A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

This is the 20th novel penned by this Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Like many of her stories,this
one is like visiting old friends.

It is the story of the Whitshank family through four generations.  It is a story that unfolds as the reader is propelled to find out more about each character.  There are secrets to be shared, laughter and the ability to witness the genuine love that permeates this family.

The house is at the center of this family legacy and the story of how the family came to be living in it is interesting in and of itself.  As the older generations age, the younger generations step up to the plate and gather everyone in.

A gentle story told in the very familiar writing of a consumate author.

Ladybookbug!

Winter at the Door by Sara Graves

This author's series entitled "The Home Repair Homicide" has been around for quite a while and is very popular.  This title is a stand-alone.

Lizzie Snow moves from Boston to a remote spot in Bearkill, Maine.  Many observers cannot understand why she would make such a change.  Lizzie is in pursuit of her niece who disappeared several years ago and has been spotted in the remote area.

Lizzie becomes an assistant to the local sheriff and immerses herself in small-town life. Not without it's own demons, Bearkill has become a hotspot for the murders of former policemen.   In addition, Lizzie has the distinct feeling she is being watched.

Ms. Graves has given her readers an interesting character in the form of Lizzie Snow.  A no-nonsense kind of female, she exhibits her own foilbles but manages to check her emotions and deal with the problems at hand.

Although I did not feel compelled to read this mystery, it kept me interested.

Ladybookbug!

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Rachel takes the same train every day.  She passes the same houses.  She starts noticing a couple sharing a drink on their patio.  Each day as the train passes, she looks for the couple.  She has given them names and feels a part of their lives.  Little does she know she will indeed become a part in the future.

Rachel has lost her marriage and her job.  She also has a severe drinking problem.  She has difficulty coping with life in general.  She spends a great deal of time contacting her ex and his new family.

Enter Megan who just happens to be one half of the happy couple Rachel witnesses while traveling on the train.

Enter Anna, her ex's new wife who is troubled by Rachel's apparent need to disrupt their family.

These three women are the main characters in this first novel by Ms. Hawkins.   The book is off to a promising start.  Our libray has to order another copy because the holds on this book have already begun to back up.  Who knows--it might just take off like 50 Shades did.  I hope it does.

Although this story started out very slow, it rapidly picked up the pace and I found that I could not put it down.  I had come up with several scenarios before the climax.  The author seems to have the knack for creating a suspenseful plot that keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

Good job!

Ladybookbug!

The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes

This title was published in 2012.  It was chosen by my book discussion group to be the next title we would discuss.  When I first picked this book up I had some difficulty getting into it.  I put it aside for a few weeks and went back to it.  Then, I could not put it down but read it till I was done.

The story starts out  in WWI in a small town in France that is occupied by the Germans.  Sophie Lefevre lives with her sister and children in a small hotel.  One of the German officers spies Sophie and she decides to risk it all in the hope that she will see her husband again.

The author then skips to 2006 where a young widow, Liv Halston has been approached by a company who seeks to recover stolen paintings.  Unknown to Liv, the painting her husband gave her on their honeymoon belongs to the ancestors of Sophie.  The painting is entitled "The Girl You Left Behind" and is actually a portrait of Sophie painted by her husband.

Liv is vehement about not releasing the painting.  She becomes emboiled in Sophie's history and seeks to clear Sophie's name. In so doing, Liv learns much about Sophie and more about herself.

This is a story about tenacity and hope and the resilience of a young woman torn by the ravages of war.

Ladybookbug!  

Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance

It's been a number of years since I read this author.  She was first suggested to me by an avid library patron.  She has an easy writing style and the storylines are simple to follow. This latest entry is part of Ms. Jance's Ali Reynolds' series.

Ali has recently married and her new daughter-in-law Betsy approaches her about some concerns which Betsy feels fall right in line with Ali's expertise.  Betsy's grandmother has been experiencing some scary things and Betsy feels her grandmother's life is in danger.  Ali jumps in and tries to straighten everything out.

Meanwhile, a young and pregnant woman escapes from a religous cult and in doing so, opens up a can of worms.  Local law enforcement are implicated in this heinous plot against young women. Sister Anselm plays a major force in the complicated mystery.

Although this is a "light" read, it deals with serious and difficult topics and the author handles them well.

Ladybookbug!

Endangered by C.J. Box

Here you have it--Joe Pickett is one of my favorite characters ever.  C.J. Box has written 15 books about this now famous game warden whose purview is the state of Wyoming. Joe is a no-nonsense kind of guy with a heart of gold for his wife Marybeth and his three daughters.  The fact that Joe's number one sidekick just happens to be a yellow labrador named Daisy jumps him up a few notches in my estimation.

