The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page (not to be confused with The Story Keeper)

This is a nice little novel. It has some very fun characters and interesting plot lines. The book is all about Janice, a middle-aged woman living in Cambridge with a creepy husband named Mike. Janice is a cleaning woman, and she has a variety of clients who provide stories that Janice "keeps". She also rides the bus to work where she often listens to the stories of the other passengers. She has her own stories, of course, and these come out along the way. I'd recommend this book... while it's not the best book of 2023, it certainly held my interest and I wanted to know what happens to Janice and some of the other characters. Oh, and there's a cute terrier too! - June

The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason

This is a haunting book that takes place in World War I, something I am embarrassed to say I know so little about. The story starts in Vienna in 1914 when a young medical student enlists after the war breaks out. He is not fully trained as a doctor, but he is sent to a small hospital up in the mountains where he is expected to care for the wounded soldiers that continue to appear at his door. He is assisted by several orderlies and a nun who is a nurse. The first half of the book takes place in this hospital.

The second half has a different setting, mostly back in Vienna where the doctor now works in a hospital there. I don't want to give away any more.

The book contains a lot of medical terminology and doesn't hold back on describing the gruesomeness of war. It also is shocking the conditions that people endured during that time - lack of food, proper hygiene and medical supplies, lack of information regarding family members, etc. And get ready to pull up a map or two with all of the names of towns in Poland, Austria, Germany .... most of which I never even seen.

The writing is excellent! But if you aren't interested in reading a page describing the gaping wounds of a soldier or the way the ward smells after it's full of men who haven't bathed in weeks, then you can just skim those parts. But the story is worth it. - June

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

I'm not into video games, but my son is a big gamer. When I heard about this book and read all the positive reviews, I wondered if he'd like this novel, but I wanted to try it myself first to see what I thought. It's about two young friends, Sam and Sadie, who decide to put college on hold and create a game together. The book then follows their careers and their relationship as they start their own company and continue to create other games.

The characters are very well developed, and while they are certainly flawed, they are likeable. And the minor characters are also believable; in fact, Marx was my favorite. I enjoyed the book, and while I'm not sure my son will feel the same way, it's heading his way for Christmas. -June

Two Mediocre Reviews from BT

Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday - started off like it but then meh....

The New Wilderness by Diane Cook - Yes and no - but mostly yes

from BT

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

As soon as I started listening to this book, I asked myself.... What are you thinking? Here I am, in a point in my life where friends are dying monthly (or sometimes weekly) and I choose to read about two friends, one of whom is dying! Do I really need to read about death and losing people we love? Well, as it turns out, I did need to read this book. It's a very well-written, thoughtful, hilarious, touching novel. 

Ash and Edie have been friends since childhood, and once the doctors say that Edie doesn't have much time left, Ash moves her to a hospice close to her home. (Edie has a young son who she wants to protect from this process and so her husband and son stay in New York while Edie moves to be near Ash.) As Edie gets closer to death, Ash does her best to support her while at the same time she makes questionable choices in her personal life. The many peripheral characters (other hospice patients, staff, other family members) all play a role in this drama and yet they manage to be endearing and funny.

I highly recommend this one - especially the audio version.

But note to the author.... did you really need to have one character names Jules and one named Jude? Couldn't you have thought of a more unique name so old people like me don't get them confused??

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

This beautiful novel has haunted my ever since I started reading it. The writing is amazing - and yet I found I had to keep putting it down, walk away, and think about it before moving on. The characters (and there are so many of them) are real to me. I wanted to get into my car, drive to Lee County, Virginia, scoop up all the hungry children and bring them home with me. Much has been written about this Pulitzer Prize winner, so I don't need to give a summary of the plot - which would take pages - but it is truly one of the best books I've ever read. I don't even want to start another book now. I just want to keep thinking about this one. - June 

Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

 Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland (unfortunate last name...not her fault)  A woman inherits a used book store and must fashion a way to sustain the little store through the pandemic.  She "invents" Book Prescription wherein customers write to her describing their situation/feelings/needs and she replies and recommends several books that might speak to their needs. So, you have a story with several interesting characters and a list of recommendations, some of which I have read, others I will add to my insanely long list.  It does jump character by character chapter by chapter, but you'll get used to that style.  Her bookshop is called Lost for Words. - Turd

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

A well-known artist kills her husband and then refuses to speak. This novel is about the psychotherapist who treats her and tries to uncover the mystery as to why she committed this violent act. 

