★★★★☆ Jason and Lucinda Bennett have a quiet, suburban life with their two children, Allison and Ethan. Everything changes one night when Jason is driving his family home from Allison’s field hockey game, and the car is suddenly and inexplicably chased.
Month: June 2023
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
★★★★★ I was browsing a bookstore while vacationing in Canada when I ran across Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. I had previously read Station Eleven by her, and though it was well-written, it wasn’t my favorite. Sea of Tranquility was different.
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
★★★★☆ I knew I was in for a treat with Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins when the clerk at the bookstore commented on what a fun read it would be. I was purchasing a stack of six books and she singled this one out as the one I would want to read right away.
The Perfect Ruin by Shanora Williams
★★☆☆☆ I downloaded this book from Libby during a recent trip because it was immediately available, and the tropical image on the cover gave me vacation vibes. It turns out that the palm tree and the colors on the cover were the best part of this book.
Secrets They Never Told by Kayla Hicks
★★★★☆ Secrets They Never Told by Kayla Hicks is a heartwarming story about 18 year old Sadi who is preparing for a new stage in her life after the tragic death of her parents. Sadi is a lovable character - you can’t help but to want her to find peace and happiness. Her best friend, Parker, is also an endearing character. Everyone needs someone like him in their lives.
Shampoo and Condition by M.L. Ortega
★★★☆☆ Shampoo and Condition is book two in M.L. Ortega’s Conditions cozy mystery series. When her estranged sister-in-law drops dead while getting her hair shampooed at the salon, Maggie Chessman gets involved in the investigation when her brother becomes a suspect. The characters, especially Maggie and her best friend Jane, are fun and the premise grabbed my attention from the beginning.
Effortless by Greg McKeown
★★★☆☆ I listened to McKeown’s book Essentialism and it was a game changer for me. I wanted more of his wisdom on how to simplify my life and get more with less effort. Unfortunately, Effortless: Make it Easier to Do What Matters Most wasn’t as revolutionary as Essentialism.
The Guidal: Unearthing Secrets by Roxy Eloise
★★★★☆ The Guidal: Unearthing Secrets is the second book in Roxy Eloise’s dystopian series, which she began publishing after landing a contract in a Twitter pitch event. In The Guidal, we return to Boulderfell Institute, where Aurora makes a shocking discovery.
Putting Self-Doubt into Checkmate
A few years ago during a planning retreat, I had the opportunity to play a senior colleague in chess. Despite being a pretty decent player myself, my colleague had me in checkmate in just a few moves. What did I learn from my swift defeat?
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
★★★★☆ Barbara Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors. The Poisonwood Bible makes my list of top ten favorite books of all time, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and Flight Behavior both stand out among the hundreds of books I’ve read in my lifetime. I was thrilled when I heard she had a new book coming out.