In this latest episode of Joe's saga, his daughter April has been found beaten and lying in a ditch. Joe's best friend Nate has just been released from prison after a four month stint and Joe has just discovered 21 dead sage grouse ( a species of bird that is close to being on the endangered species list).

As usual, C.J. Box takes the reader on an exciting traipse through the woods of Wyoming in search of the perpetrators of the crimes.  You can almost smell the pine trees and feel your feet sinking in the mounds of snow as you are propelled forward to unravel the twists and turns of Pickett's latest adventure.

Joe puts his seemingly limitless energy into trying to find out who did this to April, who killed all the birds, who tried to kill Nate and what happened to Nate's girlfriend Liv. Although some of the reveals seemed predictable, C.J. Box does not let us see how all the dots are connected until very late in the story.

Lots of action-packed scenes and believable characters go a long way to making this another great read from a great author.

Ladybookbug!

Last One Home by Debbie Macomber

A comparatively gentle read as this author is noted for.  No explicit violence or sex.  Ms. Macomber leaves it to the reader's imagination.  When patrons came into the library in search of good stories I might recommend for a maiden aunt or grandmother, this author's works came to mind first.  I never recall anyone coming back and saying that the stories weren't graphic enough.  Nine times out of ten they came back totally appreciative of the suggestion and wanting to read more of this author's work.

Last One Home is the story of a family of three sisters.  It is reflective of the indisputeable bond that exists between siblings, even those who may have been separated for decades.  Each of the sisters has her own problems to deal with.  All of the issues are not fully revealed until the end of the story but the reader can readily assume that their lives are not perfect. The other thread that connects all three is their fierce independence and although life gives them valleys, they all exhibit and inner strength that propells them forward.

Cassie is the middle sister who runs away from home at the age of 18, following a catastrophic event. During the time she is away, life happens.  Her parents die.  Her sisters marry and have children. Cassie returns to her home state of Washington and is contacted by one of her sisters. The sisters reconnect and the family is reborn.

I've never read a book by this author that I didn't like.  That's saying quite a bit because many prolific authors cannot seem to maintain the caliber of some of their strongest work across the board.  So, thank you Debbie Macomber for using your Godgiven talent so beautifully over the years.

Ladybookbug!

I Work at a Public Library by Gina Sheridan

This is a book that any of us who worked or work in a Public Library setting could have written.
That being said, would we want to write it?

At first I was intrigued by the setting and the topics.  I actually laughed at a few of the entries. However, as I read further, I was dismayed to see some of the entries seemed to make fun of the patrons' deficiencies.

In my opinion, librarians should focus on bringing their best to their patrons.  Recognizing that every patron is not necessarily well informed as to the language of technology, it behooves us to enlighten them and do whatever it takes to equip them to travel through the labyrinth of the Web and all of its' idiosyncracies.

Life is an interesting journey and working in a public library offers a myriad of learning situations. Certainly, I experienced a fair share of exciting situations and thoroughly enjoyed helping patrons to "learn the ropes".  At no time did I consider compiling those less than perfect moments into a published work for others to derive humor from.  I simply chalked them up to experience and thought about what I had learned.

To be kind, the author redeemed herself in the last chapter of the book where she spoke about some of the poignant moments.  Also, I would be remiss if I did not mention that some of the entries were experienced by other librarians who posted to the author's blog.

All in all, I'm not sorry I read this book but I came away disappointed that my fellow librarians think it is okay to make fun of other people's confusion, learning deficits and inability to cope.

Nuff said!

Ladybookbug!

Crazy Love You by Lisa Unger

I've maintained a book review blog for over seven years. In all that time, I've given negative reviews on very few titles.  One of the reasons is that most of the books I've read have piqued my interest and the writers have been good.

I've read many, if not all of this author's work.  Most of the stories have captured me from the first sentence.  Some have led me through several chapters before I got hooked.  This one--not so much. .

The problem with this book was the way that it was written.  I had a great deal of difficulty getting immersed in the story because I had figured it out from the get-go.  That left me a bit bored and for the last 150 pages, skimming the paragraphs.

Ian, the main character has had a troubled life.  For all of his success, Ian still has to confront the vestiges of his past and he does so through dugs, booze and sex.  He falls in love with a beautiful young woman and hopes that his life will change for the better.  Negative influences permeate his good intentions and his struggle continues.

Read it if you must!

Ladybookbug!