I'll just say there are lots of twists to the plot and the ending is surprising. It's well written and, if you like this kind of fiction, I'd recommend it. For me, it was a nice change from some of the other books I've read recently. - June 

Finders Keepers by Natalie Barelli

I wonder if I would have liked this book better if I had read it instead of listening to the audio book. Usually the narrators of audio books do wonderful work, but this one had the most annoying (fingernails on the blackboard) voice that I couldn't stand to listen to her. Oddly, some reviewers liked her voice, but there were definitely many like me who cringed every time she spoke in this whiney little baby voice. 

The story isn't great. Really - so many twists and turns and nothing really was logical. I only finished because I did have to find out who "did it".  Stay away. - June 

West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

Oh, BT. I know that you must have devoured this book with your love of giraffes! What a wonderful story and just so much fun to read. I admit I felt like "everything that could go wrong, did" but it was a great book and I highly recommend it. Feel free to add your comments. I know you have thoughts. - June

Remarkable Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

I wasn't sure how interested I was in reading a book about an octopus - but while there IS an octopus that plays a major role in the book, it isn't a book just about him. And this is a very fun read that I highly recommend. And if you can listen to it like I did, all the better.

Tova (a sweet 70-year-old widow) works at her local aquarium cleaning. This is where she meets Marcellus, the giant octopus. Cameron is a 30-something guy who can't hold a job and is generally messing up constantly. His mother abandoned him when he was 9 and he is trying to find his father. These two storylines merge for a very satisfying ending (even if it is a little predictable). 

And to top it off, it's well-written. Highly recommend. - June

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

This is not my usual kind of book. But I saw it somewhere listed as a great mystery, and that just sounded fun for a change. The story is well crafted, and there are numerous twists and turns, but by the end I was thinking, "Enough already! How does this end??"

Nina and her mother, Maggie, live in the same house they've lived in for many years. To say that they are both unstable is an understatement. People disappear. People die. And it takes most of the book to piece together this complex mother-daughter relationship. Definitely a page-turner, but I'm ready to move on.

- June

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni

I'm struggling a bit with this one. It has received many positive reviews and ratings online, and I was thrilled to be able to start reading it. The first part of the book was great... nice pace, well-written, interesting characters. But somewhere in the second half, it became more melodramatic and predictable with a heavy dose of religion thrown in.

This is the story of one man, Sam Hill, better known as Sam Hell to some of his friends. He was born with a condition that causes his eyes to be red. His parents are wonderful and loving, and support him throughout the book. However, he is bullied as a child because of his eyes. As the novel jumps from his youth to his adulthood, we follow Sam's ups and downs - and his lack of self-confidence. He doesn't feel he deserves the good things that happen to him, and he is not "good enough". 

Interesting. At times, humorous. But disappointed that I felt a bit manipulated at the end. - June

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

I just love Ann Patchett. I'm sure I've already told the story about how I went to see her at a bookstore and wanted to ask her to come home and stay with me. She's just a delightful person. But she's also an author who consistently writes book I love to read. 

Tom Lake takes place in northern Michigan on a cherry farm during the pandemic. Lara tells her daughters the story of her time one summer at Tom Lake when she was in her 20's. She was performing Old Town, and she was in love with one of the other actors - who later went on to become very famous. 

The characters are simply wonderful as is the writing. Didn't want it to end.

Newest Favorites from BT

 The School for Good Mother's & Mouth to Mouth being the latest I loved.

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro

If you hate those books where the author bounces around in time and from one character to another, then this book is not for you. While it was a little disorienting sometime, I didn't mind the shifting times. This is a well-written novel about two families who live across the street from one another. Their lives are intertwined over the years. And it's also about how one incident can change the course of the lives of family members forever.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the character development. The kind, gentle doctor. The quirky brilliant little boy. The angry father who loves his son but is so full of rage he can't control himself. The aging woman who has dementia. Again, beautifully written.

