Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks

I know I'm repeating myself when I say this but.... I just love when an author has a creative idea and manages to pull it off in a novel. In Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, the narrator of the book is Budo, Max's imaginary friend. The beauty of this technique is that Budo loves and understands Max's behavior. Although it's never stated in the book, Max is autistic.

Because Budo can only be seen by Max, he is able to move around his world and overhear conversations that help fill in parts of the plot that would not be known if someone else was narrating. And because Budo is the same age as Max, his knowledge of things is like that of a child which makes easily lovable.

I won't give away the plot, but something scary happens to Max, and Budo is able to help him get out of the situation. I found the book to be heartwarming and a quick, easy read. Highly recommend. -June

This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel

Sometimes I read a book review, decide it sounds interesting, put it on my wish list, and when I see it's available at the library or on sale at Amazon, I grab it.... but totally forget what it's even about. That's what happened with This is How it Always Is. (BTW, this is a totally forgettable title. I can not seem to remember it.)

The book is about a lovable family... a mother, father, and 5 sons. Quite soon into the novel, the youngest son, Claude, decides he prefers to wear dresses. The remainder of the book deals with how the family handles Claude as he eventually becomes Poppy. And how their extended family and friends respond. You can't help but ask yourself, "What would I do" - as a parent, as a friend.

I thought this book was fascinating, and even more fascinating when I read at the end that the author has a daughter who was born male. The author handles a difficult subject with love. - Highly recommend. - June

Us Against You by Richard Bachman

"People we love will die. We will bury our children beneath our most beautiful trees."

The sequel to Beartown, Us Against You, does not disappoint. I still prefer the original, but this is another fabulous read by a very talented author. The book picks up where Beartown left off, but even if you haven't read the first book, you will enjoy the second.

If I'm picky (and I am), I think there's too much time spend summarizing Beartown in the sequel. I understand that we need to be reminded about what happened and there may be new readers who need to catch up, but it seemed a large part of Us Against You was spend filling in the facts. My other complaint is that the author is a master of foreshadowing... to the point where I was going crazy with it! He continually teases the reader with what's to come. Get on with it!!

All that being said, his characters are beautifully developed and the writing is superb. Highly recommend. - June

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan

There must be something wrong with me. Everyone loves this book! It gets 4.5 stars on GoodReads! The story sounds riveting..... A young Italian teenager helps guide Jews over the mountains into Switzerland during WWII. And it's based on a real person who was interviewed by the author! Sounds like a winner doesn't it?

It reminds me a bit of Unbroken by Laura Hillebrand. Both books are based on true stories. And both authors had the opportunity to interview the "heroes" who overcame tremendous obstacles and yet somehow survived. Both men were brave and sacrificing. And when I read both of these books, I read them in disbelief. Yes, I think that in both cases, either the men themselves or the authors made the individuals into superheroes and completely unbelievable to me.

Yes, I do believe that Pino Lella did assist the Jews into making their way into Switzerland, and he risked his own life to do so. But the specific actions and the dialogue created by the author makes it seem over the top. This book needed editing. And then maybe more editing. Sorry. This is one of the few books that I just can't finish. - June

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

After a friend insisted I read this book, I finally got my hands on a copy. And I did enjoy the book... but perhaps not as much as my friend did. The novel does have some interesting characters. It's hard not to cheer for the protagonist, a young girl who lives in a swamp and when her family all desert her,  and she literally raises herself. Reading about her ingenuity and her determination is fascinating. She somehow manages to feed herself and with the help of a few kind people along the way, she starts to thrive and even become educated. She is very connected to the swamp, it's wildlife, and nature, and this is one of the many interesting parts of the book.

My only negative is the romantic part of the story. I'm not against a nice love angle in a book, but parts of the story read like a romance novel. I recommended this book to Carla because I think is takes place near the Outer Banks. And I recommend it to anyone who is interested in nature in that area of the country. - June

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Pachinko is a family saga that takes place in Korea and Japan. It explores the dynamic between Koreans and Japanese in the early 20th century. I admit I knew little if anything about the life of Koreans who lived in Japan during this time. Asian history isn't something I've studied, and it certainly wasn't taught in any classes I took. So for me, this book was extremely educational. For that, I liked it very much.

However, the book is long. Way too long. I think the beginning of the book was excellent, and it could have ended there and I would have been happy. But the author continued through several generations of Koreans living in Japan, and so as the book progressed, new family members are added. And other abruptly die - often shockingly.

Overall, I think it's well written. However, the author often repeated herself which is one of my pet peeves. A woman would be described as extremely beautiful, and whenever that woman appeared afterwards, we would be reminded over and over of her beauty. Ok, already. I get it.  There was a strong emphasis on women's looks. The other thing that bothered me is that chapters would skip ahead two years or four years, and often this shift in time would occur just as something really surprising and interesting was happening. I found this frustrating.

