A quick one day read that has left me smiling and just feeling so completely satisfied. If you love books and especially libraries, the story of June and a group of eccentric friends of the library will warm your heart. Freya Sampson does a marvelous job of capturing exactly how important libraries are to our communities. This feel good book is a bit predictable but that's okay as sometimes we just need to escape from the realities of modern day life. I want to thank BookBrowse and Penguin Random House for the ARC and a chance to read and review this novel that will be on sale August 31, 2021.

This is a novel about mother and daughter relationships and the secrets that haunt them based on the desperate choices they were forced to make. This short novel is about 5 generations of women starting in Cuba in 1866 to present day in Miami. It is also a story of an El Salvadorian mother and daughter that ICE deports from Miami. How the two narratives tie together is the backbone of this story. The writing had moments of remarkable insight and truths which I really appreciated. However, I found certain stories more poignant and interesting than others. My opinion is some of these women's stories could have been expanded and stood alone. This novel would definitely generate some interesting discussion if chosen for a book club.

I was overcome with emotion at how profoundly moving I found The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai. Lyrical prose filled with images that will forever change how I view lives so vastly different than my own. I always viewed the tragedy of the Vietnam war through the lens of American losses...until now. The compelling multi-generational story of the Tran family is beautifully written with two unforgettable heroines, Huong Tran and her grandmother Died Lan and spans from 1920-1970's. I highly recommend what has turned out to be my favorite read in 2020. Actually, I am getting ready to reread so I can facilitate this novel in our Zoom book club in November.

Susan Meissner's latest (3/19) historical novel explores the life long impact of U.S. internment camps on two American teenage girls with German and Japanese parents. Easily accessible, well written characters and a subject I found interesting and enlightening made for an enjoyable read. The story moves between present day and 1945/46 as Elise tells the story of her friendship with Mariko and her search for the meaning of "home". Thanks to BookBrowse for the ARC and a chance to provide a review.

A heart wrenching debut novel about a family devastated by a elementary school massacre that takes the life of their ten year old son. The narrator is his six year old brother who deals with his grief and that of his family's devastation with confusion, insight and wisdom. Zach Taylor is someone you will remember for a very long time. This was a powerful book that I thought perfectly captured Zach's voice and the horror of such a tragedy. Want to thank BookBrowse & First Impressions for the ARC.

John Boyne has written a remarkable novel that moved me to tears and made me laugh out loud. Starting in 1945 through to 2015, we follow Cyril Avery as he tries to come to terms with who he is and the choices he made. Filled with unforgettable, compelling characters and tragic events in a homophobic Ireland, Cyril is an endearing character with a pragmatic sly wit that I know will stay with me for a very long time. Set in 7 year increments, the pacing was perfect and moved the story right along without any unnecessary fluff. Definitely the best book I've read this year. Want to thank BookBrowse and First Impressions for sending me an ARC. This book will be published in August 2017...definitely add it to your TBR LIST!

"Running The Rift" by Naomi Benaron is an incredible tribute to all who perished in the Rwanda genocide in the early 1990's while the world looked the other way. I picked it up because of the wonderful cover & a quick peek at the book synopsis. I read it basically in one sitting and was blown away by the moving story of Jean Patrick and his coming of age during the upheaval and horror in Rwanda. His dream was to make the Olympics - his reality was to slowly confront the truth of his life amid the horror....and somehow to continue to believe in the goodness of people and our ability to love. Benaron's incredible storytelling makes us care about all the characters, admire their strengths, realize the beauty of Rwanda and set the stage for what's to come. We watch Jean Patrick grow up - we see that people who live in horrible (by our standards) circumstances, actually, sometimes have more than we do. The love of family is forefront in this book - regardless of the horrific events happening around them. This book will be my standard for 2012 - my only complaint was I couldn't figure our what "Rift" stood for until I dug out my atlas and saw that it's a valley that runs through that part of the world. If it was mentioned, I missed it. One final note: I have reread the final chapters and realized that this is a book to be read again to truly appreciate all the beautiful layers that comprise it. I highly recommend this book!

A really good read that will resonate with older women readers who have lived through the times that shaped Annabelle. I was surprised that I ended up liking it as much as I did as I seemed to know how it would end, but the characters were well defined and their relationships interesting. A good book club choice especially if all ages are represented in the group - lots of interesting discussion, I would think.

"Matterhorn" is not what I would normally pick up and read, but I'm sure glad I did cause this is the benchmark that I will judge all 2010 books. I suspect that this superbly written and very powerful novel will be one that stays with me for a very long time. I know it has changed my thinking because it has taken me where I will never go and given me some idea of the horror of war and the bravery of the men that fought it. Amazing book!