I know that I did a books post earlier this month but that was to catch up from December. This list starts off reading for 2020!
And, I will start putting which platform I used to read or listen to a book.
SYNOPSIS-Her sister has been dead for fifteen years when she sees her on the TV news…Josie Bianci was killed years ago on a train during a terrorist attack. Gone forever. It’s what her sister, Kit, an ER doctor in Santa Cruz, has always believed. Yet all it takes is a few heart-wrenching seconds to upend Kit’s world. Live coverage of a club fire in Auckland has captured the image of a woman stumbling through the smoke and debris. Her resemblance to Josie is unbelievable. And unmistakable. With it comes a flood of emotions—grief, loss, and anger—that Kit finally has a chance to put to rest: by finding the sister who’s been living a lie. After arriving in New Zealand, Kit begins her journey with the memories of the past: of days spent on the beach with Josie. Of a lost teenage boy who’d become part of their family. And of a trauma that has haunted Kit and Josie their entire lives. Now, if two sisters are to reunite, it can only be by unearthing long-buried secrets and facing a devastating truth that has kept them apart far too long. To regain their relationship, they may have to lose everything.
MY THOUGHTS-I enjoyed this book. The suspense kept me interested and the characters were not shallow. Without giving too much away, the book deals with modern day themes which can help you think about how you might handle these situations. I like books where everyone is flawed (like real life) and this book does not disappoint in that area. (AUDIBLE)
SYNOPSIS-This House Is Haunted is a striking homage to the classic nineteenth-century ghost story. Set in Norfolk in 1867, Eliza Caine responds to an ad for a governess position at Gaudlin Hall. When she arrives at the hall, shaken by an unsettling disturbance that occurred during her travels, she is greeted by the two children now in her care, Isabella and Eustace. There is no adult present to represent her mysterious employer, and the children offer no explanation. Later that night in her room, another terrifying experience further reinforces the sense that something is very wrong.
From the moment Eliza rises the following morning, her every step seems dogged by a malign presence that lives within Gaudlin’s walls. Eliza realizes that if she and the children are to survive its violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall’s long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past. Clever, captivating, and witty, This House Is Haunted is pure entertainment with a catch.
MY THOUGHTS-This book is so unbelievably stupid!!! I read it for one of my book clubs and we had a great time discussing how stupid it was. There was even discussion as to whether or not it was supposed to be this stupid. There were parts where we all laughed out loud but don’t think that was the intention. Thrillers and mysteries are partly judged on their ability to hold the suspense while the author gives you small pieces to try and figure out what’s happening. We all figured out very quickly (and easily) what was happening and why. I couldn’t believe that it was that easy and kept waiting for the surprise twist. Well, the surprise was that there was NO twist!! (HOOPLA-audible)
SYNOPSIS-At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life—sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition—its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.
MY THOUGHTS-This book is one that kind of sticks to you. It is at times uncomfortable and other times maddening. I read this for another book club. It was published in 2008 and was part of Oprah’s book club. It is having a bit of a revival as the 2nd book, Olive, Again was just recently published and released. Olive is a hard woman to like at times and at others is just really human. Her compassion is tinged with hardness but it is genuine. I went back and forth with whether I liked her or not. I don’t believe that you have to like a main character in order to like a book but Olive is a tough cookie. Ultimately, I decided that I did like her but wouldn’t want to be friends with her. I do recommend this book. It is well written and the descriptions really come to life. I’m looking forward to the second book! (LIBBY-audible)
Do you have any book recommendations? Share in the comments!
