This was a fast and easy read that I mostly enjoyed. Most of the story takes place in the 1970s so we are spared cell phones, GPS and online searches for missing people, etc. Jenny, a waitress at IHOP, is bored and wanting to reinvent herself after dropping out of college to have a baby which was put up for adoption. Nick is a WWI veteran who, while fighting in the trenches in France, is entrusted with the safekeeping of a newborn and the mother's artwork. I'm not sure how she thought an 18-year-old trying to stay alive was a good choice for her baby and it wasn't because Nick abandoned the baby in a nearby town. He is haunted by what he did and in his last days he is determined to find out what happened to the child. Jenny is hired by Nick to help (Nick is very ill) as they set off for France and Italy to solve the mystery. The characters are well developed and early on the reader surmises who Enzo is. Hood is a good writer and keeps the story moving smoothly. Some things were resolved a little too easily, imo, and I'm still not sure how Nick got back to the U.S. without a wallet or passport. Anyway, a fairly simple read and I would recommend it for something light between your heavier reads.

Wow. What an intense, close-up look at the difficult time we all endured. The story takes place in one day in three separate years (2019-2021) and follows a family with various underlying issues. Most of the story takes place in NYC which took a huge hit during CoVid. Part one was a bit slow as we get to know the characters but that happens in a lot of books. Part two brought back all kinds of memories of how we coped during the crisis. The isolation, the fear, the crazy amount of precautions, the losses, the toll it took on children and young adults. Part three, of course, is the aftermath and how to (or do we ever) return to "normal".

The writing is incredibly beautiful and poetic at times as we would expect from Cunningham. Characters are believable, frustrating at times and endearing at others. Five-year-old Violet was a little too magical for me but okay. I liked the descriptions of Iceland and the use of the classic The Mill on the Floss to show the close relationship between sister and brother, Isabel and Robbie. Cunningham never uses the words "virus", "pandemic" or "CoVid" and there was only one time that I felt that was a bit forced. Another great book in the new and sad pandemic genre.

Henri and Louise meet under unusual circumstances. They are both in Granada, Henri on "business" and Louise running from a troubled past. A large sum of money that Henri is supposed to pick up is found by Louise who decides it is her chance to have a new life. Henri is intrigued and follows Louise to Paris and Belgrade with the ultimate destination being Istanbul. Beautiful descriptions of all the locations, excellent character development and lots of suspense make this a book I didn't want to put down. One thing I did notice though was the overuse of the word "frown". Seriously, "he frowned" "she frowned" "the dog frowned". Ok, there wasn't a dog but he would have frowned if there was! Editor please! Otherwise, I would not hesitate to recommend this book.

B.A. Shapiro writes a good story, just not the kind of story I can rave about. Lots of different storylines being bounced around with multiple characters who live in or whose lives revolve around a Boston storage unit facility. Some of them are more interesting than others, some made me sad, some gave me the creeps, some made me wonder what they were doing there. The writing is fine and the plot line of living/working/hiding in a storage unit is not unplausible. I just found myself wishing the characters had offered a little more to make me take a vested interest in them. I can't say I wouldn't recommend this book but be prepared for a very light read.

Being a former librarian myself there was no other book on the review list that I would have chosen. Belle da Costa Greene was the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan at the Pierpont Morgan Library in NYC in the early 1900s. She was in charge of acquisitions and the cataloging of rare art and manuscripts to build the Morgan into a world class library. Her close relationship with the famous financier was all the more amazing due to the fact she was a fair-skinned black woman who passed as white. This secret and the fear of exposure played into every aspect of her life. She became famous in New York society and the world of art dealers. Her accomplishments as a woman of that era were exceptional. I was pleased to see that the author collaborated with a black author which made it more legitimate for me. The writing is a bit ordinary but the story saved it for me.

Beautifully written, Jill McCorkle weaves the stories of four characters and their family histories. Lil and Frank, an elderly married couple who had both lost a parent tragically when they were very young and a commonality that drew them together, were the most interesting for me but Shelley and her young son, Harvey, grew on me as the story went along. Shelley's older son, Jason, came into the story too late, in my opinion. Sometimes I felt there was too much repetition of the characters' stories but the incredibly fine writing made it easy to overlook. A thoughtful look at how we never fully understand the parents who raise us. This would be a great book for discussion.