I read another review that said the first part was great, the middle was ok, and the last part was disappointing. I agree. So I recommend it for the historical perspective and the educational value. And that's it. -June

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

It's New Year's Eve 1984 and Lillian Boxfish is going to dinner. She has lived the majority of her 80+ years in Manhattan, and although she sees negative changes in her city, she never tires of walking the streets of NYC. She decides to walk past some of her previous homes on her way to the restaurant. As she does, she jumps back in time and tells the stories from her past.

Lillian has led a fascinating life. She was successful in her career in the 30's and 40's when she worked in the advertising department at Macy's. She marries, has a son, and writes books of poetry. I won't give away any more.

Although this is fiction, it is based on a real woman who also wrote poetry and was in advertising at a time when it was dominated by men.

The book slowed at times but overall I enjoyed hearing about Lillian's life. The book is written in the first person, and since Lillian was a woman who loved writing and words, I found some of the word choices to be a bit stiff and pretentious. But maybe that was just Lillian's style. Anyway, I do recommend it as an interesting read - especially for someone who loves New York. - June

How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper

Years ago, I read (and loved) This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper. I remember the quirky characters and the wonderful dysfunctional family. So when How to Talk to a Widower appeared in my daily BookBub email for a great price, I bought it instantly. I decided I'd save it for a time when I needed a few laughs.

Recently the political news has put me in a funk, and so rather than watch cable news, I decided to spend my time reading this fabulous book. The novel centers around Doug who has lost his wife in a plane crash. He's mourning her loss and has basically spent the year since her death drinking and pushing everyone away. As the story progresses, we meet his family, his friends, and we see how his life might come back together.

But the writing...... the author is snarky and sarcastic and I simply love it! He writes about grief in a way that makes you feel his pain. The dialogue between the characters is quick and witty and probably somewhat unrealistic but still..... totally engaging and often laugh-out-loud funny. I loved it! - June

Clock Dance by Anne Tyler

There are a handful of authors whose books I will grab immediately when they come out because I just know I want to read them: Richard Russo, John Irving.... and Anne Tyler. I can't describe what it is I love about her writing. Maybe if I could, I'd write my own novel! But her characters live in my mind for a long time after I put down one of her books.

If you are like some of my friends who like plot-driven novels, this is NOT for you. It's the story of  the life a woman, Willa, who we see at four different points in  her life: a young child, a college-aged woman, a 40-something, and a 60-something. Willa is a likable person, and definitely someone who tries hard to please others. When her family was struggling when she was a child, Willa had to accept responsibility and grow up quickly. She seems most comfortable when taking care of others and putting aside her own feelings.

The bulk of the book takes place when Willa is in her 60's and receives a call about a child who needs her help. Willa comes to her aid and in the process, meets a cast of characters who she grows to care about.

This is not my favorite Anne Tyler novel. However, I still loved it and will continue to read everything she writes. - June

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Here's a funny story. A book-loving friend sent me a few book recommendations and included a note saying Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I wrote her back and said that life is too short to read books that are just "fine" so I'll pass on that one. Ha! Good thing she responded and corrected me because Eleanor Oliphant is a whole lot more than just fine!

As we meet Eleanor in the book, we see a judgmental, socially awkward, and just plain weird woman in her late 20's living in Glasgow. There are times in the book where she will make you laugh, but when you begin to learn more about her life, your heart will break for her. It's a story about the power of friendship and impact that friends can have in changing your life. And how a person who is raised in a dysfunctional environment can overcome the trauma. Definitely read this one. -June

The Power by Naomi Alderman

I've said it before and I'll say it again and again.... I just love it when an author comes up with a unique idea... be it quirky or crazy.... and then pulls it off in a novel. Of course, one of my favorites in this department will always be Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. But I was prepared to dislike The Power. My Mother-Daughter book club selected this one, and it was one of the young Millennials who chose it. As she described it to the group, the Boomers were eye-rolling and trying to keep a neutral face. A few weeks later, one of my friends declared it to be "unreadable" and forced herself to finish it just so she could discuss her hatred for the book at our meeting.

Needless to say, my attitude was not positive as I opened it up. But I was pulled in... slowly at first, and then full on. I thought the obvious parallels the author drew between men having power over women and what might happen if this were reversed were brilliant. She described how men feared women and were afraid to walk the streets alone at night... something all of us know well. In this time of Me Too, this book was a perfect read and ideal for discussion. And it's one I never would have picked up on my own without someone pointing it out.  The goal of our book group is to share ideas across generations. Check that box for this book. - June

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

Have I mentioned I just finished all six seasons of The Americans? Yes, that is why it has taken me months to get through this book.

This is the perfect book to take on an airplane. It doesn't require a lot of brainpower, but it certainly keeps your interest... especially once you get about 1/3 of the way into it. I was kind of lulled into a sense of predictability while reading this book and almost thinking I'd give up on it. And then WHAM! Things twisted all over the place! And then another twist and then another.

If you liked Gone Girl or all the other books that have been written since then that say they are similar to it, you'll love this one. I won't say more because I really can't without giving things away. But just hold on and enjoy the ride. - June