A mother wraps up her baby and walks away: STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG.

Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's been years since I read a Kate Atkinson book, but picking back up with the Jackson Brodie series was easy. I had forgotten how Atkinson writes--beautifully and full of description, but in a meandering manner, with no real sense of urgency. As a result, you desperately want to know what happened, but also get caught up in her well-drawn characters.

Here we have Tracy Waterhouse, a retired police detective, used to a life of routine, until she steals a small child off a notorious offender from her police days. We also hear from Tilly, a famous actress who is losing her memory, and, of course, Jackson, who is traveling while investigating the parentage of a woman named Hope who is looking for her adoptive parents.

The story flips between present-day and a strange intersection of Tracy, Jackson, and Tilly, and the 1970s, when a young Tracy, newly on the force, investigates the death of a prostitute, Carol, left for dead in her apartment for weeks, along with her young child.

All the characters sort of ramble--Tracy, as she recalls her past and as she grapples with caring for a child; Jackson, as he remembers the loss of his sister and thinks about his life while he wanders about and investigates; and dear Tilly, whose passages heartrendingly capture her memory loss. At the same time, their merging stories form a clear picture about what happened to Carol in the past and then, in the present day, answer Hope's questions about her true parentage.

This is a lovely story to read, with a good mystery tucked inside well-developed characters. It requires a bit of patience to read, but it's worth it.

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What I have is a gift of life I can't repeat: THE HUSBANDS.

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

My favorite thing about Book of the Month (BOTM) is finding books like THE HUSBANDS, which I'd probably never pick up otherwise. It has a refreshing and unique premise; it was nice to have something different to read. When the very single Lauren comes home from a night with friends, she finds someone in her home: apparently he's her husband, Michael. This is backed up by photos in her home/on her phone, messages with friends, and more. Then Michael goes up in her attic and when he comes down, he's someone else--another husband--and Lauren's life slightly alters to encompass the new spouse. Each and every time.

This was hard to put down, as the story is totally engaging, with Lauren cycling through husbands at an often rapid clip. In some ways, this is a romance, but it's really a journey of self-exploration. As the many husbands come out of the attic, Lauren deals with so many thoughts: is she crazy? And, how picky is she? How do you, in fact, wind up with the person you love? How do we frame who we love, especially when we have more agency and choice in the matter.

The story drags a bit in the middle with the endless parade of husbands, but it's still quite fascinating. It's a personal story, and a bit mysterious, as Lauren tries to puzzle out why this is happening to her. Answering the questions of what you want in life and learning to accept what you have are central here, but this is also a witty and insightful story that keeps you reading. 4.5 stars

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I can't hide what I am, guess it's plain to see: THE VERIFIERS.

The Verifiers by Jane Pek
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Claudia Lin secretly works for Veracity, a dating detective agency for those who use matchmaking sites. Claudia is the youngest of three siblings, and her brother and sister resent her for receiving the majority of her mother's attention. Her mom, meanwhile, just wishes Claudia would settle down with a nice Chinese boy (this may be difficult, since Claudia is gay). Claudia loves mysteries and books (she wrote her thesis on Jane Austen), so when a Veracity client goes missing, she starts to investigate. Before she knows it, Claudia is swept up in a web of lies and trouble.

"Sometimes I fear I may be out of joint with my time."

This is an interesting and complex novel, part mystery and part character driven family tale. I don't know if it will be for everyone, but I enjoyed it. At times, it offers a nearly textbook-like exploration of the matchmaking industry and data exploitation, going very in-depth into these topics. If you don't like your books to be on the cerebral side, it may feel like a bit much. But this is also a really enjoyable, witty, and sarcastic read with an awesome protagonist--a lesbian, Chinese character who loves mysteries and reading and is smart, spunky, and yet reserved. She made me laugh and I found myself totally rooting for her. My only complaint is that I wanted a bit more happening for Claudia in the romance department!

THE VERIFIERS is packed with New York descriptions, setting you right smack down in the middle of the city as Claudia rides her bike all about. We also watch her navigate her difficult family. This family thread is often a sad undercurrent, as I found them to be difficult to like at times. She makes frequent references to various mysteries, usually classics, and to her beloved Inspector Yuan, a favorite series she grew up with. There's also lots of nods toward literature, many of those classics as well. These meta nods will be a big hit with many readers.

The mystery here is a bit hard to follow at times, as it threads itself into the world of matchmaking and data analytics. But it's interesting and intriguing, and Claudia is a great character to follow. Overall, I enjoyed this detailed, diverse, and witty mystery. 4 stars.

