Lori & Julia's Book Club: Recent Episodes
myTalk 107.1 | Hubbard Radio
It's Lori & Julia's Book Club, as heard on myTalk 107.1 radio! These best friends turned sisters-in-law do in-depth author interviews and give recommendations for everything from non-fiction to psychological thrillers. You can't fail out of this book club. Stick with Lori & Julia and you'll never go without a good book again!
LOJ Book Club: Favorite Daughters by Laurel Osterkamp. Laurel joins the show to discuss her new book!
LOJ book Club: Fox Creek (Cork O'Connor #18) by William Kent Krueger! Willaim joins Lori and Julia in studio to talk about his new book Fox Creek!
Julia interviews Ginny about her amazing new book and she just loved it! Julia couldn't put it down.
The Arrangement by David Winkler. David wrote his story about being a real sugar daddy! Plus, he stuck around for another segment to tell us about all the amazing projects he has been involved with in Hollywood. You have to hear David's story!
LOJ Book Club: A Caribbean Heiress in Paris, by Adriana Herrera. Adriana joins the show to talk about her amazing new book. LOJ just loved it!
LOJ Book Club: The Last Party by Cassidy Lucas. Caeli Widger is one of the two authors and she joins the show to talk about her book. Lori read it in ONE day it's that good!
Abby joins the show to talk about her new book, and she shares some exciting news about 'Part of Your World' that you can't miss!
Jessica Strawser joins the program to talk about her new book 'The Next Thing You Know'
Kathleen joins the show to talk about her new book and its amazing connection to hockey moms in Minnesota.
Kristy Woodson Harvey Joins the show for LOJ book club to talk about her new book, The Wedding Veil.
LoJ Book Club: The Cage, by Bonnie Kistler. Bonnie Joins the show to talk about her new book!
LOJ Book Club: Brian Freeman, the new author of the Jason Bourne novels joins the show! Brian Freeman recently signed a deal to take over the Jason Bourne franchise!
Laurie Hertzel, Book Editor for the Star Tribune joins the show to talk about all the books to read and give over the Holidays.
Fred Krohn Joins the show to talk about his new book, and he shares some amazing stories about how he transformed Minneapolis's Hrennipen Theatre District!
Best selling and local author Allen Eskens joins the show to talk about his new book, The Stolen Hours!
Laura Davis joins LOJ Book Club to talk about her new book, The Burning Light of Two Stars: A Mother-Daughter Story.
Jo Piazza joins the show for LOJ Book Club to talk about her new book, We Are Not Like Them.
Summary courtesy of Goodreads: For Jackie Pierce, everything changed the summer of 1979, when she spent three months of infinite freedom at her bohemian uncle’s sprawling estate on the California coast. As musicians, artists, and free spirits gathered at The Sandcastle for the season in pursuit of inspiration and communal living, Jackie and her cousin Willa fell into a fast friendship, testing their limits along the rocky beach and in the wild woods... until the summer abruptly ended in tragedy, and Willa silently slipped away into the night.
Twenty years later, Jackie unexpectedly inherits The Sandcastle and returns to the iconic estate for a short visit to ready it for sale. But she reluctantly extends her stay when she learns that, before her death, her estranged aunt had promised an up-and-coming producer he could record a tribute album to her late uncle at the property’s studio. As her musical guests bring the place to life again with their sun-drenched beach days and late-night bonfires, Jackie begins to notice startling parallels to that summer long ago. And when a piece of the past resurfaces and sparks new questions about Willa’s disappearance, Jackie must discover if the dark secret she’s kept ever since is even the truth at all.
Summary courtesy of Goodreads: From the creator of the What’s the Difference? Newsletter, a whimsical and practical reference for food nerds and novices alike, covering dozens of culinary topics, that clears up confusion over similar terms, techniques, dishes, and more. Do you know the difference between sweet potatoes and yams? Bourbon and rye? Crumbles, cobblers, and crisps? Most people don’t, even a number of home cooks—which is why they turn to Brette Warshaw. This informative reference makes clear the differences between things that are often confused in the kitchen, on the plate, behind the bar, and everywhere in between. Illustrated.
Summary courtesy of Goodreads:
“In late March 1944, as Stalin’s forces push into Ukraine, young Emil and Adeline Martel must make a terrible decision: Do they wait for the Soviet bear’s intrusion and risk being sent to Siberia? Or do they reluctantly follow the wolves—murderous Nazi officers who have pledged to protect “pure-blood” Germans?
The Martels are one of many families of German heritage whose ancestors have farmed in Ukraine for more than a century. But after already living under Stalin’s horrifying regime, Emil and Adeline decide they must run in retreat from their land with the wolves they despise to escape the Soviets and go in search of freedom.
Caught between two warring forces and overcoming horrific trials to pursue their hope of immigrating to the West, the Martels’ story is a brutal, complex, and ultimately triumphant tale that illuminates the extraordinary power of love, faith, and one family’s incredible will to survive and see their dreams realized”.
