Doctress, Ming Dynasty, heritage…

A tale loosely based on Lady Tan Yunxian, circa 1469. Tan Yunxian’s circle of women include Grandmother Ru, a doctor to women; Meiling, her friend who is in-training to be a midwife; Poppy, her maid; Miss Zhao, Father’s concubine; and Lady Kuo, her mother-in-law.

The story begins in 1469 when Tan Yunxian is 8yo and continues to unfold until 1556 when she is 96yo. You will learn about her childhood, learning about Chinese medicine from her Grandmother, her lifelong friendship with Meiling, her role as a dr to women, and her role/burdens/obligations as Lady Tan, “ running the household.”

Tan Yunxian’s life tells of an inner strength. Female friendships and family relationships will become known.

The author mentions “mind pictures.” I can see & hear all that is described in this beautifully scripted story.

Very descriptive writing. Ex: gardens, customs, fashion, and medical formulas/practices.

Detail-oriented. Well researched.

Held my interest from begin to end.

Elegantly written. Ex: “Even the best banquet must end & the guests depart.” (p. 305 describing death)

An addictive read - was hard to put down.

This would be a great book for book club. Lots to discuss!

Don’t skip the author’s note.

What a splendid story created especially when little is known about the REAL Tan Yunxian.

Kudos! I highly recommend for your TBR pile!

4.5

Reputation, weak link, atonement….

The Woodyard is a combo day centre/ community hub that includes A- level students and those with learning disabilities. Woodyard’s purpose is to “provide a glorious community, bringing people together.” A board of trustees runs Woodyard , with Jonathan being the general manager. Woodyard has paid employees as well as many volunteers.

Now a volunteer has been found murdered and a Woodyard attendee has gone missing. Parents expect Woodyard to be a safe haven , where their children should be safe and protected. It should not be a place where horrific things happen.

Detective Matthew Venn and his team are only finding stray leads. “Things are getting complicated. Too many coincidences. Too many people circling around each other, without touching. No real evidence.” One thing is crystal clear — all these stray leads seem to lead back to Woodyard.

A first time reader of this author! I saw Ann Cleeves at a local author event last month. Although she talked about The Raging Storm, I decided to also get book #1 to meet the characters. I will be reading # 2 and #3 next!

Consider me a new fan of this author!

Kept me guessing! Didn’t know who to trust or who to believe! Surprise ending. I recommend!

Very descriptive writing.

Follow the money!

Swanky, stunning, persistent…

Headline! Death at the Claremont Hotel!

Berkeley’s Claremont Hotel 1930 - after a game of hide n seek with her younger sister Isabella, 7yo Iris Stafford’s (of THE Bainbridge family) body is found in a pile of dirty laundry at the bottom of the laundry chute.

Same Claremont Hotel 1944 - political candidate Walter Wilkinson is found in a humiliating condition, shot in the head. A possession of Iris’ is found in the closet in the room.

Homicide detective Al Sullivan thinks the “Wilkinson murder is connected to the Bainbridges in some complicated way,” but isn’t sure how. But what is it with the Bainbridges? “If there is a crisis at the hotel, a Bainbridge always seems to be in the middle of it.”

Join the search for a killer! Encounter a web of lies and coincidences! As D A Doogan says,” Infidelity, betrayal, and revenge - the red meat! Juries will love it!”


A great fiction debut! I will read future books by this author. I would like to read more stories about Detective Al Sullivan!

This kept me guessing!

Intricate plot.

Very descriptive writing. Ex: hide n seek in the hotel and Lincoln Highway

Enjoyed Mrs. Bainbridge’s disposition throughout the book. Clever!

Well researched. Detail oriented. Liked reading about the Golden Gate Bridge - building & opening!

RULES, survival, captivity…

After “living” in the shed for five years, you learn the rules to survive. “#1 he always wins, #2 you are always sorry, and #3 everything that happens must always happen to both of you.”

And now father / daughter Aidan / 13yo Cecilia have to move. “Rachel” plants the seed of her also moving with them. And now the new house has a whole NEW set of rules in order for her to survive. She will constantly deal with the uncertainty of making a mistake. A mistake that could prove fatal…

“She saved herself on the first day she was taken and every day since for five years. Nobody has rescued her.” She will be responsible for any rescuing. Why has she been spared for so long by this serial killer?


A debut thriller. I would read future books by this author.

A melodramatic story! I was curious about how this one would end!

