That Summer (Jennifer Weiner)

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I have thoroughly enjoyed the other Jennifer Weiner books that I've read and That Summer did not disappoint! It's the story of Daisy, a married woman and mom, working as a cooking teacher. And it's the story of Diana, a woman still trying to process a past traumatic event. The two women's lives collide and That Summer is the tale of revelation, redemption, and consequences.

The book is full of #MeToo references, which makes it all the more relevant. It's written in the popular contemporary style of showing each character's perspective in separate chapters. There are a minimal number of characters, which helps eliminate confusion, and the story is well written and compelling. I read it in record time because I couldn't wait to find out how the problem would be resolved. I was not totally satisfied with the ending - I might have perhaps added another chapter to explain those details. 

Highly recommend to other fans of Jennifer Weiner!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

The Plot (Jean Hanff Korelitz)

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BEST BOOK I HAVE READ THIS YEAR!!! Loved this incredible story of Jake, a struggling writer and how he was "inspired" to write a best selling novel. Jake lives with a secret and someone is threatening to expose it.  His whole career and reputation are on the line. He must get to the bottom of these accusations and what he ultimately discovers is shocking! This is a book that literally gave me anxiety until I finished it. I was on the edge of my seat proclaiming "I didn't see that comin'!" 

The book is incredibly well written, and the characters are kept to a minimum. The "plot" is complicated, and I had to reread some of the story just to keep it straight in my mind - I think maybe Korelitz maybe wanted me to have to do that. I LOVED everything about this book. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review The Plot! 

The Newcomer (Mary Kay Andrews)

 This is a fun, yet somewhat predictable read - the story of Lettie, her niece, Maya, and their adventures in solving the murder of Lettie's sister, Tanya. I enjoyed the Florida beach setting, and the light romance that is woven throughout the tale. This story is well written, but should probably been edited down by about 25%. I found myself skimming here and there without missing any of the important details. 

I recommend The Newcomer to women, and especially those on a vacation. The chapters are short and manageable, and there is a limited number of characters, so one can pick up the book and put it down without having to reread at all.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Newcomer.

A Stranger on the Beach (Michele Campbell)

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OMG - I didn't see that comin'!!  What a roller coaster ride A Stranger on the Beach turned out to be! Caroline steps out of her troubled marriage and has a little fling with Aiden, The Stranger. After that, no one really knows who to trust, or what the real truth is. This exciting story is written in a back and forth format between Caroline's and Aiden's perspectives. It kept me guessing until the end!
 

I got quite confused with the events at one point, but after finishing the book, I understand why the "confusion" is in the story. Highly recommend for readers who love a complex and suspenseful tale! 

Thank you, NetGalley!

Mrs. Everything (Jennifer Weiner)

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Mrs. Everything is the VERY LONG story of the lives of two sisters and their mistakes and accomplishments as their live their lives through the decades. It's the story of women who don't necessarily fit into cultural norms. It takes the reader through the demonstrations and drugs of the 1960s and 70s and the ramifications of poor / questionable decisions made during those formative years. Weiner writes of relationships that come and go, and the ultimate joy and love of family.

I think that maybe Jennifer Weiner tried to accomplish too much with this story. It seemed like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Though I enjoyed reading this story (in record time!) I felt a little annoyed with the seemingly endless negative issues in the lives of all the characters. Having said that, the ending was satisfying.

This book will appeal to women readers who love very deep narrative type stories of family members with complex relationships. Also, I especially enjoyed the "hippie" parts, having lived through that decade!

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read Mrs. Everything.

Dear Edward (Ann Napolitano)

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Blogger's note: This is my MOST favorite book that I've ever gotten to read and review for NetGalley! You will absolutely love it!

Can I give this book 10 stars? This beautiful story of Eddie/Edward is the best one I've read in A LONG time! Ann Nepolitano takes her readers through the emotional rollercoaster of a boy's journey to healing after he loses everything. It is incredibly well scripted, and touches an ALL emotions. I was joyfully teary numerous times as the people in Edward's life contributed whatever they may have had to help him. I loved the back and forth in time of the chapters. I love that each character was well developed and relatable. I love the lessons learned, not only by Edward, but by those who loved him, and needed to be a part of him. I cried heartfelt tears with the way the story ended. I LOVE THIS BOOK!
 

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading Dear Edward! I will recommend it to all my bibliophiles! 

The Deserter (Nelson DeMille; Alex DeMille)

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I have read and enjoyed almost all of DeMille's previous novels, and I can say that The Deserter did not disappoint! I loved Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor and their endeavors in hunting down Kyle Mercer, an Army captain caught up in a horrible wartime situation. DeMille's description of Venezuela was educational, and I felt like I was there, with the all the poverty and political unrest, and the dangers in the jungle. The story itself is quite long and is a very tangled web. I had to go back and reread several major portions of the book, which is something I don't remember having to do with previous DeMille novels. DeMille's "tongue in cheek" humor makes reading a pleasure and lightens up the intensity of the story. I highly recommend The Deserter to readers who have time to devote to a lengthy and satisfying criminal investigation adventure set on foreign soil. 

Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.