Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

Hello everyone. I hope you are having a great day.

I want to make an observation that none of you care about and has nothing to do with books, but it has to be said.  Why do people tasting stuff on YouTube raise their shoulder high that is holding the fork, pull it grandly out of their mouth, then close their eyes to taste the food? It isn't just cooking videos but even with people that are doing reviews at places like Disney World.  Do your taste buds only work if your eyes are closed? I am sorry but this relates to their saying they make "the best" whatever. I doubt it.  I guess I still have my nose out of joint.  I'll be quiet.  Wait, one more complaint...it is not good manners to hold a giant piece of broccoli or sausage to your mouth on a fork and take a bite off.  Does nobody know how to use a dinner knife anymore? Okay, now I think I'm done. Over and out.

I recently read Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams. I've read many books by this author and have always enjoyed them. Williams writes what may be considered historic fiction, but I actually find that true with some of her books more than others. What you can always count on is a good story, with great character development and an interesting plot. Her most recent offering is no different.

In Under the Stars, we are treated to a story about a mother and daughter. The mother, Meredith, is a famous actress, working toward a comeback. Daughter, Audrey is a chef who discovers a mysterious chest having belonged to her estranged father. Despite not wanting to return to their family home on Winthrop Island in New England, both women find they must, in order to address their issues. What ensues is a family mystery, begging to be discovered. This is done with the aid of part of the story being told in a flashback to 1846 where Providence, who has a secret, is fleeing on a steamship which starts to sink near Winthrop Island. Of course, Beatriz Williams brings the whole story together with her normal mastery, holding the readers interest until the very end. As usual, a great read from a consistently good author. I can't wait for more.

Many thanks to Random House/Ballentine and Net Galley for the early look. It was a pleasure.

**review by hubby, he is a huge Beatriz Williams fan.

Inheritance by Nora Roberts

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

Did I ever tell you that I am an heiress?  I inherited a fair amount of money, far more than small countries are worth.  Five large homes all over the world, which I hardly ever visit.  I hear the butler I employee at my Paris home is very good, although I've never met him.  Then there are the yachts.  Two to be exact, complete with crew.  It seemed like overkill, so I rent one out for that TV show Below Deck.  Yep, life is grand.  Believe me?  I'm usually telling you to stop laughing, but now I am the one giggling.  The only thing I ever inherited is a rocking chair and some pretty pronounced arthritis in my thumbs.  Can you guess what the book I just read is about and that I had nothing to relate to?  Pretty obvious huh?  Oh well, my pretend wealth was fun for the 10 seconds I had it.

I recently read Inheritance by Nora Roberts. This is the story of a young woman, Sonya, who has lost her dad.  She finds out her dad had a twin that he never knew about.  Her newfound Uncle has also passed away and despite not knowing her, has made Sonya his benefactor.  Not only does she get a boatload of money, but a stunning cliff top manor house.  One problem, it is haunted.  For her to get to keep her inheritance she must live the next three years in the house.  Since the manor is a long-time family home, it seems reasonable that most of the ghosts are her relatives.  Naturally she starts researching her extensive family tree.  It becomes obvious that the house carries a secret.  There is a curse in the form of an evil woman that after death, has become an evil long-term resident.  As Sonya meets the town population and becomes more settled, she realizes she must resolve this issue from the past to have a pleasant future.

This is exactly what you expect from Nora Roberts, a solid, well written story. I admit that it seemed a bit too long for me, but perhaps not.  This is the first of a trilogy, so she does a great job on introducing you to the town and people in it.  Hopefully, this setup will pay off in the next two volumes.  The haunting is well done, and is interesting without the cheap trick of gore, or becoming campy.  While it took me a bit to get into this story, for reasons unknown, I look forward to the next installment.

Many thanks to NetGalley and, the always generous, St. Martin's Press.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Have you ladies been to a bridal shower?  If you are male and never had to attend one of these societal necessities, count yourself as lucky.  For those of you in a country that doesn't have this traditional gathering, let me explain.  A bridal shower is a party, usually of all women, to shower the bride to be with gifts and good wishes.  Usually, this celebration is accompanied with food, something dainty like tea sandwiches and punch.  Nope, not hot wings and beer, that is what the men have while they are waiting for the women to complete their gathering. The first shower I ever attended was for my cousin.  I was shocked, here were twenty women so enthralled with a gift of a frying pan she just opened. You would have thought that pan could bring world peace.  After a few years, it was my turn.  I had four bridal showers.  I didn't live in my hometown, so had friends in both places and had 2 sets of ex-coworkers and current coworkers, then my fabulous Aunts were so kind to throw a beautiful party too.  Keep in mind this was the place I was shocked over the cookware euphoria.  Now I got it, I was oohing and aahhhing. I had housekeeping to set up and all these gifts were helping greatly.  I still have many of them and can tell you who gave me what.  Seriously, people were so very generous.  By the time my sister got married, things had changed.  She still got gifts, but instead of tea sandwiches, she was showered with attention from a male stripper.  I missed that one.  Probably for the best.

