God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I loved summer camp. And this book brought back some memories of the good times there. But it's also a mystery novel about a young teenaged girl who is missing one morning from her bunkbed. She just happens to be the daughter of the owner of the camp, and her brother also was missing years earlier. This is a book I couldn't put down because I wanted to figure it all out. Looking back now, there were some flaws but overall, it was a great read.  There are some very interesting characters although it certainly portrays all wealthy people as jerks. But I do recommend it. 

It would be perfect for a long flight - perhaps to Europe this May??? - June 

The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong

What are the odds that I'd pick up a second book with such a similar plot as the one I just read (Black Cake).... adults seeking the truth about the lives of their mothers. Both mothers made unethical/illegal choices that altered their lives, and they kept them secret from their children who discover them only after their deaths.

This novel gets great reviews and the subject matter interested me. In the 20's in New York, a young nurse who is present during the delivery of a premature baby chooses to take the infant (without the parents' permission) to Coney Island where a doctor has set up a clinic with incubators. Crazy as it sounds, the  Coney Island story is true! There's also a separate story that takes place in the 50's where a young woman is searching for information about her mother. 

In the hands of an experienced author, this might have been an excellent book. But it fell short with all of the melodrama and constant repetition. Overall, I would say that the information about the care of newborns is interesting but not enough to recommend this book.

Should I have been tipped off when the cover shows yet another woman walking away? Why so many books with that same look?

And a crazy little aside.... what is with the reference to "toes"? I did a quick search on my Kindle for the number of times the word "toes" appears and it's 23. She refers to "clenching her toes" (not a sexual reaction), pinching her toes, curling her toes... her toes twitch, unclench, and flex. It got to the point that each time I came across another "toe" reference, I laughed out loud - and that was not the author's intent, I'm sure. -June

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

This novel started out with such promise and I loved the first half of the book. A woman who was from Jamaica dies and leaves a recording for her son and daughter to hear after her death. The recording tells the story of her life revealing many secrets. And granted, she led a very interesting life. However, somewhere in the middle of the book it just becomes frustrating to read it. I started not caring about the son and daughter at all. And the author continually jumped from one time to a different time almost in every chapter - just randomly. 

So I skimmed the end of the book wishing it had been better. - June

More Recommendations from BT

A few books that BT recommends.....

Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. (This might be my next read)

Unspeakable Things. Dark, chaotic, intriguing

Land of Dreams: easy read. Either a rip off of LaLa Land or vice versa

American Pop: story of soda pop. Fun read

Believing the Lie  - appropriate for today's world

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

I probably wouldn't have picked this one up except that one of my trusted book-loving friends has declared it one of the best books she's ever read. It is a beautifully written novel about three people who live in different places at different times and how their lives are all woven together. They live near rivers, and water is a major theme throughout the book. There's a lot of sadness and violence but the story is compelling. I will confess some chapters felt like I was reading a textbook instead of a novel and I gave myself permission to skim some parts. But I also learned a lot about the Middle East throughout history. 

One of the major issues the book tackles is how museums in Europe and the US (and private citizens) have taken ancient artifacts from other countries to display them in their museums and homes. And how the people of the Middle East have lost these treasures. 

Highly recommend this one. - June

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

Lordy Lordy! This is one of those books I would hesitate to recommend to many of my friends. However, it is a fascinating story and very well written. One of the constant debates in my former book club was if you can like a book if you dislike the main character. If you fall into the category of those who need to relate to the character, you probably won't like this novel. Isabel is not at all a likeable person. She's stuffy, cold, and judgmental. She lives alone in a big house and has no friends. Even her family doesn't like her much. 

The novel takes place in Amsterdam in the early 1960's. When Isabel's brother has to go out of town, he asks Isabel if his current girlfriend can stay with her. The rest of the book is all about their relationship. And I'll just say that it is very intense and very graphic. And at times a little shocking. But I do recommend the book - an interesting character study in a unique time and place. It's also recently won a number of awards. - June

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskins

Don't judge a book by its cover or its title! There are so many titles that include the word "library" or "librarian" or "bookstore". And there are also many book covers where a woman is shown from the back. In many cases, these novels are on the light side, appealing to those of us who love books, libraries and reading. When I saw this book and saw the high ratings, I was not prepared for this story.