Recommend this one too. - June

Go As A River by Shelley Read

What a lovely novel! This is one that popped up in one of my FaceBook groups and while it's relatively unknown, those who had read it, loved it. My library didn't even own the digital version, so I had to request they purchase it - and then let me check it out.

The story starts in 1949 a remote part of Colorado. There's a girl who meets a boy..... And I can't really tell you much more without giving it all away. It's beautifully written, and descriptions of the land, the birds, the trees - all so descriptive and perfect.

And it has a good ending. Strongly recommend. - June

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

I know I'm repeating myself when I say this, but I love it when an author comes up with a fresh idea for a novel and manages to pull it off! 

Imagine if you are presented with the opportunity to know exactly how long your life would be. Would you want to know? This is the main premise of The Measure. And, as a society, if we started discovering who would live a short life and who would achieve old age, would we treat each other differently? Would you marry someone who only had a few years to live? Would you hire them? Would you vote for them?

This book is well written but a little predictable. Yet I sttill do recommend it. - June

The Guncle by Stephen Rowley

I loved reading this book! I was ready for a feel-good book (watching too much news!) and this one was perfect! The ideal summer read.

Patrick is a gay man living in Palm Springs. He used to be on a famous sitcom, but now enjoys his seclusion away from LA. After a series of unfortunate events, he is asked to keep his young niece and nephew for the summer. Patrick manages to not only provide a home for them, but also help them through with their grief. And he does so much of it with humor and playfulness.

OK, get this book. Hurry up. - June

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

I'm used to novels that jump around in time and move from one character to another. But this one can be very confusing as it goes from one place and time to another. However, it's totally worth it. I highly recommend that you read this book in a relatively short period of time so that you can better keep track of all the different storylines.

The book starts with a character in 1912. Then jumps to a character who was a minor character in The Glass Hotel. And then it moves into the future. Yes, much of the book takes place in 2203 and 2401. I was fascinated to read about how colonies are set up on the moon and the pros and dangers of time travel. (FYI - I hate sci-fi) There's even a pandemic in one of the future centuries. All of the various storylines do come together eventually, but I almost feel I need to reread the book just to pick up on all the things I missed. 

This novel is extremely well written, and the author is quickly becoming a favorite. I highly recommend it. - June

The Edge of Lost by Kristina McMorris

Sometimes it seems to take me forever to finish a book! It's not that I didn't like this one. It's just that I kept starting and stopping and losing interest - especially in the middle. The book like the main character, Shan, keeps starting over with a new location and different secondary characters, so it's like three books in one!

Shan travels from Dublin to NYC when he is just 12 years old. It's the 20's, and New York is full of immigrant families in different sections of the city. Shan becomes a part of an Italian family and is raised as one of their own. For various reasons, he leaves New York and travels around the country as part of a vaudeville troupe. Trouble seems to always find him. 

At very beginning of the novel, there's a chapter about a little girl who has gone missing on Alcatraz island. We assume the book will circle around to her later at some point, and it does. 

I did enjoy this book, but I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd read it more quickly and if the pace were a bit faster. - June

Still Life by Sarah Winman

I rarely give up on a book, but my Kindle is packed with books I want to read, and this one is pissing me off. It received wonderful reviews, and the plot sounded great, but I can't read it. Who writes a novel full of dialogue with no quotation marks? It was an effort to read page after page not knowing if something was said out loud or thought by a character, and who was even in the scene? And then there were paragraphs like this one:

In the snug, a couple of coppers were lording it, keeping the language clean. Col was on the long pull, generous measures to encourage a lock-in, a ploy to shift the stack of liver sausage sandwiches stinking up the counter.

Huh?

Here's the basics. This is about a guy who comes home to London from WW2 and he inherits a house in Italy from a guy he met while there serving his country. He goes to Florence with some of his friends and lives happily ever after. At least that's what I think it's about. I only skimmed the last 3/4 of the book. - June

Demon Copperhead & Pineapple Street

And now about word from BT........