I recently read The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten. This is my second book by this author. I read and enjoyed The Lost Village as well. In this novel, we are following a group of women as they go to a new, not yet opened, hotel on a private island for a bachelorette getaway/party. The island is beautiful and the hotel stunning. There is a dark secret, however. The island was the site of the disappearance of four young women several years earlier. As odd things start happening at the current gathering, similarities to the happenings of the past become apparent.

This story starts quickly, leaving the reader anxious for the wild ride yet to come. It slows slightly as the background is told and the getaway trip progresses, showing the relationship between the members of the bridal party. Once the characters are known and the basis for the story set, it takes off like a world class roller coaster. Told in traditional thriller style, it has the reader flipping pages while almost hiding their eyes as their breath quickens. It was a blast to experience a peek around the corner, nail biting story. So much fun.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. 

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

Can we talk?  That sounds like the opening of a Saturday Night Live skit, maybe something by Gilda Radner as Rosanne Rosanna Danna...a classic.  Serious, let us discuss sisters. Sisters share a bond like no other.  They keep each other's secrets, understand each other's problems, and always root for the other. Well, usually.  Occasionally you get a bad egg, literally.  Instead of those endearing qualities you get nothing but brats and betrayal.  Such is my sistuation (yes, I spelled it like that on purpose). The trips as we call them, my three sisters who are actual triplets, are on the brattier side. What do you call people that always cheat at Monopoly?  How about someone who always goes to festivals, while you are stuck at home, then send you pictures...almost every weekend?  What about sisters that go on vacation together each year, without you, to one of the last remaining "balls" in the US?  See I told you; these are critical issues!  Brats, I tell you, brats.

I recently read Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh. This is my second book from this author.  I also read Thirteen and loved it.  In this story we follow two sisters. Both in the house at the same time as their brutally murdered father, they each call 911 blaming each other. The reader basically witnesses the investigation and trial of the siblings, reading from the point of view of each sister. Keeping us guessing we also get the point of view from the unnamed killer.

If you like legal thrillers, this book is for you.  If you are just a thriller addict, you will still love this, while it is rich in legal happenings it doesn't get bogged down in them.  Fast paced, atmospheric and well-constructed, this book had me switching back and forth as to the guilty sister. Lots of fun. My only word of warning, read at your peril, once you start it is very difficult to put down.  

Okay, I feel a smidge of guilt.  I confess, I am the chronic Monopoly cheater.  Hey, as banker it is expected!

FDR Drive by James Comey

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a good day.

Good Gaggama, have you turned on the news lately?  You remember those old-fashioned pinball machines?  They had a metal ball that you released with a giant spring then it is hit with little flappers trying to keep it in play to earn points.  Snicker not, it was kind of fun.  So what if you had a more interesting childhood, I'm not jealous...okay, maybe a little.  These pinball machines were everywhere, they were even in my dad's favorite footlong hotdog place in Myrtle Beach, right next to the Pac Man machines.  I think I am making Atari sound new, so I'll shut up.  Anyway, my point is that I feel like that every time I turn on the news.  It is all politics or plane trouble or terrible weather.  Somehow no matter what the story is, it gets turned into politics.  You know I don't comment on it, but this turning everything into something political and constant he said, she said, he threatened, name-calling....it baffles me.  All this time on this planet and we haven't learned that hate is sad, and love is fun.  The whole thing makes me dizzy.  Needless to say, I have binge watched so many streaming series and old movies.  It is pretty bad when you can make a double feature out of Burnt Offerings followed by Audrey Rose, both kind of dark.  Still it was better than the news.  Enough said.  You'd think I'd be reading like crazy, but I've been in a bit of a slump.  Hubby is reading up a storm.  Speaking of political, he read the new book by James Comey, who was the head of the FBI.  It seemed as if he liked the book but it wasn't a favorite.  His thoughts follow.

I recently read FDR Drive by James Comey. This is a complicated story involving terrorism in New York. Told as a legal thriller, it is a slow burn. There are plenty of characters to meet and legal terms to learn, with revelations along the way. Taking much from recent past and current politics, shades of Comey's real-life shine through. A bit slower in the beginning as the reader learns the situation and those effected but the pacing increasing as the bulk of the story starts to unfold. If you like the legal world and thrillers, as I do, this is for you. An interesting read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Mysterious Press for an advanced copy.

ps.  Next book will have no political connection. I don't want the author to even have been on the committee for the garden club or PTA, heaven forbid the Home Owners Association!

