July 2018

    Safe Houses by Dan Fesperman

    I love fiction that includes some political intrigue/espionage, and if it is a mystery/thriller that’s all the better! Cold War timeframe is great if done well (I loved Jake Tapper’s Hellfire Club, for example). Dan Fesperman’s Safe Houses seemed right up my alley, especially as it was praised by Lee Child as being “One of …

    Heartland by Sarah Smarsh

    Many years ago, I read Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed and it knocked my socks off. When I saw Sarah Smarsh’s Heartland had been favorably compared to it and recommended to people who liked it, I jumped at the opportunity (provided by Scribner and NetGalley) to read it in exchange for my honest review. First …

    Lacks Self-Control by Roy Sekoff

    How could you pass up a book subtitled “True Stories I Waited Until My Parents Died to Tell”?? I couldn’t. I wasn’t familiar with Roy Sekoff, although I’m a fan of The Huffington Post  (he was the founding editor). Plus, there’s this promotional blurb: “If David Sedaris, Chelsea Handler, Larry David, and Caitlin Moran had the …

    The Lies We Told by Camilla Way

      I truly enjoyed Camilla Way’s book Watching Edie, so I decided that I should just carve out a DAY to wallow in her latest, The Lies We Told, which I received from Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for writing this honest review. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, YOU HAVE …

    The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain

      I am a bit of a fan of Diane Chamberlain’s books, so I was really happy to receive a copy of The Dream Daughter (thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review. TBH, I didn’t even read the promotional material, figuring if it was as enjoyable as Necessary Lies, …

    Accused by Amber Hunt

    I loved the Accused podcast that discussed the (subtitle) “unsolved murder of Elizabeth Andes.” This book is essentially a transcript of the nine episodes that make up season #1 of the podcast. If you have listened to the podcast, this is nothing new except a nice introduction by Amber, and some comments in the epilogue. …

    Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

    Just two years ago, in my review of Jodi Picoult’s Small Great Things, I related that “when a friend and former library co-worker basically sniffed her disapproval when I told her I liked Jodi Picoult’s books, our friendship was changed forever.” I worked for several years  in public libraries and tried not to be judgmental …