Speaking of books: Pineapple Street is one of those "guilty pleasures" that you're glad you read but hesitate to tell others because it seems like well-written fluff.  This is what Amazon says to sell the book and I agree...especially good for me with my less-than-healthy relationship with money and the monied classes. Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one-percenters, Pineapple Street is a smart, escapist novel that sparkles with wit. Full of recognizable, loveable—if fallible—characters, it’s about the peculiar unknowability of someone else’s family, the miles between the haves and have-nots, and the insanity of first love—all wrapped in a story that is a sheer delight.

I was captured by Demon Copperhead and found myself describing it as "darkly intense" or "intensely dark."  Amazon says:   The mountains of southern Appalachia are the setting for this story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.

Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.

-BT 

All This Could be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews

I wanted to like this book. It's about a queer, young, Indian woman who moves to Milwaukee. It gets great reviews, so I was start listening to it. I feel like I'm pretty open minded for a geezer, but after listening to the language, racist comments and body shaming, I was out. I didn't get past the first hour or so. - June

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

This beautifully written novel is about so much more than just a horse. It's a wonderful book that follows several plot lines that are all magically connected. The main story takes place just prior to the Civil War in Kentucky where a Jarrett, an enslaved groomer, trains a thoroughbred named Darley (later became Lexington). Over Lexington's life, a painter named Thomas Scott creates several portraits of the horse, and these works of art move throughout the novel into different hands. 

There's also a more current storyline about Theo, a young Black PhD candidate at Georgetown who happens to pull an old painting out of a pile of trash. It just happens to be a portrait of a horse.

And there's an art dealer in the 50's who's cleaning woman brings her a painting of a horse. 

But the novel is also about race - how slaves were bought and sold, just like horses. And how today we still are plagued with racial issues and the mistreatment of minorities. This is a must read book. - June

Finding Freedom by Erin French

Have you heard of Erin French and the Lost Kitchen? In a tiny town called Freedom, Maine, is a restaurant so wildly popular that people come from all over the country to eat there. They no longer take phone reservations; you have to mail in a postcard and they draw them like a lottery. The cost is around $200 per person (not including wine) that people gladly pay to have Erin French and her team serve them a multi-course meal. Erin has written cookbooks and there even is a tv show that describes the planning she does each week to find the freshest local ingredients.

We've been to Maine many times, but I've never had the chance to eat at the Lost Kitchen. I have watched all of the episodes of the show, and I found it was very calming (but not boring) - often I'd watch right before going to sleep. I'd heard that Erin's life had been difficult prior to opening the restaurant, so I wanted to read her autobiography, Finding Freedom. I listened to her read it in an audiobook, and while there were a few times it was slow, it was also a beautiful story of resilience. Erin has always had a passion for food, and she has been incredibly successful. I really enjoyed listening to her story. - June

We are the Brennans by Tracey Lange

The Brennans are an Irish Catholic family living in upper New York who own a pub in their small town. And they are pretty darn dysfunctional. Each family member has their set of flaws and secrets, and they make a lot of bad decisions. However, I found it to be a pretty compelling read. The author focuses on a different character in each chapter which gives lots of various viewpoints. 

At the start of the novel, Sunday Brennan returns home after living in LA for four years. The reason for her departure is a mystery and her arrival back home stirs up lots of drama. Sunday has three brothers and a father still living at home, and they all seem to rely on her for everything from help at the pub to caring for their cognitively impaired brother. 

This is the kind of book that makes you realize your own family isn't as crazy as you thought! I liked it! - June

The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie Wiseman

I'm in a rut with historical fiction, I guess. But the subject of this one intrigued me. It takes place in Philadelphia in 1918, the year of the Spanish Flu epidemic. Thousands of people died a gruesome death, and many parents lost children, and many children became orphans. The main character, Pia, a thirteen year old whose family is from Germany, loses her mother and is then responsible for her baby twin brothers. (Her father is fighting in the war.) Summarizing the plot would give it away so I'll just say it has a lot of twists and turns, many of them completely preposterous. 

