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