A captivity story told by 3 women in his life. His 8 victims also comment throughout on their spotlight pages. Bleak reading at times!

Lots of buzz about this one - that’s why I read it.

I’ve read 2 back- to-back captivity books and now need to read a lighter story next! @thefictionphysician told me to move this one to the top of my TBR list. Good advice!

Lesser than, ambition, Roaring 20s…

1924 - Zora, from an impoverished Seattle family of nine, helps Mother with the sewing she takes in. Zora has a reputation as "bring a magician with a needle." Her wildest dream would be to become a designer and to own a boutique.

2023 - While restoring / repairing film costumes for the Hollywood Glamour Exhibition at the Smithsonian, Sylvia finds the name Zora Lily under the designer label. Just who could this unknown be?

A tale of the burdens of poverty and pulling oneself up by "the bootstraps to start on a better path."

ARC — available on Oct 3, 2023

Author paints a vivid snapshot - easy to imagine the characters, locations, fashions, and clubs. Story & characters feel real and relatable. Very descriptive writing. Ex: "Pale green like the beginning of spring…" (Too many good quotes to mention…)

Breathtaking story and a great ending!

I highly recommend! I will look for author's previous books!

This will likely be in my top 5 for 2023!

Thank you to Book Browse & Harper Collins for this great read! Hats off to Noelle Salazar! Thank you!

Kumquat, wedge, trunk…

Banyan Moon is the tale of a family of three women — Ann, her mother Huong, and her grandmother Minh. Males have flitted in & out of their lives, but it’s mainly a single mother portrait. Ann and her mother are estranged; they “don’t speak, having run out of things to say a long time ago.” Ann and her grandmother however, have a close relationship , although they haven’t seen each other for a few years now.

Secrets abound, especially with Minh and Huong. One horrific secret has driven a wedge between the two. Banyan House “keeps it all caged within.”

Minh passes away, leaving Banyan House to both Ann and Huong (but excludes her son.). Her death will be a mixture of joy and grief for the remaining two women. But they will learn that Minh has “hoarded her secrets to the last and is just now doling them out.”

This debut is a hit!

A saga of decisions, legacy, and relationships & how they can change over time. Decisions will have long-term effects.

I read this because of all the buzz about it. It’s unique - a different type of storyline from my recent reads.

What an ending!

Eloquent writing. Ex:
1. “A couple of fractured mirrors- no longer seeing the same reflection.”
2. He is “like polish with no substance. She hitched her wagon to a handful of glitter.”

Sensitive situations - physical abuse is included in the storyline.

Lucy and William, a long-divorced couple, leave NYC together for Maine before the pandemic lockdown. William is a scientist and appears to be aware of the necessary precautions, while Lucy is unconcerned, innocent, and naïve about what to expect. She thinks William is bring an alarmist. She is certainly not aware that her “entire life will become something new.” Changes include death, changing relationships ,and never seeing her apartment ever again.

A tale of coping, isolation, grief, forgiveness, discovery, and relationships with friends and family.

Lucy is a relatable character.

I did not read any of the previous books about Lucy. Perhaps reading the earlier books would boost this story?????

I was able to follow the plot of the book. It was not essential to read the earlier books.

Lots of reflection by Lucy. A touching story.

Humility, cutting edge, diverse…

A perceptive accounting of the women’s contribution to the WWII wartime effort. 350,000 were involved in diverse roles including pilots, instructors, ferrying supplies and planes, codebreakers, translators, signal units, and artists. Positions went far beyond nursing, typists, and “Rosie the Riveter” (check the connection to Pittsburgh & Westinghouse to that!) An important chronicle of their stories, especially since the number of survivors is dwindling.

Available August 1, 2023


Author Lena Andrews has a very impressive resume!

Highly sourced!

Thank you for the organization chart at the beginning.
I referred to it often, especially at the beginning.

I loved the methods of faking height, weight, age requirements!

Love US history! Even better if it’s something I can go see when traveling!

Don’t miss the WWII Museum in NOLA. If you are interested in history, it’s a must-see!

This book is NOT historical fiction. This non-fiction book is a definite for anyone thirsty for knowledge.

Although I had read bits & pieces previously (especially concerning the men), much of the women’s role was unknown to me.

Liked the focus on & inclusion of so many women & their stories in each chapter.

Don’t skip the epilogue! What a tribute!