As I read, I kept switching from "Jeez, this is interesting" to "Are you kidding me???" But it was definitely a book that had to be finished to find out how it all ended for Pia and others. 

The writing is ok but definitely needed more editing. Pia does something she regrets, and in almost every chapter she had to wallow a little more in that regret....over and over. Enough! We got it the first time! I became quite good at skimming these parts. 

It gets great reviews and I do recommend it if the subject is of interest. - June

The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore

One of the recurring questions we ask in my book club is this: Can you love a book but dislike the main character? I've always maintained that you can, but several members feel it is impossible. For this reason, I'm not sure I'll be recommending this book for my club. Throughout this novel, Mirielle is often a snobby, self-centered little bitch.

The book begins in the 1920's when Mirielle, the wife of a silent movie film star, is diagnosed with Hansen's Disease, AKA Leprosy. She is sent to Carville, a colony in Louisiana, where she is quarantined with other patients. Mirielle is convinced she was misdiagnosed or that she will be released quickly, and she also believes she is just better than every other patient there. Once she settles in, it seems that Mirielle will soften a bit and you might sense a change in her. But then her old snobby self comes roaring back. She spends a lot of time apologizing for her bad behavior.

However, I have to say I enjoyed the book immensely. I can remember as a child hearing about leper colonies, and I always imagined them to be somewhere far away and on some deserted island. I had no idea there were facilities in the states. The author has obviously done her research, and even invites readers to visit Carville which closed in the 50's but is still open for visitors. What I thought was most interesting about the book was reading about the lives of those living in Carville.... how they spent their time and what they did to build a community for themselves. While Mirielle might not be my favorite character, certainly several others in the book were very interesting and likeable. - June

Girl, Forgotten by Karen Slaughter

When I walk and listen to audiobooks, mysteries keep me going. This one was ok for that purpose, but I know that if I had read the book, I would have skipped to the end to find out what happened once I reached the halfway mark. It's about a high school senior in the 80's who gets pregnant and then is murdered. She had attended a party, taken drugs, couldn't remember anything that happened there, and was obviously raped. That is one storyline. 

There's also a current storyline where Andrea, a US Marshall, is trying to solve this 40-year-old murder. There's more to the story, of course, but the mystery is who raped the young girl and who killed her.

Evidently, there is a series of books about Andrea. Not sure I'll rush to read the next one. This one moved way too slow for me. - June

Love & Saffron by Kim Fay

I admit that I make snap decisions as to whether or not to read a book based on the title or the cover.  I shouldn't do this, but if the cover is very feminine and "girly", I assume it's chick lit and I probably am not interested. When I heard the title of this one, it sounded like a romance novel. I pictured the cover with a shirtless hunky man cooking, maybe with nothing on but an apron. Hmmm. Interesting idea, huh?

Anyway, this is not a romance novel. It's a very short but sweet novel written entirely in letters by two women who both share a love of food, adventures, and life. It's the perfect book to read after you've read something heavy and depressing. One of the women lives in the Seattle area and the other in LA, and it takes place in the 60's. There are lots of references to events during that time, so us geezers can relate to them. It's a story of friendship - and did I mention food? You'll be hungry as you read it.

Recommend it. - June

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza

This is a novel that will stay with me for a long time. I loved it. It's the story of an Indian-American Muslim family living in California. The mother and father were born in India and moved to the US after they married, and their two daughters and one son were born here. I learned a lot about Muslim traditions and beliefs just by reading this although I confess that some of the rituals were hard to understand. But the core of the book is all about the relationships and conflicts between the members of the family and how their faith and community affect their lives. 

It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. The descriptive writing is beautiful, and the characters are so well developed. Layla, the mother, is a fascinating character as we learn about her marriage after only seeing her future husband twice but never speaking with him until after the ceremony. Hadia, the oldest daughter, wants a different life for herself where she follows her faith but is not as restricted by her culture as her parents. And then Amar, the son, who struggles with his faith and the strict rules imposed by his father..... and how he ultimately must make difficult decisions as to how to live his life.