As I'm turning 65 this year I thought this would be an appropriate book for me to read and hoped it would provide a kind of "roadmap" or instruction manual for the years to come. Instead I found it somewhat depressing and not very relatable for my own journey. I think some women might find the personal vignettes helpful for coping with the inevitable difficulties that come with aging. For myself? I think I'll hope that "Grace and Frankie" continue to be role models for my senior years.

I enjoyed The House Girl by Tara Conklin several years ago and was excited to see another book by her in the selections from First Impressions. It did not disappoint. A family saga told from the point of view of the youngest of four siblings it begins in the year 2079 when the character is 102 years old. A glimpse into the future but mostly a story of love from many perspectives. Beautifully written so that every character has their own voice, Conklin invites the reader into the Skinner family for an intimate look into their hearts and souls. The sisters and brother argue, fight, make up, fight again just like real families. Their shared secrets, joys and heartaches only bind them closer together even when they pull away from each other. Conklin has taken her time putting out this second book but I would rather see a good book from an author every seven years than a mediocre one every year or two. A most enjoyable read!

A very lovely story from one of my favorite authors. Arthur, Maddy, and Lucille, the three main characters, have all suffered major losses in their lives but together they find ways to heal. This is a quiet and introspective story of love, acceptance and support and how being there for someone can change a life. Short read. My favorite of Berg's is still The Pull of the Moon.

I will start by saying I thought the writing was wonderful. The author crafted an interesting story from an unusual subject (genital abnormality) and I never once felt squeamish or put off. Following Jane's life was like stepping into someone else's proverbial shoes and knowing what it is like to have a life-effecting condition but trying to be a "normal" person. The other characters were developed well but the doctor was pivotal to Jane's growth and overall spirit. Dr. Thompson was almost too good to be true for that day and age with his open-mindedness and willingness to go the extra mile for Jane and all his patients. He was a saint to be sure. I would definitely recommend this book. It is a very fast read.

Home invasion, rape, domestic abuse, child abuse, marital discord, financial ruin, drugs, alcohol abuse, infidelity, suicide. Charming! Well-written and, thankfully, a short, fast read. This family is beyond dysfunctional with issues that could keep a platoon of psychologists busy for years.

I would have to say that this was one of the least enjoyable reads I have had in a while. Not only was the subject matter disturbing but the writing was pedestrian at best. My feeling was that the subject of cults and their abuse of children does not lend itself well to fiction. Better to write this as nonfiction and really be able to delve more deeply into the psychopathic minds and history of cult abuse. Ragen says she did extensive research but her book seems way too shallow, emotional and angry for the reader to learn much about the subject. Obviously, normal people would be repulsed by this kind of activity.

One part biography, one part spy thriller, A Kim Jong Un production is a captivating book all the way till the end. And by "the end" I mean that the last part of the book was a bit of a drag after the climax. Otherwise a great read!

I am so glad that this is the first in a trilogy by Elena Ferrante. Her writing and the translation are superb. The characters are so believable you feel like you are reading a memoir instead of a novel. Naples in the 60's, family feuds, friendships that wax and wane, machismo, coming of age, and intellectualism---Ferrante blends it all effortlessly and makes you feel that you are there in the backseat of the Giardinetta with Lila and Elena sharing the experience. Very much looking forward to book number two in this trilogy.

In this fictionalized account of the life of a famous and revered Southern author, Flannery O'Connor seems only incidental to the story. I hoped to learn more about Ms. O'Connor than that she had lupus, raised peacocks and was a devout Catholic. Cookie was a stock character, Melvin left me wondering what any woman saw in him besides good looks and money, and Joe, Bill and Lona were right out of a soap opera. Admittedly, I laughed out loud at the "peacock stampede". Poor Flannery, she must be turning over in her grave to be portrayed sniveling for forgiveness at an asylum; I would never believe it in a million years. To really know this great author read her work and a good biography.

Paula McLain's story of Hadley Richardson, Ernest Hemingway's first wife, gives the reader a behind-the-scenes look at the very early days in Hemingway's career and the social scene in Paris with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, etc. While the novel was slow-moving at times and a bit repetitious it was ultimately saved by the first person narrative as told by Hadley. It was like reading an elaborately written diary where you are let in on secrets and private matters as uncomfortable and sad as they may be. Not quite on a par with Loving Frank by Nancy Horan but a satisfying read nonetheless.

A truly delightful romp through history! If only learning could always be made this pleasurable. Each character imparts his own knowledge of the Tower of London and all it's ghosts, beheadings and royal goings-on. Animals for the menagerie provide more fodder for stories from the past. And all this with a love story or two in the midst of everything. Lovely British humor and overall a wonderful read.