Harry Sylvester Bird -Chinelo Okparenta

In 2006, at 14, Harry travels with his parents, Wayne and Chevrolet, to Tanzania. Already acutely aware that his parents are neglectful and not much his cup of tea, Harry calls them by their first names. Wayne is selfish, racist, boorish, politically a member of a third party, the "Purists," who just won the presidential … Continue reading Harry Sylvester Bird -Chinelo Okparenta →

Little Rumours – Bryony Pearce

Little Rumours is about a small town in the County of Devon told from the point of view of Kelly, a woman in an identity protection program related to her ex-husband's infamous and sociopathic crimes. She has a son, Joe, who is eleven. Naomi is native to the town and don't you forget it! Her … Continue reading Little Rumours – Bryony Pearce →

Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta – James Hannaham (Audible)

One of my favorite books in a year of favorites, although this is an all over the board book emotionally and socially for this older white woman of privilege. Carlotta was Dustin when she went to a liquor store with her cousin. He commits an armed robbery that landed them both in prison. Most folks … Continue reading Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta – James Hannaham (Audible) →

Secrets of the Nile – Tasha Alexander

Oddly--because I'm a historical fiction/mystery fan and enjoy well researched and written mid 19th through mid-20th century settings -- I never heard of Lady Emily. This is a series I'll dip into more. Secrets of the Nile finds Lady Emily and husband Colin Hargreaves heading to Egypt with Colin's mother and his young adult daughter … Continue reading Secrets of the Nile – Tasha Alexander →

And There He Kept Her- Joshua Moehling

Jesse is breaking into a ramshackle house through the basement, his penlight shining on an inexplicable pink room, odd furnishings, decrepit conditions. As he climbs the steps, Jenny joins him, trying to get him to drop the plan but "he" has threatened Jesse's sister. As they start up the steps, a fat naked man with … Continue reading And There He Kept Her- Joshua Moehling →

Hurricane Girl – Marcy Dermansky

Told from the perspective of Allison Brody, who loses everything she owns a week and a half after buying and moving into her new house on the beach in North Carolina, Hurricane Girl is compelling and weird. Allison left her abusive producer boyfriend in California to strike out on her own. She loves water. She … Continue reading Hurricane Girl – Marcy Dermansky →

Treasure State – C.J. Box

C.J. Box always, always spins a great story and this is no exception. I am a fan of the Joe Pickett series but had not read any of the Highway Quartet Series. Cassie Dewell as a P.I. is clever and daring and her capabilities make sense. She has more than one puzzling case to solve. … Continue reading Treasure State – C.J. Box →

The Picture Bride – Lee Geum-yi (Audible)

Could not "put this down" though I was listening to the audiobook of The Picture Bride, a beautiful portrayal of the lives of three women from a rural area in Korea in the early 1900s. The many Korean men who traveled to Hawaii, then a U.S. territory, wanted to marry as they became financially able. … Continue reading The Picture Bride – Lee Geum-yi (Audible) →

The Shadow Murders – Jussi Adler-Olsen

I am a longtime fan of Jussi Adler-Olsen's Department Q novels. Department Q includes a small cast of clever out-of-the box thinking misfits who handle cold cases that are typically notorious, often gruesome and always beyond the detection and solving capabilities of ordinary officers. The Shadow Murders opens with a scene in which a woman … Continue reading The Shadow Murders – Jussi Adler-Olsen →

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (Audio version) – Jonas Jonasson

The story starts out with the idea that Allen, who is just turning 100, is kind of viewed as mischievous because he drinks too much vodka and that he is a sweet old guy who needs to be returned to the old age home. This notion that Allen is ever in his life going to … Continue reading The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (Audio version) – Jonas Jonasson →