This book, Delicate Condition, has been called an "update to Rosemary's Baby" and I am old enough to remember seeing the original movie with Mia Farrell. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next scene. Terrifying! This book is very much like the old movie, except it is a terrifying read. As I got deeper into the book, I was trying to determine who was doing these things to this woman, or was she just nutty? Her friend's and spouse's support, was it real? The people she met along the way, were they friends or ??? Was she really driven to do some of the things she did?

This book seems like a long book, but it could be the subject matter. Her experiences going through IVF almost made me cry. I'm not sure how this book would do in a book club since it is so personal. I have to say that I felt such empathy for this woman and all she went through. Highly recommended.

Metropolis is a funky storage warehouse in Boston. Doesn't sound interesting? Well, I loved this book and I read a lot. The story line drew me in as did the characters. Some were major characters, some not. And quite the characters they were, mostly quirky; some seemed "normal". (But in the end "gotcha"). I loved the way the author developed her characters and told their stories. Detail development will draw you in, too.
This book is the best of the year so far for me. I highly recommend the book, including for book clubs. It will be a great topic for discussion.

I did not expect this book to be quite so graphic. Initially, I felt I was reading a Steven King novel. As I settled down, I started to enjoy the novel. The graphic descriptions decreased (somewhat) and I was drawn in to the story. Very clearly Midwestern but there is nothing wrong with that; it doesn't get in the way of a good story. The characters were well developed and will keep you guessing until the end. The story made me realize the danger in what seems to be everyday work in crime investigation. I don't think this is the type of book to recommend to book clubs, mainly because of the graphic descriptions. I would definitely recommend it to someone who loves crime fiction though.

I feel I need to state from the beginning that I did not like this novel. I wanted to, but I just didn't. The main characters and there were really only five, didn't grab me. I thought the time frame would interest me (1966), the location of the novel (Venice), and the main character's career (writing novels). Nope, nothing. I still didn't completely understand what the main character (Frankie) did to bring on her breakdown. Yes, there was a twist at the end which helped clear up some questions. As the book dragged on, towards the end, it started to be more interesting but in the end it was just depressing

This is the first book written by the author. I felt each chapter of the book seemed to read like a part of a group of short stories. A brief genealogy chart was in the front of the book and the chapters were written about each of these women. I confess I would have been a little lost without this chart to use as a reference. I also had difficulty with the use of words in Spanish or a Spanish dialect. Never less, I enjoyed the story and appreciated the difficulty of the lives of this family. Interesting characters these women were, brave and persistent in living their own lives as they felt they should. I would recommend the book for book clubs as I think it would spark discussion and it is a short book.

I loved this book! Really loved it. Although I am not a fan of short stories, I was drawn to this book because of the authors, all current influential writers. I didn't know much about the 1915 Women's Suffragette March for the right to vote. The timing and topic could not be more appropriate for today's audience. Surely anyone reading these stories will thoughtfully compare that time in history to what is happening in 2020. The main characters in each story, either real or imaginary, are so well developed that I felt like I was part of the march and I had a better understanding why these women marched. Most endearing was the character of "Grace" appearing in several stories. As a side note, I also learned reading short stories can be as fulfilling as reading a whole novel.

What a good book this is! The book is based on a story a WWII prisoner told to the author and fleshed out with much research. The story features a farm girl and the prisoner who was sent to her family farm by the Nazis to help with the farm. I have read quite a few WWII books in the past year and this one not only was so interesting, it also stole my heart. The pace of the story keeps you reading and the character development is wonderful. I loved how the author developed her characters and what characters they were. The surprise is how these characters supported the woman, her privacy and marriage. As the story develops, Izzy matures and becomes more resilient to the harshness of her captivity, and of her reaction to her dreams of her life; past, present and future. I highly recommend this book, not only to WWII readers but to all readers who love a good story.

This story tugs at my heart. I was reading this book during the Thanksgiving holiday and it truly struck me at how blessed I am. My relatives did not go through the tragedies the author's family and extended family experienced during WW II. The author worked to uncover her family's background and their lives and deaths before, during and after WW II. At the beginning of the book, the family names were hard for me to remember and connect. As I read on, I realized the names were not as important (to me) as the story telling. The author struggled to discover where people lived, who were able to continue to live and who survived the war. She seemed to be at peace with her family story as the book ends, realizing she uncovered every possible thread in her search. This was a very personal story and maybe not for everyone; it does show the determination to live on despite a life of utter hardships.

The "American Princess", also known as "The Other Washington Monument", Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Alice was born into an influential and political family. In spite of having these advantages, Alice didn't want any of them, only wanting to forge her own way in the world. Her parents were cold to her and she craved their attention. Once she became of age, she jumped into her own wild ways, shocking her parents and the Country in general. She flirted with many men and lost her heart to a man much like herself. Still, she was courageous, brash and inventive. She was open to everything and way ahead of her "time". Eventually she wanted children and once she had a child, she wasn't much better at mothering her daughter than her parents were to her. She lived a very interesting adult life, involved in politics and had an affair. Surprisingly, she became her famous Father's confidant. In the end, Alice lived a very long life, close to the people she loved. I loved this book and what a fascinating character Alice was, living her life as she wanted.

The Family Tabor tells a story about individual family lives, the perceptions vs reality and what remains private. The Father is being honored for his work in the community helping others. He feels, as does his family feel, that this honor is due to "a life well lived". This is a privileged family, but from where and how did that privilege come to their family? At times, the family members seem to want what the others have, parents and siblings. These are complicated relationships. Religion plays a part and is a continuous thread in the story. Initially, I had a hard time "getting into" the book, but after a few chapters, I was hooked. The ending is surprising and stayed with me for a while. Harry, I wish I knew you.

I loved this book! I want to be friends with the main character, Lilian. She lives a full, zany life, although she doesn't appreciate all the wonderful pieces and parts to her life. You'll learn in the prologue that her husband was killed in a car crash and she fell apart in the aftermath. Most of us would too. Her sister is her best friend, main backup and more. After each chapter is a one page "How To Grow" a certain vegetable. A humorously written although seemingly correct plan. I don't garden so I can only assume the directions are correct. Lilian also does not garden, but she signs up for a class to learn. From this class come more adventures. Even her kids and sister have adventures from this class. This book is written in a breezy style and I had a hard time putting it down. You will enjoy reading this book and probably laugh out loud.

What a story! Most know this royal family was murdered in Russia in 1918. Helen Rapport's book on the Romanov family intertwines Russian history and the royal family. Yes, the children were brought up in luxurious surroundings but lived simple lives. They were also secluded from the world. This was what I thought was most interesting. The four daughters lead austere lives, focusing on family time, chores, and duty to their parents and country. They were very "innocent" in a society where being active socially was expected. These girls preferred to be with each other but made friends with everyone. Status was not important, although they certainly knew their family status and knew what was expected of them. This is not a summer "beach read" but it will hold your attention.

I very much enjoyed this book. Some of the story line was predictable but not all; there were surprises. The author's character development worked well, although like many family histories, some characters still left questions in my mind. Each chapter is written from a different character's perspective so you begin to understand each person, how the character thinks and their actions. Although the author had family stories as a basis of her tale, additional research leads her to develop the story. Included in the book were actual excerpts from letters written long ago. I look forward to future work from this author.