We love Brian Freeman’s books (the Lt. Stride series!) but this new stand-alone story is really compelling. Great heroine and a compulsive page turner.
Book summary courtesy of Goodreads:
“Lisa Power is a tortured ghost of her former self. The author of a bestselling thriller called Thief River Falls, named after her rural Minnesota hometown, Lisa is secluded in her remote house as she struggles with the loss of her entire family: a series of tragedies she calls the “Dark Star.”
Then a nameless runaway boy shows up at her door with a terrifying story: he’s just escaped death after witnessing a brutal murder—a crime the police want to cover up. Obsessed with the boy’s safety, Lisa resolves to expose this crime, but powerful men in Thief River Falls are desperate to get the boy back, and now they want her too.
Lisa and her young visitor have nowhere to go as the trap closes around them. Still under the strange, unforgiving threat of the Dark Star, Lisa must find a way to save them both, or they’ll become the victims of another shocking tragedy she can’t foresee.”
We have been fans of Gigi with her other books (The Starter Wife). This is basically a roman a clef about her life as a wife when she was married to Hollywood uber producer, Brian Grazer. Just a fun book with hilarious storytelling about the crazy world of Hollywood. Summary courtesy of Macmillan Publishers: “In a world where therapist look like the Real Housewives of Equinox, where friends dispense Xanax like Pez, and where a woman’s status is directly linked to the how few carbs she eats…can one Hollywood wife take back her life? Agnes Murphy Nash is in big trouble. When she returns home one evening only to find the locks changed on the gates of their mansion, the security guard breaks the news: her famous producer husband has filed for divorce. And he’s not going to play fair. Trevor Nash wants custody of their tween daughter, Pep, but only for the sake of appearances. And Agnes can’t let him win. With the help of her ex-con sister, a Hollywood psychic, a ballsy female lawyer, and a host of friends and “frenemies,” Agnes realizes that when he changes the locks, she needs to change the rules. But a crisis can lead to opportunity, and for Agnes, this gigantic betrayal brings her to a crossroads that will have her asking herself what she really wants out of life, who she really wants to be, and which man she really loves. Told with Gigi Levangie’s sparkling dialogue and wit, Been There, Married That is a drop-dead hilarious battle of wills that will make you laugh out loud, cringe, and keep turning the pages to see what crazy disaster will happen to Agnes next…and how she’ll rise from the ashes.”
A somewhat depressing story but life is sometime depressing and the actors world does not always end in stardom, does it? Maybe our feeling on this one is because we read at the start of corona….
Summary courtesy of GOODREADS:
“From the Man Booker Prize–winner, a brilliant and moving novel about celebrity, sexual power, and a daughter’s search to understand her mother’s hidden truths.
Katherine O’Dell is an Irish theater legend. As her daughter Norah retraces her mother’s celebrated career and bohemian life, she delves into long-kept secrets, both her mother’s and her own.
Katherine began her career on Ireland’s bus-and-truck circuit before making it to London’s West End, Broadway, and finally Hollywood. Every moment of her life is a star turn, with young Norah standing in the wings. But the mother-daughter romance cannot survive Katherine’s past or the world’s damage. With age, alcohol, and dimming stardom, her grip on reality grows fitful and, fueled by a proud and long-simmering rage, she commits a bizarre crime.
Her mother’s protector, Norah understands the destructive love that binds an actress to her audience, but also the strength that an actress takes from her art. Once the victim of a haunting crime herself, Norah eventually becomes a writer, wife, and mother, finding her way to her own hard-won joy. Actress is finally a book about the freedom we find in our work and in the love we make and keep.”
We loved (again) another suspense novel from Mindy! It was suspenseful, sexy and a great story (set in Mpls!). Left guessing until the end!
Summary courtesy of Goodreads:
“From the critically acclaimed author of Leave No Trace, the “nail-biting page-turner that grabs you early and never lets go” (The Real Book Spy), comes a visceral thriller where a high stakes crime triggers a woman’s complicated and potentially deadly search for the truth.
Nora Trier catches thieves. As a forensic accountant and partner in her downtown Minneapolis firm, she’s unearthed millions in every corner of the world. She prides herself on her independence, the most essential currency of accounting, until her firm is hired by Strike.
An anti-corporate, feminist athletic empire, Strike is owned by Logan Russo, a brash and legendary kickboxer, and her marketing genius husband, Gregg Abbott. They’re about to host a major kickboxing tournament with twenty million dollars in prize money, and the chance for the champion to become the new face of the company. Gregg suspects his wife already has a new face in mind—a young trainer named Aaden, for whom Logan feels an unexpected connection.
