At first I thought it would be a light romance of a young girl and her professor, but it is much deeper than that. Instead it is a book of different themes. Yes, it is a strange romance where two people are often apart, but then it is a science warning about the disappearance of fish and the effect on fishermen, and finally it is a mystery as Franny searches for what happened to her mother. The two parallel stories of the missing reach a conclusion which maybe a sorprise to the reader. Besides being a mystery it is also a warning about what may be happening to our world. It is a hard book to put down once started.

This was my first Lisa Jewell book but I plan to read more, as part of my suspenseful group. Early in the book the reader learns that there has been a murder, but not who. Throughout the reader is introduced to the people who live on the street and the interactions between them. We are led down different paths as to the victim and the murderer until finally the author lays out a number of clues which quickly lead to the murderer. Some readers might like earlier clues and more real police involvement but this book keep me involved until the end. I look,forward to reading more of Jewell’s works.

Fascinating and well written saga of a family torn apart when young by the early death of a father and the withdrawal from life of the mother. The writer follows the lives of the four children, their successes and failures and the way they cope with their lives. Each of them are well drawn, and the reader is easily pulled into wondering about their future. The three girls and one boy have each chosen a different path and the reader is left to decide why. Not having read the author’s first book I am eager to read it. I especially liked the single narrator rather than each character telling his own story.

This was not an easy book to read although parts of it were captivating. Occurring during the time Zimbabwe was struggling for real independence and dealing with poverty and violence, the tale is narrated by a man looking for his family and trying to become part of a new family. (Perhaps an analogy of the start of a new country). Real events and people like Black Jesus are incorporated into the story which is filled with sexual and violent overtones. Parts of it were moving but at times I had to put it aside for a less violent book. Not only was there violence and sexual contact during the story but also evident in the history of the country. This connection of fiction and nonfiction was the main element in the novel. I felt that some editing would have made it more readable. It will be interesting, however, to follow the writings of this author.

I wasn't sure if I would like this book, as it is about a poor Indian family living in Trinidad, but once I started it I couldn't put it down. As it opens one of the ten boys is missing. Has he run away because his parents blame him for causing robbers to ruin the house looking for money, or has he just gotten lost because he is known as the "Retarded son". The reader suddenly returns to an earlier time when the twins were born and Paul is thought to be retarded as he lacked oxygen when born. Peter, the other child, is smarter but they are kept together in school. As the story progresses we meet the members of the extended family, all of whom have money. As the boys grow up the reader learns more about this dysfunctional family and the father's plan for them. Then the author takes as back to the missing boy and we find out the reason he was missing and the effect it will have on the family. This time shift is easier to understand then one that contains time or character jumps back and forth. The author is good at taking us to a cliff several times in the story. As I said, I could not put it down once I started reading and I think others may also not be able to. I am eager to share it with my book groups.

When I first opened this book I wondered why the different type faces, why the characters that suddenly seemed to appear, and then I understood and delighted in reading the tale of a famous writer who stops her writing to marry a successful doctor and raise two very different boys. Told from Ashby's point of view the book covers more than twenty years in the life of the family melted with the stories that Ashby has written and is writing. One is quickly caught up with family differences including two very different sons who follow two very different paths, one becoming a very wealthy man and one not finding success on his own. Without telling the story one of the paths leads to India where Ashby (that is how she is remembered) finds herself again. Scattered throughout the main story are the novels which Ashby is trying to write. Once the reader catches on to this it is easy to follow as there is still one voice. Ashby. The reader is quickly caught up with the different characters, including the minor characters. Such descriptive writing carries the reader along, including the role of swimming pool in the life of the family, as well as things that happen historically, such as 9/11. At time the author uses lists of events which make the scenes amazingly believable. The book is well constructed. I enjoyed the varied themes: motherhood and fulfillment, as well as the recurring symbols, such as water, birds, weather, and love. This is a wonderful work by a new author and would make for a good discussion. It was a joy to read.

Is The Well as perfect as Ruth and her husband think when they move there or is the family magically keeping rain from falling everywhere except on their farm? Is the answer going to come from the religious fanatical group of women who have moved on the land and soon have Ruth under their spell, drawing her away from her husband and event her beloved grandson? This psychological thriller keeps the reader involved as disaster strikes the farm. Soon Ruth is kept under house arrest, alone, except for a visiting priest. Moving from present time and back to the time of trouble, the author pulls in the reader to answer the many questions the book raises. The book is beautifully written and one can easily picture the farm setting . The main characters are well drawn and even the stereotypical soldiers and visiting minister are believable. However, the book can be confusing as the author jumps from present day to the past, sometimes in the middle of a chapter, thus making it sometimes difficult for the reader to determine when events are occurring. Many authors present a story from different points of view and time but they are usually placed in different chapters. Ms Chanter does hold the reader with her descriptive writing but the reader must concentrate to determine the time setting of the tale.

Loved this book and its characters. It was a good example of historical fiction. The setting in 19th century England was realistic as was the relationship between the characters. The author took some freedom in describing the relationship between Bay and the Austrian Princess but that fit within the parameters of the book. I look forward to reading her earlier book.

Continuing their joint memoir, Come Back, Claire and Mia travel to Asia with a scavenger hunt and then spend time in Avignon and Budapest, visiting old memories for both of them. Told in two voices this is a study of the connections between mothers and daughters. As they visit and talk about places together and their feelings, the reader learns why they react to events as they do. Humor and pathos share space in the book as Mia swims with elephants and Claire rides camels. It is when they travel to France that they begin to understand each other better and give each other the space and the support that they each need. This is a very moving account of their relationship as well as a guide for other mothers and daughters facing questions of their own.