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I don't want to be one of those forlorn fools out on the street: BATH HAUS.

Bath Haus by P.J. Vernon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Oliver has a past history of addiction and abuse. He has a safe life now with his partner, Nathan, who is a doctor. However, he jeopardizes that when he goes to a bathhouse when Nathan is out of town. While there, a man tries to kill him and then begins stalking Oliver and making his life miserable. Terrified of ruining everything, Oliver lies to Nathan about the incident and chaos ensues.

I'm definitely the outlier for this book, but I didn't love it as much as everyone else. I am always glad to see a gay protagonist, but never thrilled when they are cheating, lying, and generally up to no good. I was not as invested in the characters of BATH HAUS as I had hoped--I didn't care for anyone, even Oliver, that much. There are a lot of side plot lines: one with Oliver's ex, one with Nathan's friend, one with Nathan's parents--and they often seem distracting and as if there's too much going on at once.

As the book goes on, it goes get better and it definitely kept me guessing. It's tense and suspenseful, for sure. There's a limited pool of suspects, but you find yourself flipping from person to person and thinking it's each one for a few pages. Still, this just wasn't what I had expected or as good as I hoped. I am not a fan of books where the characters do not communicate, and wow, that certainly happened here.

Overall, this is quite a page-turner, but I couldn't find myself invested in the characters. Still, basically everyone else on the planet seemed to love it. 3 stars.

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Now it's time to quit our island: CAMINO WINDS.

Camino Winds by John Grisham
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Engaging mystery where good battles evil

In John Grisham's second book featuring Camino Island, Bruce Cable's Bay Books--and the entire island--is preparing for the first direct hit by a hurricane in a long time. Hurricane Leo heads straight for the island. Bruce and a small band of friends ignore the mandatory evacuation order and hunker down to ride out the storm. In the aftermath, the island is destroyed in many places. And Nelson Kerr, one of Bruce's author friends, is found dead. But his injuries appear to be worse than the storm: it looks like he may have been murdered. The police are overwhelmed by the storm, so Bruce starts investigating. Was Nelson's death died to his latest novel? Bruce's snooping will lead him down a shocking road filled with danger.

It takes a disaster to make you appreciate the basics.

This was a typical Grisham quick read. It builds on the first book, but focuses mainly on Bruce. We see little of Mercer, a main character in book one, which was unfortunate. But Bruce is a blustery star, who can easily dominate both in his life and a novel. He has a huge group of friends, literary and "normal" alike. One is Nelson Kerr, a former lawyer with a big firm in San Francisco. He ratted out a client, a defense contractor who was illegally selling high-tech military stuff to the "bad guys." Nelson settled his case and fled to the island after a divorce. He's been working on another book and we learn quickly that his work may have gotten him killed.

It's easy to feel the storm and its tension through Grisham's picturesque writing. Leo hits quickly and the devastation that follows is bad. The post-hurricane feeling on a nearly abandoned Camino Island seems oddly aligned to the pandemic--at least when I read this in May--or it's easy to read that sense into everything I read.

Still, despite the hurricane and the murder and other various killings, this is actually a fun read. Grisham gives us an engaging mystery, and I love his "good versus evil" formula. It always works so well for him and this is one of his breezier presentations. While there isn't much depth, it's a fast read with interesting characters and a snappy mystery. 3.5 stars.

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Life just seems to sink into the ground: THE RED LOTUS.

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Alexis is an emergency room doctor in New York; it is there that she meets her future boyfriend, Austin, who happens to work at the hospital in development. Austin comes in with a bullet wound, received in a freak accident at a bar. Six months later, the pair heads to Vietnam as a part of a bike tour. Austin also wants to visit the site where his father and uncle fought in the war. But Alexis waits futilely for Austin to return from his bike ride. The story is that he was killed on his bike in a hit-and-run accident. However, we learn that two men took him as he rode. Alexis works with local authorities and the FBI and quickly realizes that Austin lied about his reason for being in Vietnam. As she digs through their relationship and Austin's world, she starts to learn more and more secrets about her boyfriend, and she worries that he's left her in danger.


"Let’s face it, in all of human history, the most effective delivery vehicle for mass death ever to exist on earth has been—wait for it—the rat."


This is a timely novel and rather scary, as it dips into medical research--particularly rats--and the plague. There's something slightly uncomfortable about reading about the spread of mass disease during a pandemic. It was, however, fascinating, too. Bohjalian tells his story from a variety of points of view--Alexis; Austin and his acquaintance Douglas; investigators in Vietnam who work Austin's case; a private investigator named Ken whom Alexis hires and more. Somehow it all works, with the careful unfolding of facts. We learn about Austin's real reason for being in Vietnam and it all builds up to a dangerous crescendo.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. Bohjalian has a way of embodying his characters, and I particularly loved Ken, the crusty yet kind P.I. The story was quite interesting; oddly well-timed; and the ending especially horrifying. Definitely worth a read. 4 stars.