Days before the tournament begins, it’s discovered that the prize money is missing. Gregg hires Nora’s firm to find both the thief and the money but Nora has a secret connection to Strike that threatens her independence. Her partner pressures her into taking the case anyway, hinting he has information about Strike that could change the course of the investigation in a shocking and deadly way.”
We both loved this book and it is perfect for fans of ME BEFORE YOU and ONE DAY --- a striking, powerful and moving love story following an ambitious lawyer who experiences an astonishing vision that could change her life forever.
Here’s the set up courtesy of Reading Group Guides:
“Where do you see yourself in five years? When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.
But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night --- December 15 --- but 2025, five years in the future.
After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind. That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.
Brimming with joy and heartbreak, IN FIVE YEARS is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship and the unpredictable nature of destiny.”
This book was recommended by the author of the Sun Down Motel and we enjoyed this dark twisty book. *Note: If you watched THE ACT on Hulu starring Patricia Arquette this novel is inspired by the true story of Dee Blanchard and her daughter, Gypsy. Book summation courtesy of AP: “The phenomenon Munchausen syndrome by proxy — in which a parent purposely makes a child ill to gain sympathy and attention — receives a fresh update in Stephanie Wrobel’s excellent debut. The psychological thriller “Darling Rose Gold” works well as an intense look at a dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship, a tale of manipulation and how one person’s devastating secrets and lies reverberate through a community and a family. For nearly 18 years, Patty Watts portrayed to the world that her daughter, Rose Gold Watts, suffered from debilitating illnesses that doctors seemed unable to cure, and fed on the sympathy of her friends and neighbors in her midwestern town of Deadwick. Fundraisers were held for “darling” Rose Gold to defray medical bills because caring for her daughter was Patty’s only job. In turn, Patty was there for others, volunteering at functions, garnering accolades for her generosity. “I don’t know how she does it,” was a frequent refrain. What happens is next is unbelievable.”
This is a really good creepy story which blends a mystery with a ghost story!
“The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.
Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn't right at the Sun Down, and before long she's determined to uncover all of the hidden secrets hidden!”
Summary courtesy of Goodreads
Propulsive and addictive, and perfect for fans of “You,” THE OTHER MRS. is the twisty new psychological thriller from Mary Kubica, the New York Times bestselling author of THE GOOD GIRL. This book is also being adapted for a tv show on Netflix. “She tried to run, but she can’t escape the other Mrs. Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie. But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.” Synopsis courtesy of Reading Group Guides
A very binge’able book! We promise, you will not want to put down once you start reading. There is no doubt this will be sold to Hollywood.
“A wry and cleverly observed debut novel about the privileged bubble that is Liston Heights High--the micro-managing parents, the overworked teachers, and the students caught in the middle--and the fallout for each of them when the bubble finally bursts.
Isobel Johnson knows helicopter parents like Julia Abbott--a stage mom whose world revolves around interfering in her children's lives--come with the territory. Julia resents teachers like Isobel, who effortlessly bond with students, including Julia's own teenagers, who have started pulling further away from her.
Isobel has spent her teaching career in Liston Heights side-stepping the community's high-powered families. But when she receives a threatening voicemail accusing her of Anti-Americanism and a "blatant liberal agenda," she realizes she's squarely in the fray. Rather than cowering, Isobel doubles down on her social-justice ideals. Meanwhile, Julia, obsessed with the casting of the high school's winter musical, inadvertently shoves the female student lead after sneaking onto the school campus. The damning video footage goes viral and has far-reaching consequences for Julia and her entire family.
With nothing to unite them beyond the sting of humiliation from public meltdowns, Isobel and Julia will find common ground where they least expect it, confronting a secret Facebook gossip site that's stirring up more trouble for this tumultuous, fractured school community.”*
*Summary courtesy of Goodreads.
We loved this dark twisted book!
BOOK BLURBS…. “A dark, delicious tale that will creep its way into your brain and leave you examining your own soul for signs of moral rot. I downed it in one greedy shot.” —Jade Chang, author of The Wangs vs. the World and “Tiffany Tsao’s visceral debut…reads a bit like Crazy Rich Asians if the book began with familicide instead of romance. . . Why not start off the new year with the perfect tear-it-all-down read?” —CrimeReads
“In this riveting tale about the secrets and betrayals that can accompany exorbitant wealth, two sisters from a Chinese-Indonesian family grapple with the past after one of them poisons their entire family. Gwendolyn and Estella have always been as close as sisters can be. Growing up in a wealthy, eminent, and sometimes deceitful family, they’ve relied on each other for support and confidence. But now Gwendolyn is lying in a coma, the sole survivor of Estella’s poisoning of their whole clan.
As Gwendolyn struggles to regain consciousness, she desperately retraces her memories, trying to uncover the moment that led to this shocking and brutal act. Was it her sister’s husbands abusive ways? Were the shifting loyalties and unspoken resentments at the heart of their opulent world too much to bear? Can Gwendolyn, at last, confront the carefully buried mysteries in their family’s past and the truth about who she and her sister really are?”….summary courtesy of Goodreads.
