December, 2015

“Stars Over Sunset Boulevard” by Susan Meissner         

After moving to Hollywood, Violet finds a roommate, Audrey. Audrey and Violet both work as secretaries in the movie industry. When Gone With the Wind begins filming, Violet begins to come into her own. She finds a boyfriend, Audrey’s best friend, and quickly does anything and everything to win him over. Once they marry and move away, Violet adopts Audrey’s child.

     I enjoyed the scenes revolving around Gone With the Wind. It was an interesting glimpse into the movie world. However, I really disliked Violet. She was so insecure and a rotten friend. Overall, well written and engaging. 4 out of 5 stars.

“The Passenger” by Lisa Lutz         

After finding her husband dead at the bottom of the stairs, Tanya grabs her stuff and flees. She takes on a new alias, dies her hair and moves from place to place. All the while, her past unfolds, explaining why she fled and what she is fleeing.

     Overall, this was a pretty intriguing concept. Tanya had an interesting voice, and was a neat character. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, but otherwise, it was a good read.

“Hanover House” by Brenda Novak         

Evelyn has studied psychopaths, ever since she survived an attack as a child. She has made arrangements for a psychiatric hospital to open in Alaska, a facility dedicated to studying psychopaths.

     I thought this was an interesting premise. I would be interested in reading more in this series. However, Evelyn just didn’t seem real. Her budding relationship with Amarok lacked realism. I’m not sure this is the greatest book to debut the series with. Overall, only so-so.

“My Name is Lucy Barton” by Elizabeth Strout         

While Lucy is recovering from an operation, her mother visits with her in the hospital. The author unravels Lucy story slowly, as she visits with her mother. This book was beautifully written. Something about it was just captivating. It had a sad nostalgic feel to it. Overall, well worth reading.

“Fast into the Night” by Debbie Clarke Moderow         

Debbie and her dogs race in the Iditarod. After being unable to finish the first time, she takes a year off, for her husband to race. Debbie and her dogs come back strong the second time. I thought this was an interesting book, but it seemed to be missing something. Debbie’s struggles seemed easy to overcome, and I know that they weren’t. Overall, not a bad book, but not a great book either.

“The Word Game” by Steena Holmes

After Alyson’s daughter Lyla comes home from her first sleepover, Alyson is disturbed by some of the things she mentions. Alyson confronts her sister, Tricia, the chaperone. I’m not really sure what to say about this book. I hope adults don’t act like this. I thought their responses were completely wrong. In a world where sexual abuse is prevalent, I didn’t understand their hesitation in confronting the issue head on. It is much better to protect the child than to worry about gossip and reputation. Overall, a bust.

“Eleanor” by Jason Gurley         

When Eleanor’s twin, Esmerelda is killed in a car accident, Eleanor’s family spiral’s out of control. Her parents separate, her mother hits the bottle, and she is left to fend for herself. One day, the world seems to shimmer, and Eleanor walks through a doorway and finds herself in an odd landscape. This happens several times throughout her life, until she realizes that Esmerelda is trying to contact her.

     This was an odd, yet fascinating book. I just couldn’t put it down. The afterlife was portrayed in a unique way. Eleanor’s relationships with those around her were interesting and compelling. Overall, well worth picking up.

“Sisi: Empress on Her Own” by Allison Pataki         

This book details the life of Sisi, the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph. Stifled by the strict protocols of royalty, she tries to escape through travel whenever she can. However, this often leads to a strain between Sisi her family and the masses.

     Overall, this was a pretty good book. However, there was nothing particularly special about it. . It seemed to read along the same lines as any historical/monarchy book. Overall, three out of five stars.