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What doesn't kill you makes a fighter: THE GUARDIANS.

The Guardians by John Grisham

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is one of the best John Grisham books I’ve read in quite some time! It’s a strong, captivating story featuring the “good guys” versus “bad guys” dynamic that Grisham does so well.

Cullen Post works for Guardian Ministries, traveling the country fighting wrongful convictions. Guardian takes on clients forgotten by the system. Post, a lawyer and Episcopal minister, finds himself drawn to their latest client, Quincy Miller, who is serving life in prison. Quincy supposedly killed Keith Russo, a lawyer in Seabrook, Florida. He’s been in prison for over twenty years. And now Post is realizing that Quincy’s case is going to ensnare him and Guardian in a dangerous world—powerful people killed Keith Russo, and they do not want Quincy Miller exonerated.


"I have saddled myself with the burdens of innocent people rotting away in prison while rapists and murderers roam free."


This book has the legal and dramatic hallmarks of a strong Grisham novel. I was drawn to Post immediately and quickly caught up in Quincy’s case and Post and Guardian’s world. There are lots of twists and turns and surprises as Post works to free Quincy. I love the details Grisham throws in, plus the peeks into the courtroom, tidbits about examining evidence, and more. It’s a powerful read that gives you plenty to think about. Definitely worth a read! 4 stars.

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Where I keep all my yesterdays: THE INVITED.

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon

My rating: 4.5+ of 5 stars


Helen and Nate have a nice, settled life as teachers at a private school in Connecticut. But they also have aspirations for a simpler life. So using their savings and an inheritance, they buy 40+ acres in the tiny village of Hartsboro, Vermont and decide to build their own dream house themselves. Helen, a history teacher, wants a house and land with history--and she gets her wish when she discovers the story of Hattie Breckenridge, a woman who apparently lived (and died) on their property over a hundred years ago. Marked by the villagers as a witch, Hattie was killed, leaving behind her young daughter, Jane. Helen becomes fascinated with Hattie's past and begins trying to find out what happened to her--and her family members. But a series of more and more weird events start happening once they move in. Is it just the people of Hartsboro, who don't like outsiders? Or is it Hattie? And are Helen and Nate in danger?

I just love Jennifer McMahon's books and she's someone whom I will read anything they write. This was such a good book that drew me from the very beginning. I started it while on vacation in Vermont, so I was really excited that it happened to take place in Vermont--a place I'd never been until this year. McMahon's descriptive language makes it so easy to visualize her (often eerie) settings, as well as her characters.

Along with Helen and Nate, our slightly hippyish couple, we have Olive, a teenage girl from Hartsboro, and her dad and aunt, plus various Hartsboro townsfolk. Olive was a very compelling character; she's been abandoned by her mother and is teased and bullied terribly by her schoolmates, since the town all believes her mom ran off with another man. Her bereft father isn't much help, leaving her to raise herself or rely on her aunt. She has one friend, Mike, who is a good guy, but annoys our feisty heroine with his wimpy-ness. It's hard not to fall for Olive, believe me. Even Helen will grow on you, too. And no matter what, they are so easy to picture.

The novel is told from a variety of points of view, but mainly Olive and Helen. We learn a lot about each of them. As I said, it drew me in from the beginning and kept me reading. As with most of McMahon's books, it's layered with that creepy, mysterious edge. In many ways, it's a proper ghost story. But she always manages to write it so that instead of rolling your eyes, you feel a little creeped out, or find yourself looking over your shoulder at night. Hattie herself plays a really strong role in this book, and I liked how well the story set up the idea of how much people (and small towns) fear what they don't know.


"What people don't understand, they destroy."


It's funny, I could guess where a lot of this book was leading, yet it in no way diminished my enjoyment of it. I could see how that might annoy some, but it didn't bother me in the least. I was completely immersed in the characters, the eerie ghost story, and trying to piece together all the plot pieces. Hattie's story--and that of her descendants--is fascinating. There was just something about this book that I loved: that intangible piece that makes you a part of the story, keeps you flipping the pages, and makes you feel both sad and amazed when you finish the book. 4.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Doubleday, and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).

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Doing things the wrong way: SOCIABLE.