A mystery thriller from a first time novelist that kept us turning the pages as fast as we could!
“It’s 1941 in small-town Alaska and Elisabeth Pfautz is alone. She’s living far from home, struggling through an unhappy marriage, and she spends her days tutoring her precocious young daughter. Elisabeth’s twin sister disappeared without a trace twenty years earlier, and Elisabeth’s life has never recovered. Cryptic visions of her sister haunt her dreams, and Elisabeth’s crushing loneliness grows more intense by the day. But through it all, she clings to one belief: That her sister is still alive, and that they’ll be reunited one day.
And that day may be coming soon. Elisabeth’s world is upended when Alfred Seidel — an enigmatic German bush pilot — arrives in town and murders a local man in cold blood. Sitting in his cell in the wake of his crime, Alfred refuses to speak to anyone except for Elisabeth. He has something to tell her: He knows exactly what happened to her long-missing sister, but he’ll reveal this truth only if Elisabeth fulfills three requests.”…synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.
We loved this book so much. A drama and a mystery with incredible storytelling from one of our favorite authors.
“North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women's Correctional Center. Her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.
North Carolina, 1940: Anna Dale, an artist from New Jersey, wins a national contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton, North Carolina. Alone in the world and desperate for work, she accepts. But what she doesn't expect is to find herself immersed in a town where prejudices run deep, where people are hiding secrets behind closed doors, and where the price of being different might just end in murder.
What happened to Anna Dale? Are the clues hidden in the decrepit mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies?” - summary courtesy of Goodreads.
One of the most vivid first person accounts of wilderness survival we have read. The tale of six young men on a canoeing expedition in northern Canada—and the bear attack that almost killed one of them. “Messenger was 17 when he embarked on a journey with his comrades on a remote stretch of rivers and lakes in Nunavut, Canada. From the beginning, this chronicle is populated by original observations and salutes to a landscape rich with possibilities. The group spent the first few days getting used to the rhythm of outdoor life on the water, discovering a shortage in their food supplies, contending with heavy weather and swarms of insects, and making all the fundamental errors that mark the beginning of a trip. Messenger is equally comfortable describing flat water and rapids, great recycling whorls and standing waves of water studded with jagged rocks. It’s clear that the author and his buddies were immersed in the sheer effort of the undertaking. “We lost ourselves in the labor and exertion,” he writes. “We plodded on.” One day, while out walking the high ridges of the tundra alone, Messenger was attacked by a grizzly bear, a harrowing encounter that the author recounts in a highly compelling fashion. A shimmering account both as a travelogue of the deep north and vivid portrayal of a grizzly bear attack.” Kirkus Review
Definitely one of our top 10 books of 2019. This coming of age story takes place in mid-1970’s Missouri and has been described as “Stand By Me” meets “To Kill A Mockingbird” (and we agree with that description)! Racism, class and a murder mystery are all explored in this very poignant story The title comes from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. quote “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity”. Now we want Michael B. Jordan to option this book and make a movie!
This is a story about Dan Mayrocks and his life - which is at a crossroads. He loves his wife, he quit teaching to open a bookstore, they are having a baby, the store is failing and he has not told his wife….and the story is told entirely in lists. Hilarious, profound and delightful. Highly recommended. 4 stars
The work of Mike Nichols pervades American cultural consciousness—from The Graduate and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? to Angels in America, The Birdcage, Working Girl, and Primary Colors, not to mention his string of hit plays, including Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple. If that weren’t enough, he was also one half of the timelessly funny duo Nichols & May, as well as a founding member of the original improv troupe. Over a career that spanned half a century, Mike Nichols changed Hollywood, Broadway, and comedy forever.
Most fans, however, know very little of the person behind it all. Since he never wrote his memoirs, and seldom appeared on television, they have very little sense of his searching intellect or his devastating wit. They don't know that Nichols, the great American director, was born Mikail Igor Peschkowsky, in Berlin, and came to this country, speaking no English, to escape the Nazis. They don't know that Nichols was at one time a solitary psychology student, or that a childhood illness caused permanent, life-altering side effects. They don't know that he withdrew into a debilitating depression before he "finally got it right," in his words, by marrying Diane Sawyer.”
Be careful who you let in. Soon after her 25th birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am. She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well --- and she is on a collision course to meet them. Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy 10-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone (summary courtesy of Reading Group Guide). In THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS, the master of “bone-chilling suspense” (People) brings us the can’t-look-away story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest of secrets. We loved every page of this book – wow!