To Lena Andrews— Yes, it’s an inspiring story!

Grandiose, precarious, elusive…

Almost 70yo brilliant oceanographer Adam is struggling to feel relevant in his job and life. He has (mostly) raised his two children Ken and Abby as a single parent after his wife died young. His “little monsters” (his words) are now adults — Ken is a successful businessman / wannabe politician and Abby is an artist.

Bipolar Adam is spinning from “I have one more discovery left” to depression leading up to his 70th birthday bash.

All in this complex family are hiding buried secrets. Is it possible to “hide an entire life behind a lie?” Envy and jealousy among family members will gradually climax and culminate at the birthday bash. The skeletons will come out of the closet by the end!

Hearing lots about this one! I enjoyed it!

Many characters have secrets from themselves, as well as from others.

A tangled story of dysfunction, guilt, competition, and emotions!

Author paints a vivid picture of Cape Cod. I could “see” the locations described! Enjoyed my trip there!

Text, stalker, maybe you’re next…

Murderpalooza is a thriller writers conference in NYC with many authors, agents, and publishers attending.

On the day of the awards ceremony , bestseller Kristin Bailey is found stabbed to death. And four authors have an anonymous social media account targeting them with threats about past secrets. The four authors being earmarked include a “midlister, an egomaniac, a has-been, and a newbie.” How are all four connected to the victim?

Unique approach to the whodunnit!

First time reader of this author. I will definitely read other books by this author.

Liked the reveal of tidbits / clues throughout the book.

A fun, entertaining read! I recommend it!

Great ending ! A surprise twist at the very end.

Empathy, trust, Advice Angel…

“I’m listening. Tell me your worries” has been repeated numerous times by Ginny on her radio advice show for the last fifteen years.

But she has no answer or advice when shortly before their 25th anniversary, her husband announces he wants a divorce. He has no intention of traveling with Ginny to Italy on the surprise anniversary trip she booked. On the spur of the moment, she offers four radio listeners the chance to travel to Italy with her. Each selected listener , ranging in age from 27-80, has some type of heartbreak in their life.

Hopefully, this trip will be a healing process and offer self-discovery to each.

I liked the one-word description at the beginning of each chapter . Each word was a clue to something within the chapter. I try to choose 3 words that describe a book at the beginning of each of my reviews!

Another winner from this author! I’ve read 3 books so far by this author.

A book about self-discovery, friendship, relationships, and second chances.

Liked the cast of characters .

Author paints a vivid picture. Liked the setting.

Rubble, destiny, rewrite…

Two mothers-to-be , Juliette and Elise meet in the park one day. Both their lives will change forever.

Juliette and her husband Paul own a Parisian bookstore. Elise’s husband Olivier, is an artist who is the toast of the town. Elise is a wannabe artist in a tense marriage because of her husband’s political leanings.

Wartime Paris and it becomes “too late to turn back, too late to leave, and too late for Olivier to change his fate.” To avoid arrest (guilty by association), Elise entrusts her daughter, now 3yo, with Juliette. More than a year later, when Elise returns, she finds the bombed out remains of the bookshop. Where is Elise’s daughter, Juliette, and Juliette’s family?

An amazing story!

Loved the three main female characters. Strong, memorable women that made difficult decisions

A story of misery but also an inspiring story! Incredible sacrifices.

Emotional story of mother / daughter bonds.

Well researched . Don’t skip the author’s note!

I liked the quote “We all have choices over the way our story ends.”

I don’t remember which Harmel book I read first. But I have bought, read, and enjoyed all of her books since then!

Highly recommend! Thank you for a great read!

Regrets, lifeline, snippets…

Imagine being an 11-year-old child who is relocated to live with a host family. Now imagine being the parents that made this decision.

Picture two worlds — 11yo Beatrix has lived in London her entire life with her parents Reginald and Millie. But now in 1940, her parents have sent her alone to live with an American host family. She will live with Ethan and Nancy Gregory and their two sons in Boston.

After five years of living with the Gregorys, Beatrix returns abruptly to London post-war, with snippets of memories.

Reginald and Millie originally sent her away “so she could have a childhood, not realizing that her childhood would be taken from them.”

A story of relationships, loss, love, tragedy, and forgiveness.

Great ending!

Liked the cast of characters.

Paints a vivid picture — characters and locations seem very realistic.

Although the story takes place during the war years, it does not focus on WWII. It’s more about how one person can change the equilibrium in two families.