Sociable by Rebecca Harrington

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


After college, Elinor moves to New York with her journalism degree and dreams of writing pieces that mean something. She sees a future with her boyfriend, Mike, also a journalist. Instead, Elinor lives in a cramped apartment with no kitchen, sleeps on a foam pad, and nannies to two slightly whiny and obsessive children. She thinks her future is looking up when she's offered a position at Journalism.ly, a digital brand a la BuzzFeed. But soon Elinor learns that her sole function there is to produce pieces that go "viral" and then she and Mike break up, pushing her into a deeper depression. Is it even possible to have the creative and romantic life she dreamed of, Elinor wonders?

I won't lie; this was a strange book. Even the narration style is odd. While it's told mostly from Elinor's point of view, we get this peculiar device thrown in at times (e.g., "the reader should know"). You get used to it eventually, but still.

In fact, the whole novel can be very awkward at times and after a while, I lost the thread on whether it was because the book was well-done (she's so well-written!) or just awkward and painful. A lot of the book features much melodrama between the characters, most of whom always seemed to be having bad days. Really, was life so terrible? There is much angst, a lot of social media usage, lots of happy hours and supposed networking, and not a lot of people to care about.

For indeed, a lot of the characters are not likable, and I found myself vacillating in my feelings for Elinor. I didn't grow up in the social media world, like she, but am immersed in it enough now that I could empathize with her--to a point. At some stages, the novel really captured some painful situations. There were some funny points, and places where Elinor could be helpless yet sympathetic. At other points, Elinor was just hapless and unable to take charge of her life in any capacity and filled me with abject terror for the future of the nation.

I was honestly baffled at times on whether the book was satiric, or a commentary on social media and journalism, or taking itself too seriously. Elinor winds up working for Journalism.ly, which is said to be similar to BuzzFeed (and many other sites), and she's told to make things go viral, which, funnily enough, she has a bit of a knack for, despite her own inability to make friends or succeed in social situations (or life, in general). Whether all of this is ironic or not, I'll never quite know.

So, in the end, I'm at a loss with this one. I really don't know how I feel. Satire? A look at a generation? A bunch of hapless unlikable people prattling on? All three combined? I can say that this was a fast read--the author drew me in, as I read it in about a day. I was left with a weird feeling when I finished. I can't say I really recommend it, but it was an interesting read at times. 2.5 stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 03/27/2018.

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I've been a fool with my reputation: THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Cassandra Bowen is a flight attendant with a history of bad decisions--most of them tied to her predilection to heavy drinking. Mostly her drinking leads to sexual encounters with dubious men, topless dancing, and a few bouts of blackouts. But when Cassie's work takes her to Dubai, she spends the night with a gentleman she met on the plane, drinking heavily with him all evening; in the morning she wakes up next to him in bed and finds him dead, covered in blood. Alone and female in Dubai, Cassie sneaks out of the hotel room and returns home on the plane with her fellow flight attendants, setting off a trail of lies that will haunt her. And in the back of her mind, she fears the worst: could she have killed Alex while drunk? And what will happen when the authorities discover her deception?

This novel starts off with a bang, with Cassie waking up next to a dead man. Once Cassie gets back to the States, I found myself fascinated what could possibly happen for the other 80% of the book. (My mistake, a lot can happen.) The entire novel kept me wondering what on earth would come next. This is a crazy, unpredictable book that sucks you in and never lets you go. I was constantly wondering who the various characters were--who really was Alex, for instance? Is there more to Cassie than we are being told? I was honestly confused for a good portion of the book, which doesn't happen often when I read.

It was really fun and befuddling to piece things together in this one. The book was rather stressful, trying to decipher all the various characters and to deal with Cassie's high-risk behavior. As the end nears, I was actually shocked by a couple of twists, which I really appreciated. It's rare that a thriller truly shocks me anymore. I was truly impressed with this one. The ending was a little odd, but as I pondered it more, I think I'm good with it.

As for Cassie, she was a hard character to like, and there's certainly been no shortage of unreliable drunken female narrators in contemporary fiction as of late. Still, you can't help but get caught up in her story. It's compulsively readable. There are also lots of good flight attendant stories; Chris Bohjalian always well researches his books.

Cassie's chapters also alternate with a woman named Elena, which is an effective storytelling device, and only ratchets up the suspense. Her tale is just as befuddling as Cassie's--perhaps even more so--and just added to my desire to turn the pages and find out what on earth was going on and how these people were all connected. Bohjalian really weaved a fascinating story here, and I love how all of his books are so different. Whereas some can be emotional, this one was truly a thriller, and focused so much on the story and mystery. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was great.

