the reader thinking about life in general.  This series continues the thought process.  As I completed this book, I found myself contemplating the idea that the series was really about one's walk in life.

Alan Christoffersen's cross-country walk took us over 3500 miles from Seattle, Washington to Key West, Florida.  Having never taken this route myself, the journey was informative and the author took great effort to introduce the reader to various points of interest along the way.  Mr. Evans also introduced us to a varying array of interesting characters from all walks of life.

This was indeed a series that I did not want to end and yet it has.  I have enjoyed it thoroughly. The letter that the author wrote at the end of this book was inspiring and thoughtful.  I am so grateful that this author uses his talent so powerfully.

If you haven't read the series, the other titles include "The Walk", "Miles to Go", "The Road to Grace" and "A Step of Faith".  I've said this before about other books--this would make a great movie but don't wait for that to happen--read the series.  It's worth it.

Ladybookbug!

You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Grace is a behavioral therapist.  She is married to Jonathan who is a pediatric oncologist.  They have one son named Henry.  Grace & Jonathan's marriage is often viewed by friends as "perfect".  Grace has just written a book which focuses on women neglecting their intuition and thereby not paying attention to their first impressions of men.  Things seem to be going well for this professional couple.  But all is not as it seems.

A murder occurs.  The mother of one of Henry's classmates is found murdered in her apartment by the classmate.  An infant daughter was in the apartment at the time of the murder.  And so begins a mystery which is unraveled both to the reader and to Grace.

Grace must change the entire direction of her life and carve out another life for herself and her child.

This novel speaks volumes about the tenacity of family and of one woman.  Although insulated by her upbringing and her status, Grace shows us how to keep on keeping on when disaster strikes.

The author has written three previous novels entitled "The White Rose", "The Sabbathday River" and "A Jury of Her Peers".  I have not read them but I plan to.

Ladybookbug!