From the author of Girls Like Us, comes another great biography. This time about Carrie Fisher. This book is so good! Weller explores the life and career of this badass writer and actress. Carrie had bipolar disorder and is recognized for her legacy in being the groundbreaker in destigmatizing that in a very strong way. She threw the most sought-after parties in Hollywood. She was only 22 when she got together with Paul Simon who was 47. She played Princess Leia like a feminist hero when she was 19. Reads like fiction and is hard to put down. 3 stars
“Christopher is seven years old. Christopher is the new kid in town. Christopher has an imaginary friend.” So begins this story and this is the best set-up we can give you on this truly wild story which is equal parts heart, horror and hope. If you are a Stephen king fan (think the shining, the stand) you will love this book. NOTE: Stephen is the author THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (& directed the movie version). This is his 2nd novel. **The audible book is directed by the author and is recommended if u do not want to read that many pages…. 4 stars
The 18th novel from best-selling author Lisa Unger. This is a tight psychological thriller more “whydunit” than “whodunit”! The novel follows a new stay-at-home mom living what seems like a picture perfect life. With one small problem – a very dark secret from her past is about to be unearthed and with that we are introduced to a very compelling story. What happens with trauma and the deep seated idea of revenge? Hard to put down this book. 4 stars
One of the best thrillers of 2019! It all begins on a Monday when 4 people get on an elevator in a Manhattan office tower. Everyone presses a button then the elevator proceeds non-stop to the top. Once there it stops for a few seconds and then plummets. Right to the bottom of the shaft. It seems like just a random horrible accident until the same thing happens the next day in a different skyscraper. And then the next day in another building. Obviously, this is a bid to terrorize the city but why and who? Great characters, diabolical twists and heart pounding suspense. 4 stars
This is his first stand-alone book since 2013’s best-selling, award winning ORDINARY GRACE, and tells the epic story of four kids (all orphans) who embark on one helluva journey during the long summer of 1932. Unforgettable storytelling and so beautifully written. The themes of family, loss, love, forgiveness and being connected to the land and water are intertwined. 4 stars
The Gifted School is definitely one of our favorite books of 2019. Set in the fictional town of Crystal, Colorado - the novel tells the story of 4 friends who have good intentions as their parenting and high ambitions for the kids collide. Funny, smart, sharply observed and very juicy. We agree with the Wall Street Journal that this is the book that predicted the college-admissions scandal. It has been optioned as a TV series!! 5 stars
Picking up where he left off in his memoir “Sting-Ray Afternoons”, Steve shares more coming of age stories set in Bloomington MN. It is the time of MTV, mixed tapes and classic 80’s high school movies. Nostalgic, funny and a hilarious reminder of the agonies of your late teens and twenties and in what would be the end of an era – the 80’s.
We loved this book. The book starts out slow but the storytelling builds and it is wonderful. The backdrop is Bethelhem, PA and is about two steel executive’s and their families that spans from the giIlded age to the 1960’s. A family secret starts with a mother and a wife… in the course of this novel is a wonderful story of forgiveness and love with achingly real portrayals of every single character.
From the NY Times best-selling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood & The Woman in Cabin 10 comes Ruth Ware’s 5th book. A child is dead, Rowan is in prison and her story is told as flashbacks to a lawyer she is begging to take her case. Part thriller, part revenge and part ghost story with a poignancy that underlies Rowan’s storytelling. Also, like all of Ruth’s books, she always saves the best for the last page!
The thriller of 2019! This author has a Cinderella story and the book has been optioned by Paramount Pictures. To quote the author Don Winslow “this book is Jaws for parents.” And it is that as well as original, clever, empowering and twisty! Trust us when we say that you have never read anything like this book. 5 stars
Fiona Davis has captured the hearts of readers with the way she brings life to New York City landmarks through compelling historical fiction. Setting her sights on the Chelsea Hotel, she delves into the world of theater. The story centers around two friends, Hazel and Maxine. The two meet in Naples, Italy in an USO troupe entertainment troupe. After the war, Hazel becomes a budding playwright and Maxine a famous actress.. They unite to put on Hazel's first play on Broadway when the charge of Communism and McCarthy investigation impacts their lives. As the two women wrestle with wartime memories, fractured friendship, love, and trust, readers will find themselves immersed. It is also a reminder of what happens to people who are persecuted for their speech or opinion.
This is a story about a blue-blood 85 yr old grandmother (the rich & famous Genieveve London) who hasn’t spoken to her granddaughter Emma in 17 years. In what she deems is the last summer of her life, she reaches out to Emma and convinces her to return home for the summer so they can make amends and she can also know her great granddaughter, Riley who is 15. Moving and funny as well as exploring some deeply affecting topics (the loss of a child, estrangement, ageism), we highly recommend this book, this author!
It is hard to explain this book without sounding a little kooky but if you read the book “Helter Skelter”, what you think you know about the Manson murders may be wrong. This book is a result of 20 years of exhaustive research and investigative reporting. What becomes crystal clear to the author over time is that much of what we accept as fact in the best- selling crime novel of all time - is fiction. Not the who did it but the motive of why did these murders happen. What was the real relationship between Manson & Terry Melcher (Doris Day’s son)? Why was law enforcement so lax with Manson (who was on parole) over multiple arrests? What was story with Dennis Wilson (Beach Boys) and Manson. Why were so many Hollywood and music people suspicious of Manson immediately after the Manson murders yet “no one knew him”. Fascinating book.