Imagine the shock when Kelle saw that her anticipated daughter, Nella, had Down syndrome. Kelle had not opted for tests to determine if this was a possibility. It wasn’t long before her pediatrician confirmed her fears but it was equally fast for her friends and family to gather around her and support her during her days in the hospital with Nella and their first year together. This memoir traces Kelle’s feelings and actions as she deals with the fact that her daughter will be different. She starts a blog and eventually reaches out to others who are parents of Down syndrome children. All along she has so much support from her many friends and her husband and family, including the other children in the family. However, this book is mainly about Kelle and very little about the things that Nella did during her first year. We hear about her going places with her mother, wearing glasses, facing blood tests, and meeting her therapist. This would have been a better book for parents of Down syndrome children if more of this information had been included and not quite so self centered. However, I suppose this is a purpose of a memoir.

This is the second novel about Piper Donovan, an aspiring actress who has turned to decorating wedding cakes until she finds an acting job. She is invited to California to decorate a cake for the manager of a luxury spa and finds herself involved in the murder of a housekeeper who had been injured by acid and is recovering in the spa. She also meets another young lady who has been damaged by her quest for a wonderful nose. Add to this the over involved second wife of the owner. All of this leads to suspense as Piper tries to discover who committed the murder and finds herself in trouble. Though a fun read there are almost too many characters and red herrings to keep track of. It would make a fun beach read or snow read for those liking cozy mysteries.

With flowery prose the author introduces the reader to the life and people of Siena in 1723, a year of change. Pia, a lovely girl of the city, is betrothed to a son of one of the leading families and although her husband to be in the first of the yearly Palio horse races, she is forced to marry the younger brother. The story then turns to the mystery and intrique of the city as Violente, the Governess of Siena, a horseman, Riccardo, Zebra, and Pia work together to save the city from being taken over by some of the family groups. The author cleverly introduces real characters including some of the last Medicis, events of the time, information on training horses into her her story. Once the reader is hooked with the characters and the action this is a hard book to put down.

What happens to children when their parents die while they are young? The three young adults are still trying to overcome the loss they felt and find their own ways in the world. The older daughter, Alice, is an actress in New York and not interested in a lasting relationship. Diana, the younger daughter, has a quick fling with a man on a cruise and finds that she is pregnant. The brother, Griffin, is in a relationship with Theo which is in trouble for a number of reasons. The three of them find their place in the world and the happiness they have been looking for since their parents died. Meanwhile, the parents look on from heaven, wishing they could help but at the same time finding their own happiness. The use of the parental angels does not help the story move but does add some humor. One does want everything to turn out well but the ending seems to be too contrived.

This is a slow starting book that makes up for it with the ending in which things rapidly, if surprisingly occur. There are two themes in this book: one is what makes a family; and the other is a picture of Hanoi in the 70's and 80's. At times the book can be confusing as it jumps from the present time to the past without any clear delineation and is certainly not a fast read. The characters, however, are memorable and fully developed and it is a book worth staying with.

Lee Child presents another fast moving and convoluted Jack Reacher adventure. The book opens on a New York subway where Jack observes a suicide which leads him to a confusing mystery involving a senate candidate: a woman and her cohorts from the Ukraine (or is it somewhere else); the NYPD; the FBI; and the DOD. All of them are looking for a missing memory stick. The book may be slowed down a bit for readers by the details of wandering through the streets of New York and there is plenty of violence. All in all it results in a good read for those looking for action packed adventures.

This passionate book follows two couples involved in adultery. The story is presented through the voices of the four individuals as Kate becomes romantically involved with Luke. The reader follows the unfolding of the affair through Kate's words and at the same time follows the life of the two couples away from the affair. Sometimes the time-line is confusing as occasionally the same is event is described by several characters as they see it. Lee, a friend, speaks as well but his voice does not add much to the story. The ending is the high point of the book as each couple deals with their damages marriage in different ways, but is the reader surprised? The book might lead to discussions in book groups and does lend itself to beach reading as "chick lit".

Eight years ago Marcella was involved in an affair with a neighbor which ended with a mysterious murder. Now she is engaged in an affair with the neighbor’s son. As the author moves back and forth from the past to the present she examines the reasons that people act as they do and how people are affected by events outside their control, including the unexplained death of parents. This is a passionate love story which hooks the reader even as s/he can foresee the events. It should make a good read for women’s book clubs.

Lisa is trying to recover from an accident on a camping trip and at the same time she is trying to remember her youth in New Mexico and why her father has never wanted to return. When she visits her home she starts to remember her past, including another girl and to question the things her father has told her. Along the way she identifies with the people in the town and starts to feel comfortable with them from the young widower and his children to the people who now live where she remembers growing up. The author makes her characters alive and reins in the reader to try to figure out the secret of Lisa's birth. This should make a fun book club read, especially for those with ties to the 60's.

Tom is introduced to two Asian elephants in the 1750's. Hired as a keeper for the elephants he soon is caught up in their lives, watching them so closely that he is soon able to communicate with them and almost speak to them. We follow Tom and his elephants, Timothy and Jenny on their travels in England and as a result learn about life in England in the 18th century, especially the differences between the gentry and the poor.

The author has attempted to write in the style of the 19th century novel but characters and events are not always clear. Some characters are stereotypes as Mr. Singleton, the son of the manor and his desire for the servant girls. There is a great deal of fascinating information about elephants found in the book but reader one must suspend belief to thoroughly enjoy the novel.

I was a little disappointed after all the reviews about this book. I did enjoy it but wonder about the age of the protagonist. I found it hard to believe her voice, especially in the time period of the novel. Having said that I found the literary references and the chemistry information fascinating but think some may find that it ruins the flow of the story. This might be overly picky but it is something to consider when recommending the book to others.