I also found some amusing little personal tidbits in the book: references to Charlottesville (the second in a row in the novels I read--it's my hometown) and Cassie's Kentucky references, including her attendance at the University of Kentucky. We are, in fact, a UK and UVA household--my five-year-old twins are very divided between the two. It's funny how little things stick with you when you read a novel.

Overall, this was a great read. Completely befuddling, but incredibly suspenseful and just sort of fun. Not at all what I expected from Bohjalian, but a fascinating, enjoyable thriller. I was completely lost in Cassie and Elena's bizarre world for a few days--the sign of a great book. 4 stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 03/13/2018.

You can read my review of Bohjalian's THE GUEST ROOMhere.

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The map of my heart is torn at the corners: SAINTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS.

Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


Nora and Theresa Flynn are only twenty-one and seventeen when they leave their native Ireland and immigrate to the U.S. For her entire life, Nora has been the quintessential older sister, raising Theresa and their younger brother after the death of their mother. Now she's headed to Boston to be married to their former Irish neighbor, Charlie, whom Nora doesn't really even love. Theresa, meanwhile, is outgoing, beautiful, and intelligent. She loves the dances and social atmosphere in Boston, but that all changes when she winds up pregnant. Both Nora and Theresa are forced to make some drastic life decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Fifty years later, in 2009, Nora and Charlie have four children: John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. But Theresa and Nora are no longer speaking, and Theresa lives as a cloistered nun in an abbey in Vermont. What happened between the two sisters? And how will a sudden tragedy affect their current, separate lives?

This was an amazing book - just beautiful, heartbreaking, and lovely. Sullivan captured the essence of each of her characters so perfectly. I could picture every one, and each was so realistic, with their own background, mannerisms, and details.

The novel switches between the past, starting with Nora and Theresa's journey to Boston, and 2009, with a shocking event that rocks the entire family. We hear from each character--Nora, Theresa, John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. As I said, they are each an individual and embellished with Sullivan's wonderful writing and details. For instance, I loved the tidbit that Nora and her daughter-in-law communicated for years mainly through Nora's daughter's dog at family gatherings. It said so much with just one story. (And I've so been there.)

I became attached to each character in their own way thanks to the strong writing and characterization. I don't always enjoy books with shifts between time periods, but all flowed seamlessly here. There's an underlying thread that ties everything together, just adding to the brilliance of the novel. While it's really a story of a family, there's still a bit of suspense, as you try to fit some pieces together. Everything works so well.

Overall, I just loved this beautiful story of parenthood, immigration, siblings, religion, and so much more. It's achingly well-written, and while it ended just right, I was still sad to see the characters go. I'll certainly be recommending it to everyone I know. 4.5 stars.

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He's been living in a pure illusion: THE ROOSTER BAR.

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


Mark, Todd, and Zola all had big aspirations when they signed up for Foggy Bottom law school. They also dreamed of the big paychecks that would follow after graduation. Those paychecks would help pay off the student loans required to attend Foggy Bottom--a less than well-respected for-profit law school that has left each of the trio with an average of $200K in debt. Even worse, Foggy Bottom is such a terrible school that they are receiving a mediocre education from sub-par professors; they may not even pass the bar exam. And if they do, they have little chance of gaining one of the coveted, well-paying law positions that can pay off those loans. So when one of their close friends, Gordy, alerts them that their school is owned by a shady financial operative who also has ties to a bank that profits off their loans, they are outraged. When tragedy besets the group, Mark, Todd, and Zola decide to take matters into their own hands, no matter what it takes. Even if that means quitting school a few months shy of graduation...

Oh man, I wanted to like this one, but it just didn't work for me. It took me eleven days to read--unheard of for basically any book, let alone a Grisham, and I practically had to force myself to finish it. It seemed like a really good premise: the novel combines the timely issues of student loan debt and immigration, but nothing meshes together well.

I never warmed to the protagonists. It's really hard to like or empathize with Mark, Todd, or even Zola, who is dealing with her family being deported. What's being done to the three law students is certainly not great, but their response just never seemed fully justified to me. I could not root for them like I could a Darby Shaw, a Gray Grantham, a Reggie Love. It's a shame, because the bad guy is fairly despicable, but we don't get enough development on either side to feel fully invested. As for our trio, for instance, they basically blow a huge case for someone and never do anything to make amends--nor ever really seem to show any real remorse. How is that any better than the people they are going up against?

Without anyone to really root for or a plot to quickly move forward, this one just dragged on. For me, it was slow-moving and not-interesting. Definitely a letdown. 2.5 stars.

You can read my review of Grisham's CAMINO ISLAND here and THE WHISTLER here.

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