Read it before you watch it! This fast paced psychological thriller about deception, dating and so much more has been optioned by Eva Longoria for a TV series. The story is about a woman who goes missing after a first date with a man she meets online. The timeline shifts back and forth between the actual date and the days after the date. Also interesting, the insight into repressed trauma and how it affects you later in life – no matter how much you think you are not thinking about it. We did not see the end coming! 4 stars
A meticulous history of New York’s iconic hotel, The Plaza Hotel. Just the name alone evokes images of “Eloise” and iconic movie scenes (Home Alone, North by Northwest to name just two,) the Palm Court, Capote’s famous Black & White Ball and many famous people. All of this is explored as well as the interesting ownership history, the scandals and the scams that happened at a fabulous hotel (that has always been a place where dogs are always welcome!).
Set in St. Paul between 1946 and Nov 1965, the novel follows the lives of 2 sisters, Eliza and Shannon Malone who are Irish “twins” and their close bond despite their different personalities. At 17 and 18, something traumatic happens to each sister that shapes the rest of their lives. This book covers realities and insights about motherhood, sisterhood, the stigma of the times for unwed mothers, illegitimate children and childless women. Weaved into the story, we also learn about a real life hero - Frances Perkins. The first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet during FDR’s presidency - she was a central figure to the New deal legislation including minimum wage laws, social security, unemployment compensation and child labor laws. This novel was inspired by Susan’s own experience (she spent the first days of her life in 1962 in the St. Paul Catholic Infants Home for unwed mothers & their babies and did not find out she was adopted until she was 46 years old).
An epic family novel set in both Manhattan and an island in Maine that moves through three generations back and forth in time (1936, 1959 & present day). In a way this book is a history of our country’s history with matters of race, class and politics. And asks how we remember and what we choose to forget. Sarah has written a stunning and beautifully told story that will linger in your mind long after you have closed the book. 5 stars
A feel-good romantic comedy that has a great premise (enemies to lovers!) and delivers some flirty fun. Twin sisters, two brothers, a wedding, a secret, a fake marriage and a very spicy romance - set in Minneapolis and Maui. If you are in need of a light breezy escape, this is your book. If you read Christina Lauren’s book, ROOMIES – that has been optioned by Jenna Dewan.
Jane Green along with Elin Hildebrand and Liane Moriarty is one of our fav authors! Her latest book will keep you reading all day at the pool, beach or porch. The story opens with a trio of 3 unlikely friends who meet at university and know they will be friends forever. But life as it does, gets in the way after graduation and they start to lose touch and forget what they envisioned when they were younger. And one of the characters, Evvie, a former child actress is also keeping a huge secret from her friends. 4 stars
A trio of adult sisters are coming to terms with their very complicated family history. We all experience and remember our family life differently and this book explores some deep and complicated issues that drive us all. Told with sweetness and with searing honesty about some difficult subjects (incarceration, eating disroders and domestic abuse) while at the same time being a gripping read.
This book has so much Hollywood wrapped around its pages that The Chateau is almost the narrator storyteller. Perfect summer read. Shawn weaves together historical research and firsthand accounts in an eye popping delicious way. And with 90 years of being in business, the walls are now talking! Jean Harlow, Marvin Gaye, John Belushi, Lindsay Lohan, Sharon Tate, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Cheever, the Sunset Strip, Bugsy Siegal…..4 stars
A very compelling and twisty new novel about a woman's complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in death...but what happens in between as the story is alternately narrated by both daughter-in-law and mother-in-law in past and present terms is what keeps the pages turning. Let’s just say that from the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, she knew she wasn’t the wife Diana had envisioned for her perfect son but everyone in this family is hiding something…Highly recommended (unless you are trying to get pregnant!).
A heartfelt and moving coming of age story. Movies have always helped Ethan, our protagonist. Maybe it's because movies help him make sense of real life, or maybe it's because movies are the one place he can go to still feel close to his dad, a film professor who died three years ago. Either way, it's a place worth fighting for, especially when developers threaten to tear the classic Green Street Cinema down to build a luxury condos.