Definitely recommend this one. -June

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

This is a novel about twin sisters, Rose and Fern. The author switches from a diary written by Rose to a narrative focused on Fern. We quickly realize that Fern is on the spectrum, and she sees Rose as "her person", the one individual who knows her best and she can trust. We also know that when they were young a boy drowned after Fern held him underwater. We slowly learn more about the details of this day as the story progresses.

The novel is described as a psychological thriller, although I don't know if there was much suspense in it. However, it's a good story with solid character development, and I enjoyed it. I won't give any more of the story away. -June

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg

It's been a rough couple of weeks for us, BT. We've lost a close friend, and I've found myself feeling a little low even though we knew that this story would not have a happy ending. So to lift my mood, I've been trying to find books that don't bring me down even further. That's when I saw The Story of Arthur Truluv was available from the library. It gets great reviews and it's written by an author I've read before and enjoyed. Is it predictable? Yes. Is it sappy? Yes. Did it actually make me tear up a couple of times? Actually, it did. It is just a sweet story about an 85-year-old man who connects with an 18-year-old girl and how they find that they each fill a void in the other one's life. 

I feel that Elizabeth Berg does a great job of describing Arthur and his next door neighbor, Lucille, as she addresses our feelings and thoughts as we age. Her description of Lucille and a long ago boyfriend was extremely touching. (My only complaint is that she chose to write that Arthur enjoyed listening to music by Dinah Shore! Really? I know plenty of 80-somethings, and none of them would be caught dead listening to her!) I love how Arthur visits the grave of his dead wife every day and has lunch with her. And he gets to know all the other people in the cemetery as they "speak" with him.

So if you're looking for a lift - if you need a sweet story that is a quick read, try it. No Pulitzer Prize here, but just a nice read. I enjoyed it. -June

Chemistry Lesson by Bonnie Garmus

This was just what I needed to read after several more serious books. I've seen people refer to it as funny - and while the subject matter isn't humorous, the writing sometimes is quirky and fun. It's in some ways like a fairy tale with a magical ending.

Don't be put off by the cover. Elizabeth herself talks about how "pink for girls" is wrong, and yet the publishers gave the book a pink cover making it look like chick lit - which it is not - or a romance - also not.

It takes place in the 50's in the days when women in the workforce were always secretaries or assistants. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist. Most of the men in her world treat her with contempt (or worse!) as she tries to establish herself in her career. But then she meets Calvin. I won't say more, but I highly recommend this one. I think I read it all in two days. - June

 

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

This is a tough one to describe. I'm discussing it next week with my book club, and I hope that by talking about it with friends, I'll be able to understand it more fully. But it is a confusing read.... or in this case a confusing "listen" since I was able to check out the audio book and listened as I walked each day.

You know how some books jump from one time to another and one character to another? Well, this one does it like no other. The author goes forward in time, back a bit, into the future, way in the past, bouncing all over the place - and each time focusing on a different character. And yet, it eventually all makes sense. I often wished I'd had the benefit of the written book so that I could go back and re-read a section but with an audio book that is hard to do.

I read a review where someone wrote that this book is like a group of stories and not just one. And that is true - many storylines - and just when you think one has been left hanging and forgotten, it pops up again. Ponzi schemes, missing mothers, remote hotels, artists, shipping executives, all kinds of stories and characters.

So do I recommend it? Yes. But if you have been confused by some of the other ones I've mentioned recently, lay off the gummies while reading this one! -June

The Book of Lost Names by Lisa Wingate

The  Book of Lost Names should not be confused with The Book of Lost Friends or The Book of Lost Things. So  many things are lost apparently.

Like so many books, this one has parallel stories, and the author flips from one storyline to the other. The first is in the years following the Civil War when Hannie, a young black girl, is searching for her family that became separated when they were sold to different landowners. The second story takes place in the 1980's when Bennie, a somewhat inexperienced young woman, moves to a small town in Louisiana to teach middle school. As Bennie struggles to find something to capture the interest of her students, she starts to dive into the history of the town and learn about its past. With her students, she creates a project that bring up long buried secrets, and then her world and Hannie's world meet.

I enjoyed this book and especially liked the ending. There were a few times in the middle when I felt it dragged but it was worth it in the end. -June