The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Everyone loved this book and I … didn’t. I hate when that happens.
Her Final Breath by Robert Dugoni
I believe I discovered Dugoni through a Kindle promotion and now I’m two books into his Tracy Crosswhite series. I’ve always liked thrillers and his are well-plotted and unpredictable. If you like thrillers and are looking for a good series, I highly recommend this one. I’m kind of bummed I have to wait until May for the next installment (May! That’s so far away!).
A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
Another series I love – Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce! I know I can always count on these books to provide a good story and a fun escape. Eleven year-old Flavia is hilarious and witty. There are few pleasures like a reliable series of books.
Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
Set in the town of Rossmore, Ireland, this book tells the story of an impending highway construction plan that would cause the demolition of a local shrine through the eyes of several different townspeople. I loved following along and read the book quickly to get back to my favorite narrators and hear the rest of their side of the story.
The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory
December was a month of reading books by authors I know and love. I’ve been reading Philippa Gregory forever and have yet to find a book by her I didn’t like.
This book tells the story of Kateryn Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VII. As with all historical novels, there’s the dramatic irony of knowing the ending before the characters do (you will survive, Kateryn!) but Gregory did a great job of making me nervous for that outcome.
The Prettiest One by James Hankins
This book opens with the protagonist, Caitlin Sommers, alone in a deserted parking lot covered in blood and devoid of her memory – the perfect set-up for a thriller. The book takes us through Caitlin’s past to reveal the causes for her current situation. It was a quick, enjoyable read.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
I’m working my way through all of Moriarty’s books. I love them. I clearly like finding reliable authors and gobbling up their oeuvres.
This book starts with the protagonist, Alice, awakening with no memory of the past ten years (hmm, just noticing that I read two books in a row where the protagonist is immediately faced with this dilemma). Alice is distraught to learn about her current situation – the life she’s built over the past ten years she’s forgotten – and seeks to rediscover how she arrived at this place.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Ah, a boon from the library – two books from my holds list in rapid succession!
This book centers around the relationship between three women whose children attend the same local kindergarten. We see the difference between the person they portray to one another and who they really are when public masks are off. Their stories are interwoven with the dialogue from a police investigation of a murder and slowly weave towards the night the crime took place.
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp
I got this book at the Printer’s Row Lit Fest (one of my favorite street festivals in Chicago) this past summer in anticipation of my impending newborn. While there was definitely a fair amount of fluff (and silly pictures), the core of the book is solid – easy to understand methods to calm a crying baby.
Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month by the American College of Gynecologists
I’ve been reading this book chapter by chapter (month by month, if you will) since the early part of my pregnancy. It was free from my OB, so I felt it came with the weight of her recommendation behind it. It was straightforward and easy to understand – just what I needed at a time when too much information out there can cause some panic.
The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh
I’m so … confused by this book. I loved the premise and the first 60% but this mystical sub-story introduced at the beginning of the book grew larger and larger until it consumed the narrative. Perhaps it wasn’t such a sub-story after all.