So now it's up to the employees of the Green Street Cinema to save the place they love. And it's going to take a movie miracle if the Green Street is going to have a happy ending. And when Raina, Ethan's oldest friend (and possible soul mate?), comes home from Hollywood where she's been starring in B-movies, Ethan thinks that miracle just may have been delivered. This is a book that movies buffs, young adults and anyone who loves a great book will love. 4 stars
A charming, funny and sweet book about the effect a loved newspaper columnist has on the people of the small town of Granite Creek. Haze has chronicled her life and the real world life events in her column for 50 years. Haze is now in her 80’s and while in a coma, the town’s newspaper starts re-printing some of her columns with unexpected results and surprises. We fell in love with this book! And there really are a few recipes (which make sense in context). An excellent book club read too….. 4 stars
Inspired by the true story of Nazis living in plain sight in post WWII America. This incredible saga follows three storylines involving a Russian female bomber pilot, a battle haunted English journalist and a budding teenage photojournalist. Vividly written with rich detail and suspense, this book will have you turning the pages non-stop. If you loved The Lilac Girls, The Nightingale (or The Alice Network which Kate wrote) – this book is for you.
Told entirely from the perspective of the unnamed husband, this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage is at a crossroads - until they find something exciting to do together (which is murder). We could not put this book down and read in 2 days. If you love a well written compulsively thrilling twisty book, this is it! Reese Witherspoon needs to option this ASAP! 4 stars
After 20 years of marriage Matt and Marie have been through everything together and when they go on a romantic hiking trip to rekindle the relationship, only one of them comes back alive. Told in past and present tense from both characters, this is a twisty Hitchcockian novel of suspense that is insightful, sharp and will keep you turning the page! The movie rights were sold in November!. 4 stars
This story is set mostly in London 1947 and revolves around the friendship between 2 women (Nan and Vivian) who become friends while embroidering Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown. This is a moving and vivid story of the real-life design studio that made her dress and the incredible story of friendship, love and loss between the two women post WWII. Flash forward to Toronto 2016 when Nan’s granddaughter makes a startling discovery which leads her back to London to try and discover what really happened in Nan’s life...we loved every page. No doubt this is coming to TV. 4 stars
This is a dark drama with an unstable narrator telling her story which is that she is a poetry teacher who is unhappily childless and teetering on the brink of a very unhinged state. She hates her soon to be ex-husband with a passion and has an alarming preoccupation with the movie star actress who lives down the street. You will either love or hate this book. It has been optioned by Emily Mortimer for a limited tv series. 2 stars
From the authors of the best-selling A WIFE BETWEEN US comes another twisty suspense novel. When Jessica Farris sneaks into a psychology study conducted by Dr. Lindsay Shields she thinks it’s going to be just easy money by answering a few questions. But as the questions become more intense in each session and the money goes up, she finds herself in a web of mystery, obsession and deceit. What is real and what it not becomes the question. This book has been optioned for a TV series and their 1st novel has been optioned by Steven Spielberg. These women are on fire! 5 stars
Your worst family gathering could not be as bad as this gathering is. Alternately hilarious and poignant, this debut novel keeps you turning the page. Meet The Adults: Matt and Alex are no longer married but decide for the sake of their 8 year old daughter (who has an imaginary rabbit as a best friend), that they want to spend Christmas together with each other and their new partners. This book starts with the OMG ending and then told from each person’s viewpoint! 4 stars
Meet avant garde literary star, Eve Babitz. No one wrote about Hollywood like Eve and that’s because no one lived like her. This is a dishy splashy biography that started out as a story in Vanity Fair. Lili Anolik becomes obsessed with finding Eve and getting to know everything she could about her. The result is discovering an amazing woman who is the ultimate insider in LA, a true bohemian who enjoyed the power of her beauty, slept with a lot of men before they were famous (Harrison Ford, Jim Morrison, Steve Martin to name a few), and oh yeah wrote some incredible books that are resonating with young women right now. If you want to know who Eve is, here’s your book. 4 out of 5 stars
Historical fiction fans will love this book. Set in the late 30’s and into WWII, this family drama about 2 sisters (Ruth and Millie) is honest and poignant about the bond (or the lack) of between sisters. Rich in historical detail and beautifully written, this story explores family dynamics, loyalties and the tension that comes with secrets. Lynda also wrote “The Two-Family House”. 4 stars
The author of” Good is Gone” has a terrific 2nd novel of suspense out and we could not put it down. Dana Diaz is an aspiring stand-up comic – a woman in a “man’s world”. When she meets Amanda Dorn after bombing at a comedy night they realize they have a common bond. They both work in a male dominated field (Amanda is a computer programmer) and they have both been wronged. Then Amanda talks Dana into a plan….for revenge. What happens next simply has to be read. This is the first book of 2019 that Hollywood should be fighting over!
This is the authors 2nd book featuring a homicide cop (Buddy Lock) in New York City. We haven’t read the first one but this one is terrific. A Long Island fishing crew makes a horrific catch: the bodies of an Asian couple. Homicide cop Buddy Lock knows this is not some an accident. Then people start disappearing in Chinatown and from there this is a story of power and corruption told in a page turning suspenseful way. If you are a fan of Lucas Davenport (John Sandford), Harry Bosch (Michael Connelly) or Cork O’Conner (William Kent Krueger) then we have a new favorite detective for you!