Whistle by Linwood Barclay

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

I have to be honest, the book today I received a couple of months ago from the very generous publisher.  I have been anxiously waiting to discuss this book with you.  It is about model trains and is blurbed by Stephen King. Enough said?  No?  Okay, we have been together for a long time, reading all kinds of books.  I care about you.  So, I tell you with love and respect to stay away from trains of all sizes.  Please, I beg you!

I recently read Whistle by Linwood Barclay. This is the story of Annie and her son Charlie. To get a break from their lives in Manhattan, Annie and her son take a vacation renting a house in upstate New York. While there, Charlie finds an old train set of which he becomes unusually fond. The vacation seems to be a going well, until odd things begin happening. Unconventional neighbors behaving strangely, real train sounds coming from a train line not used in years, just for starters. There are lots more events I won't spoil for you. The reader also follows an earlier timeline in a different town. In this time period, we meet lots of characters, some briefly, as odd things are happening here too, all seemingly connected to model trains.

Whistle, while most definitely a horror book, is also quite the thriller. It is very fast paced, with most chapters ending on a cliff hanger or major revelation. Despite being fairly long this pacing makes it fly by, with pages turning quickly. Although there are plenty of characters in this story, by necessity, it is not overwhelming. Several characters are stand outs and will have you cheering for them. Entertaining from beginning to end, a very fun read.

For the record, my husband who has had model trains his whole life is now in trouble. Trains are expensive and cause us to have to purchase larger houses than necessary to accommodate his layout. Now I know they are evil (as suspected). Rest assured, I will be purchasing many copies of Whistle to hand out to hubby's train friends, as a cautionary tale. Also, I will be taking my husband's trains to the dump, have them shredded, then compacted, then put in a deep ocean trench. Do you think anyone would mind if we filled the Atlantic Ocean in with concrete?

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the advanced copy and warning!

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Did y'all have parents weekend in college?  I didn't.  I had parents day in high school at band camp.  I've bored you about marching band before, yes, yes, I can hear your nerd and geek chants from here.  Be quiet you cool people.  Anyway, once again, it was a big band, a show band with over 600 kids. We actually got paid to do halftime for the Bills and Patriots. Every fall, all these kids and teachers trudge off to the Pocono Mountains to go to camp.  Bet you thought the Poconos were just for honeymooners, nope, but thanks now I have the old song from the commercials to Mount Airy Lodge going through my head. (It is on YouTube for those of you who like punishment.) At band camp, we would learn how to march, play songs from pre-game and the first half time, and move in unison. Towards the end of the week, when we were exhausted and riddled with mosquito bites, the parents would come and sit on top of a big hill and watch the first show.  Yes, on a hill, how else are you going to see the formations.  You can't see a moving train with Penelope Pittstop tied to the tracks from ground level!  (Seriously, that was a show, the wheels turned, the train engine moved, smoke came from the stack.  It got a standing ovation at the Patriots game when they played the Dolphins. We had to kneel at the sidelines before going on and, frankly, I had a famous Dolphin's quarterbacks butt in my face.  I won't say who, then you'll know how ancient I am.) Having parents at camp was a good thing, the bad was when they left.  It was then officially skit night.  I don't want to talk about it.  I'll just say, the nightmares continue to this day.

I recently read Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay. I have read several of his other books, Every Last Fear and If Something Happens to Me. I've enjoyed them all. In this story, we are treated to Parents Weekend at a small college in Northern California. Parents arrive anxious to see their children and hear about their experiences. Excitement becomes disappointment when all five of the students are AWOL. When one doesn't show it is not that significant but when all five don't arrive for a planned dinner, something is amiss. Perhaps they all ditched their parents for a great party. Despite trying, none of the scholars will answer their phones, compounding the worry. Adding to the nervousness is a student recently found drowned on the local beach. As the feeling of something being very wrong grows, FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller is called in to assist. Fans will recognize her as a reoccurring character.

Alex Finlay's books are different for me, not your average thriller. Don't get me wrong, I love average and non-average thrillers equally. It is like choosing your favorite child. But this book is part family drama, part secrets unraveling, part kind of police procedural (yes, I know Keller is FBI, but that feel), and part thriller. Because of this kind of story, it moves slower and has more story development that a shoot straight through thriller but not dry like police books can get. If you don't want the investment in actually reading an actual story, if you just want quick, cheap and lots of twists, then this isn't the book for you. However, if you want something with memorable characters, a more involved plot, and twists, then this is your baby. Sometimes a book reads so quickly that I almost feel like I'm not getting my "entertainment dollars" from it. This is different. Despite being a pleasantly paced read, it is deeply satisfying. Once I get rid of my book hangover, I'll be ready for Finlay's next!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy. St. Martin's Press, not only always has great books, but has been so kind to me for which I will always be tremendously grateful.

PS. When writing this I kept typing Bank Camp.  Now THAT sounds like something fun.  I'll take my camp in 50's and 100's, thank you!