It seems I have some catching up to do as far as blogging goes, so I thought I would ease back into it with my monthly book reviews. This post is 2 months worth! In February and March, I read authors I know and love (hello Elin Hilderbrand, Katherine Center and B.A. Paris) and a few new ones! 4 of the books were also Advance Reader Copies.
I received The Bride Test by Helen Hoang as an advance reader copy (comes out May 7th, 2019). Thank you Berkley Publishing for this! It is not pictured in my stack above because I immediately loaned it to fellow book club member Kim (she in turn loaned me Helen's other book, The Kiss Quotient). Khai is a young man with autism and his mother is determined to find him a bride. While she is on a trip to Vietnam, she finds Esme - a single mom maid in a hotel. She makes Esme an offer she can't refuse - come to America, all expenses paid, and if Khai doesn't fall in love with you no harm done. Of course Esme is drawn to handsome Khai, as well as all the opportunities America has to offer (for instance, she starts going to school). But Khai is determined not to get close to anyone, no matter what he is feeling for Esme. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the other one by Helen that is waiting on my shelf.
I received The Guest Book by Sarah Blake from Flatiron Books - thank you! This one also comes out on May 7th, 2019. This book trails 3 generations, and a Summer house on an island in Maine that is passed down. The Miltons are one of the richest families in the 1930's when they purchase the island, and as they raise their family they are confronted with issues of racism as well as the accidental drowning of their son. In present day, the great-grandchildren no longer have the money to keep up the house/island so they are torn between memories and letting go. Two sisters embark on finding out some of the secrets their family kept as they spend time at the house in a last ditch effort to save it. This book was a little slow for me at times, but what kept me interested was the "character" of the house as I know from personal experience how important it is to have a Summer vacation like this in your roots!
The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand. Every time my friend Sarah hands me an Elin book, I read it almost immediately! This book intermixed a few characters from the Winter Stroll series, so that was fun. And as always, that wonderful "character" Nantucket. This story is juicy with affairs that are real as well as rumors. As usual, enjoyed it!
The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand. This book followed the story of twin sisters and how differently their lives turned out when their parents split and one went to live on Martha's Vineyard while the other stayed in Nantucket. There is a huge misunderstanding between the two of them, which is reconciled at the end of the book, but not after the two of them switch islands (Parent Trap style) to try to avoid personal drama each of them are facing. Super fun read!
I received Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center from St. Martin's Press - thank you! This is released on August 13th, 2019. This is the second book I have read by Katherine, and based on the first one I had a feeling this would be good. Cassie is an up and coming firefighter in Texas. She is born for emergencies, as long as they are not her own. Still dealing with her mother leaving when she was 16, she works hard to keep people out. But when her mother begs her to come and stay with her - needing help from medical issues - Cassie reluctantly goes. This means she is transferring to a tough, old-school Boston department who won't take too kindly to a female colleague. Once there, she discovers the truth about her mother - not only her true medical state but also what happened when she left all those years ago. As she lets her guard down, she also can't help but fall for a rookie who starts the same day as she does. Will she find peace and happiness if she breaks all of the rules she's made for herself? Highly recommend!
I received Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton from Grand Central Publishing - thank you! This is due out on August 6, 2019. I love a good dystopian book, and when I saw this one was told from an animal point of view I was intrigued. It also took place in Seattle, which is a city I love. The main character is a domesticated crow, but he has many friends throughout the book. The world they know is turned upside down when humans start behaving oddly. They are now merely trying to survive and rescue other animals who are alive. There is a good twist as the humans start to "evolve". I really liked this!
The Break Down by B.A. Paris. This is the second book I've read by B.A. Paris, so again I knew it would not disappoint. The story takes off right from the beginning as Cass drives past a broken down car during a terrible storm. The next morning, she finds out the driver had been murdered..... and even worse, she knew the victim. She cannot rid herself of the guilt of possibly stopping or alerting someone and that is coupled with her fear that she has early onset dementia like her deceased mother. Her world continues to turn upside down, but is it her mind playing tricks on her or something more sinister? This is one you won't be able to put down!
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