Books, Books, Books, and a Cat

  This was an eye opening novel for me in more than one way.  First of all this book takes place in London and is about a mixed race woman, Layla, who falls for a white man, Andy.  It turns out that they both have the same last name and there is the possibility that Andy's ancestors could have been the slave owners of Layla's family.  Layla's best friend tries to open up Layla's eyes to this fact and this sends Layla on a personal quest of discovery.   As an American, I never gave much thought to just how rampant racism could be in other parts of the world and the impact that slavery had in other places like Great Britain.  It really opened my eyes to the fact that it is not just the United States.  I also feel that reading a story like this helps me understand the struggles others are facing and really lets me into their point of view.   Besides what I learned, I just thought this was a good story about a young woman who wants to get ma...

  Be transported to the exotic Greek Islands and live the life of a carefree,  newly married woman.  However things aren't exactly what they seem.  In this thrilling, thriller, Gia is newly married and is renovating her Greek home left to her by her father.  She is getting ready to sell it so that she will have some money after being left nothing when her father passed.  She hopes to get together with her best friend Abby and brother.  Abby is excited to see Gia since they haven't spoken since a falling out she and Gia had after Gia said she was getting married.  There is so much history between these two.  When Gia doesn't meet Abby in Sweden, Abby is worried something is wrong.  Luckily Gia has left a manuscript that will shed light on what has been happening.   The novel gives Abby's view point and Gia's through her manuscript.  There is so much to delve into and you won't want to stop reading this novel. I loved that i...

  This was one of my top reads this year!  An amazing novel set in two different time periods.  The first story follows Mallory, who is a single mom, whose son is ill and in need of a kidney transplant.  The other story follows Hannah who is in Egypt during the 1950s while stuck in a loveless marriage during a tumultuous time in Egypt's history.  Both women are strong but have huge obstacles to overcome including whether to follow their heart or not.   I cannot recommend this book enough.  I find myself still thinking about it.  I really hope that there might be a follow up book as I don't want to stop reading about these characters.  There was so much to love in this book.  The settings, one in New England and the other in Egypt were fascinating to read about and transported me from one continent to the next.  As well as what they both went through and how they were able to over come so much.  I also loved the way the boo...

  An extremely unique novel that blends historical fiction with magical elements and a strong heroine.  Hecate has all the pressures that a young woman in the late 19th century must deal with such as finding a husband.  However Hecate's dad has been very supportive of her love of learning and helped her get her own job as a librarian assistant at the cathedral.  While there, Hecate discovers that she has an unusual ability; she can communicate with ghosts. What follows is an incredible story filled with mystery, and many magical elements as Hecate tries to discover who is behind the dark forces before they hurt the people she loves.   I loved that this book featured a well educated woman who was confident and strong.  She also was supported by the people around her and they did not dismiss what she was thinking and feeling.  This is extremely rare especially in historical fiction books set in the late 1800s.  I also love a book that has magic...

  "Strange Folk" is an interesting blend of magic, mystery, suspense, and even a little romance.  Lee left her drug addicted mother and her small hometown behind for college.  She established a new life in California but her marriage falls apart and she needs to create a new life for her children.  She travels back to her hometown to live with her grandmother.  Lee and her family are not quite normal.  Her son, Cliff, can see things, and her daughter, Meredith, can feel the land.  Lee's family has a history of magical abilities.  Even as her children start to embrace their gifts, Lee is still lost and turns to alcohol to help her deal.  Soon things turn from bad to worse as tragic events begin happening.  Lee must embrace who she is and confront her demons to keep her family safe.  This novel was told from different characters'perspectives which I really enjoyed.  The magical elements were an interesting touch and I was never q...

  I loved the premise behind this book but it fell a little short of my expectations.  I love a great time travel novel so when I saw the synopsis of this book I thought it looked like a book I would enjoy.  The ending was good and I loved the twist at the end that I did not see coming.  However much of the book felt a little too wordy and it did take me awhile to get through the first part.  The idea of bringing people to the future who were already destined to die in the past is a great concept.  The main character in this novel is a bridge between Commander Gore from the 1840s and the present.  She must figure out how to do her job and help Graham navigate the current century but things are not as simple as she thinks.  Another great element to this novel is that Commander Gore is a real person from the past and I did learn about his doomed expedition.  Overall, there were some great elements to this book but it just needed a faster pace f...

 This is one of those novels that stays with you when you are done reading and really makes you think about the state of our society.  This story follows the story of a black family who live in a white neighborhood and the trials and tribulations that they encounter.  However there is more to it because the president in this book proposed to give $175,000 (forgiveness) for all families who can prove that they are descended from slaves. This is called the Forgiveness Act.  As you can imagine this idea does not sit well with everyone.   This book was a fast read and raised many interesting points.  I feel like I really learned from this book and understood why something like the Forgiveness Act would be necessary.  However I wish there had been more about the family and their relationships.  This felt more like a political novel than a fictional story.  I wanted more about their lives and to understand what happened.  The novel was we...

  How can you not love a story where books are the hero?  This was a fantastic historical fiction novel set during WWII.  I have read many books set during this time period but this was definitely one of my favorites.  Not only did I feel transported back to London during the blitz but I truly cared about what was going to happen to all three characters. What was even more incredible was that this story was based on real historical events.  I love when an author can tie in fact with fiction in an action packed, emotional read.   Juliet, a deputy librarian who has to decide if she is going to stick by her deserter fiance or try to forge a new life.  Sofie, a Jewish refugee from Germany who is trying to survive in London without her family and trying to make the best of a horrible domestic servant situation.  Finally, Katie whose fiance is presumed dead in the war, finds herself in one of the worst positions a single girl can be in during this ...

The power and perseverance to endure during some of the worst circumstances humans can face.  Imagine losing everything and then being face to face with the person who caused you so much hardship. Irini's family has lost their home, a loved one, they are physically scarred, and her husband has lost his will to go on.  Faced with all of her losses it is no surprise that when Irini runs into the man who started the fire that caused her so much heartache that she runs away when he needs her help.  This novel set in Greece explores how one family survives a devastating fire and the aftermath.   This novel had many positive points.  It was very well written and read quickly.  The setting of Greece and reading about the culture transported me to the Mediterranean.  However what drew me the most to this novel was the message and what the reader will take away after reading.  The author's note was also extremely powerful.  This is not a light re...

  3.5 Stars- This was a contemporary romance with two very opposite main characters.  Ellie runs her family's deli and is willing to do whatever it takes in order to save it.  The deli is in trouble when a potential big box store is about to move into the neighborhood and would put her family's deli out of business.  Ellie sets out to contact the owner of the building to see if she might be able to stop the sale.  The owner turns out to be someone she knows from high school., Theo. He is rich and privileged, and Ellie does not think things are going to turn out well.  When she meets Theo things seem to go from bad to worse when he gets hit in the head and suffers from amnesia.  The story unfolds into one that keeps you wondering what is going to happen next and if the two of them could actually save the deli and have a relationship.  The book did fool me when I started I thought it was going to go a certain way when Theo, gets hurt. It was a pleas...