Whodunit, rumors, reckoning…

Bodie was a student in a NH boarding school in the 1990s. In 1995, her roomie Thalia was murdered. Omar, the athletic trainer at the school , was arrested for the murder and has been in prison for 23 years.

23 years later, Bodie has been invited back to teach two two-week classes about film and podcasts. Now everyone is questioning the murder case and the arrest of Omar. One of the podcast students decides to examine the case for her class project.

Many questions and theories are discussed, including suspicions concerning a popular teacher.

Many possible suspects! Did Omar do it or not?

How memories change over the years!

What will you find when you re-examine your youth?

Slow start - lots of characters - stick with it!

Chaos, protected, revolt…

“What we need is another explanation for how this fire may have started.”

The fictional account of the deadliest urban disaster in American history at its time. The 1811 fire resulted in 72 official fatalities at the 5yo Richmond theatre. The cause was the mistakenly-raised lit chandelier , which caught the backdrops on fire, before spreading to the roof.

The story of four very different people. Sally is a 31yo widow, who went to the play with her brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Cecily is Maria’s lady’s maid. Cecily acted as chaperone for Maria on their walk together to the play, with plans to meet afterwards. Gilbert, the enslaved blacksmith, was not at the play , but did rescue 12 women (mostly jumpers) from the fire. Jack is a 14yo stagehand who is hoping for a permanent job.

Choices and decisions are going to have long-term consequences. What will the investigative committees decide? Will the secret about the pulley be discovered?

After all, “It’s not lying. In our business, we just call it acting.”


Author painted a realistic picture for me of the panic & chaos of trying to survive.

Much info online about the theatre & the real fire in 1811. Gilbert is mentioned online. Photos & videos online.

Loved the bluebird carving!

Don’t skip the author’s note!

Well researched. Great story based on the available facts!

I would like to visit Monumental Church, built in 1812-1814 on the site. NRHP in 1969.

“Veneer of respectability,” regrets, sacrifices….

A tale of how two dates changed many lives forever. 18-year-old Catholic Viv becomes pregnant after two dates with 19-year-old Joshua, who is Jewish. Despite her parent’s disapproval , Joshua and Viv will marry, providing a father and a name for their future child. After being pronounced man and wife on their ill-fated wedding day, Viv’s mother offers Joshua a hard-to - refuse offer.

Joshua will go to NYC to pursue a musical career and Viv will raise Maggie as a single mother.

Five years later, in 1939, when many children are being evacuated for pre-war safety reasons, four-year-old Maggie will be placed with a wealthy, childless couple in the British countryside.

What happens during the next five years will be a truly harrowing story . We will learn the choices made and the consequences of these decisions.

A little bit of mystery, history, and romance!

I liked the cast of characters! What a difference between the two sets of grandparents! I loved the twist involving the priest! A story of relationships.

I am stingy with 5.0 ratings. However, after saying that, I have read several deserving books in the last few months. This book was one of them.

I will read future books by this author.

I liked the letters scattered throughout.

For Those Who Are Lost by Julia Bryan Thomas was another book about pre-war evacuation of children. (Guernsey). 5000 children were evacuated. Both books were excellent — NOT at all duplicates. For Those Who Are Lost was one of my top three favorites for 2022. I rated both 5.0.

Displaced, conceal, protect…

No goodbyes…

Roger, Ana, Oskar, and Renata’s stories merge in Israel, post-war. All were removed or stolen during wartime and relocated .

Roger was placed at 3yo in a French monastery . He has been baptized Catholic, but the church can no longer resist the court system. Roger has been “harbored, hidden, sanctified, saved,” and now been claimed by his Jewish aunt from Israel.

Brother and sister Oskar and Ana (Daniel & Mira) are taken to the Dabrowski family farm in Poland . Oskar learns to whittle, play chess, and tend to farm duties. Ana remembers their parents but Oskar doesn’t remember, and considers the Dabrowskis his family. When they are relocated again, Ana sees it as a way to reconnect with her roots but Oskar sees it as a loss of home and family.

Renata is an archeology grad student currently on a dig in Israel. Her mother recently died; she never told Renata the truth about her past.

We will learn about their past and future struggles amid the uncertainties of life. It will be a voyage of discovery for all .

STUNNING!

I enjoyed the significance of the nesting boxes and chess sets!

A very tender, moving story .

A story of relationships

Highly recommend!