Sharing the Stories

May was a month for mystery reading, unintentionally, I ended with 7 mysteries and one Greek Mythology story.   The Paris Apartment by  Lucy Foley- audiobook courtesy of Hoopla.  Jess needs her brother, Ben, the one person she can turn to when things get hard. Arriving in Paris she finds Ben gone. He seems to have just vanished leaving behind everything. Slowly Jess starts to put together that the residents of his gated apartment have the answers to his disappearance.  Great plot twists and turns, interconnected characters, and fast-paced.  The It Girl by Ruth Ware   is   a back-and-forth between present and past. College friends are turned apart when one of them is murdered. The testimony that convicts John Neville has left Hannah with more questions than answers. Could he truly have killed April? And if he didn't do it, then who?  Surprising ending. Purchased at the Literary Indie bookstore.  The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane   cou...

I'm extra grateful this reading month for Spring Break and the chance to get lost in great stories. Lots of audiobooks thanks to libro.fm 🎧 and Libby.   Mysteries continued strong with two additional titles from the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French . I'm loving following characters from one book to another and seeing them change, know their backstories, and figure out the mysteries together. Broken Harbor #4 The Secret Place #5 #murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil a Lincoln Nominee for 23-24 was my additional mystery. I wanted to like the story but honestly, I found it hard to follow at first, the characters were predictable, and overall the story wasn't anything new or engaging. Realistic Fiction and Romance made a comeback this month with titles I had on my TBR list and a few surprises. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt was on my TBR and a book club option. While it started to slow it quickly got a hold of my attention. With a strong resemb...

The first audiobook of February- courtesy of Libro.fm     

 And like that January is done with 9 books. A great start to this reading year with some new mysteries & thrillers, a sweet coming of age to discover who you truly are meant to be, and a solid non-fiction story.   Mystery & Thrillers: *previously reviewed. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney. A troubled marriage, isolated bed & breakfast, interconnected characters, page-turner! The House in the Pines   by Ana Reyes *  The Searcher  by Tana French. Retired police officer looking for a quiet place, a child needing help, a close community willing to keep outsiders out. In The Woods by Tana French * Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson. A family reunion will expose everyone's secrets, set in a snowed-in resort, motives, and suspects abundant,  and great unexpected reveals.  Historical Fiction The House Girl   by Tara Conklin * Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 1970's a rock band, icon...

  Finished 2022 with 76 books ! Great reading year~ read lots of books, loved most of them, reviewed some of them. I closed the year with 3 favorites: Based on a true story, this book was the perfect combination of inspiration, grit and the power of libraries. The underground tunels of Brethnal Green tube station transformed into a small town during WWII. Within Clara Burton served as librarian to everyone who needed a book or a place to belong.  Historical Fiction based on the stories of young women who became 1932 and 1936 Olympians. The first girls to compete in Field & Track events along side the likes of Jesse Owen. An inspirational read to fuel my own running dreams. This was an impulse buy at my local indie bookstore and one that carried me into 2023 with dreams of new travels. My wonderlust desire to travel to new places, to meet new friends, to experience new cities all under a tight budget will be a reality this upcoming year thanks to Matt Kepnes. Three books th...

  November flew by with a handful of books read and many more added to the TBR list.  A good mix of audiobooks and hardcovers. A mix of sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and strong realistic fiction. Just one non-fiction/ autobiography by Amy Roe.  All The Bad Apples by Moira Foley. Magic realism is set in Ireland. Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby. Two dads coming to terms with their sons' murder seek revenge. In the process, they learn how to let go of prejudice, injustice, and racial differences. Becoming Boston Strong by Amy Roe. Inspirational as I'm getting ready to run Boston 2023. Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng. Mother and son reunited under a system that punishes those that are different. The Wilderwomen by Ruth Lang. Sisters possess unique abilities, sensing and predicting past and future. Reunited to find their lost mother, they will travel far following their instincts, and meet strangers that will point them in the right direction. Sometimes not all that are wonde...

Finding an old tattered copy of Echo and Ariston changed Zara’s life igniting her dreams of becoming an actress but she would never have imagined that one day that little book could truly mean life or death.   As the new “muse” for acclaimed director Leopold Henneman Zara is willing to do whatever it takes to please him and make her debut day a success.  Putting her senior year on hold she moves to New York City to be the female lead in the play of her dreams.  Surrounded by an eccentric crew linked to Leopold's life Sara will struggle to fit in, to follow his unconventional ways, while dangerously falling in love with the wrong person. As rehearsals unfold tragic deaths strike the Aurelia Theatre would superstition holds and deaths would end with opening night.  Would Zara’s life end before opening night? Would her dreams ever become true? Will she have to choose between her dream or love?  The story is told from multiple points of view but never becomes d...

This collection of short stories brings together six teens under Mr. Nak's angry management group.  With a short introduction to each teen's background story, Mr. Nak sets the stage for moments in which each character shares their insecurities, their anger, and the prejudice they have lived with. But also they have the opportunity to find love, freedom, and the power of their stories.    This quick read is about surviving, hope, and the power of the human spirit. Ms. Galan