The Dakota Winters is so sweet, funny and touching we were sad when we were done reading. Anton Winters, the narrator, is a 20 something in the 1980’s and his voice reminded us of Holden Caulfield. If you love the 80’s, anything with New York City as a character, enjoy bites of pop culture and love John Lennon, this charming story is for you. It reads like a faux memoir and you want this novel to be true so badly. 5 out of 5 stars.
The Dream Daughter,” by Diane Chamberlain, is a genuinely creative, captivating and unforgettable story that will have you on the edge of your seat wondering just how far a mother will go to save her child. Carly Sears is a young, pregnant woman in North Carolina in 1970. Hoping for a new beginning following the death of her husband in Vietnam, she moves in with her sister, Patti and brother-in-law Hunter in Nags Head, NC. But tragedy continues to follow her. Carly soon learns that the daughter she is carrying has a potentially fatal heart defect and nothing can be done to save her. But Hunter, a physicist with a mysterious past, tells Carly he believes he knows a way to save her unborn baby. Yet Hunter’s plan shatters everything Carly knows to be true. To save her child will require an unimaginable leap of faith, breathtaking courage, and risk everything she holds dear. P.S.. Thanks to Nancy Harris at Booksmart for a perfect recap.
A gorgeous sweeping story of a small town movie theater owner (Virgil Wander) on the North Shore who experiences something very dramatic in the opening pages of the book. This is a story of new beginnings, amazing characters and beautiful storytelling. We also found the story to be funny, sweet and poignant. This is Leif’s 3rd novel…. Peace Like a River and So Brave, Young and Handsome are the other 2 books. 5 out of 5 stars
NY times best-selling author, Liane Moriarty, is one of our fav authors: Big Little Lies, What Alice Forget and Truly, Madly, Deeply to name a few. Her latest book (already optioned by Nicole Kidman) welcomes 9 people to Tranquillum House, a health and wellness retreat that promises a life changing transformation in 10 days. The main character is Frances, a writer who is failing at love as well as eight other interesting people. Then there is Masha, the mysterious and charismatic owner of the resort with some very draconian rules. This book is poignant, funny & tense. Julia really liked the audio version as well. 5 out of 5 stars.
Alone at The Top is the story of artic explorer and mountaineer, Minnesotan Lonnie Dupree’s attempt to summit Mt. Denali in the middle of winter. It took him 4 attempts and he finally soloed on his 4th attempt. We tore through this book because it was exciting and there is no way we are ever going to do this. But we are fascinated at people who do incredible feats that involve taking on nature. If you love true life adventure stories this book is for you. 5 out of 5 stars.
This debut novel had us up late at night tearing through the pages. Comparisons to the Handmaid’s Tale are inevitable but this dystopian story is compelling, riveting and a cautionary tale that will wake you up. Our hearts were racing reading this. Easily one of the best books of the year. 5 out of 5 stars.
You may or may not be familiar with Dessa through her music as a singer & hip hop MC with Doomtree but either way get ready to enjoy her debut memoir about her life. Written with a thoughtful eye for detail (her love life) and describing her life in profound, funny or delightful ways (every story she shares), Dessa dazzled us with her storytelling and lyrical wordsmithing. We are ready to everything she writes.
5 out of 5 stars
This is a fast paced psychological thriller about ambition, obsession and what happens when the lies we tell ourselves can no longer be distinguished from the truth. A character driven novel w/ so many twists and surprises you will not want to put it down. It all starts when a 18 yr. old Lucas Blackthorn, (thought to be dead for over tens years) shows up at the Condon Psychiatric Facility the city of Duluth. Everyone wants to know where he has been, where is his father and how did they survive off the grid? Then a former Condon patient, Maya is assigned to get Lucas to speak. Sparks fly. Fans of books like Gone Girl and A Woman in the Window will love this book. 4 stars
This is a story of friendship, love and betrayal. And we agree with Lorna Landvik’s assessment of The Witness Tree….”it is a deeply satisfying character-driven novel”. This story is beautifully written and so compelling that you cannot stop turning the page. 5 out of 5 stars.
Jessie Sloane is forced to question who she is in this emotionally charged thriller by the best selling author of “The Good Girl”, Mary Kubica.
Jessi discovers a shocking detail that causes her to doubt her everything she has ever known about her life. While figuring out her story, Jessie tumbles down a rabbit hole and both Jessie and “ the reader” don’t know what is real and what isn’t.
3.5 stars
A rowdy and vividly dishy memoir by the only woman on the masthead of Rolling Stone magazine in the '60s. Stories include stalking the Grateful Dead, sparring with Dennis Hopper, scandalizing fans of David Cassidy and sleeping with a Kennedy. Also: Robin's experience writing for TV (Northern Exposure), writing and producing THE SOPRANOS, and creating Blue Bloods. 5/5 stars