Hana is a Bosnian war refugee who works in a library. She's known as the sweater lady because she deliberately wears drab sweaters and skirts to make herself invisible. One day a police officer comes to Hana at the library and informs her that her best friend has died and he is investigating her death. The rest of the book follows this investigation while also flashing back to the war in Bosnia and how Hana and her friend ended up in the US.

I realized when I finished this book that I'd read another book by this author just last year, The Life We Bury. Guess I'm now a fan!

I strongly recommend this one. - June

Still Life by Louise Penny

Once again, I'm the last to arrive at the party. Many of my friends love Louis Penny's books about the detective from Three Pines and they remind me to read the on a regular basis. I generally avoid series just because I get bored with the same basic plot in each book. But I'll admit this book was a fun audiobook. Since Still Life is the first one in the series, the characters and the town are all introduced. I feel I could now pick up any of the other books. I wasn't expecting the humor in this book - that was a nice surprise.

In this first book, Jane Neal has been found dead in the woods. Was it a hunting accident? Was it murder? The people in the town are all suspects and Chief Inspector Gamache figures it all out.

Glad I finally read one of Louise Penny's books. I've been told by a few friends that the first few books are the weakest and they get better as you read through the series.  I'll look for another - especially an audiobook. - June

Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen

What a pleasant surprise!! I downloaded this novel because I was feeling I needed something light... something positive... maybe even something happy. (Have you read the news lately?) At first, I thought I'd made a bad choice, that this might actually be a bit fluffy. And while it certainly would classify as a little bit of chick lit, it also had a nice story and some wonderful characters. 

The book begins in the late 1930's in England when Ellie's husband of many years announces he's leaving her for a "girl" he's fallen in love with. Ellie pulls herself together and the book becomes one of those where the female lead is going to find herself and her best life. She decides to go to the coast of France and manages to pick up a few strays along the way. She settles into a tiny coastal town with an interesting cast of characters... and then the war hits. That's when the book is at its best.

At the beginning of the book, the author lists all of her books.... and why haven't I heard of her before! She's written about 60 books. Is that even possible?

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a nice little escape to France for a few days. Recommend this one. - June 

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

You already know I love Ann Patchett. Not only is she an amazing author, but she is also a very cool human. So when she announced her favorite book for 2025 was The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, I was all in! What Ann forgot to tell me is that the book is 688 pages! This would not keep me away if the book was riveting, but this one was not. Yes, it is extremely well written with sentences and paragraphs that are beautiful. However, the story and the characters just didn't grab me at all! When I looked at some of the reviews online, many said that the last half really dragged. Since I was dragging myself through the first half, I decided to give up. I hate to do it. Sorry, Ann. - June

 

The Names by Florence Knapp

So what if you had been named something other than the lovely name of Beverly Kathleen? Would you be a different person had you been named Bertha, Ruth, Matilda? My parents almost named me Valentine. Would I be different if they had?

This novel reminds me a bit of Sliding Doors, that wonderful movie from years ago where one small change was made and then the storyline splits. In The Names, a young mother is making a decision about what to name her newborn son. Should she name him Gordon after his father and grandfather? Or should she go rouge and name him Bear as her daughter wants? Or should she find a suitable name somewhere in the middle... Julian. We now follow three storylines and how the family moves through their lives as a result of the name given to the boy.

Great story - even if a little confusing sometimes as to what is going on when you jump back into an alternative timeline. But it's well written and certainly hold your interest. - Highly recommend. - June

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood

Ignore the cover. It makes the book look like it's written for children. Or it reminds me of those Mitford books that were popular years ago and very sappy (and maybe religious?). The title is odd too but memorable and it makes sense once you've read the book.

Three characters: Violet, a young woman who makes a terrible mistake and serves time as a result. Harriet, a kind, intelligent woman in her 60's who volunteers at a prison to run a book club. And Frank, a widower who is magically connected to both of these women. There are lots of literary references that are fun, and there's an interesting storyline about training parrots. 

And it takes place in Portland, Maine! One of my favorite towns, and I could picture it all taking place there.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it. -June