The Other Side of Now

 

Meg Bryan stars in a hit tv show called Brilliance. She is beautiful, famous, rich and turning thirty. Meg has everything she has ever wanted but is in desperate need of a break from the lights and cameras. She randomly books a week at a charming cottage on the coast of Ireland. When Meg arrives she is cold, wet, starving and heads to the nearest pub. At first, some local folks give Meg a funny look and when she retrieves her phone from the bartenders charger its her phone, but her old phone from a decade earlier. How can this be? And the hunky bartender with the irresistible accent? He knows her too. Avalon is the town where Meg and her best friend Aimee almost went to college. Inseparable since adolescence they wanted to study theater and travel the world. But Aimee did not get in and Meg would never leave her behind, hence, the path not taken. Back at the cottage where Meg magically knows where things are, she scrolls through the many photos on her phone. Her past is flashing in front of her eyes and many she has no knowledge of, a puppy, friends and boyfriend (hunky bartender!). When Meg examines her face in the mirror its the old Meg, the pre- Hollywood Meg. Like sliding doors, Meg is staring at her parallel life, one where her best friend Aimee is alive, married and living just a few minutes away. As Meg figures out how to maneuver through this new world she finds the answers to questions she buried long ago. Although I think the author had a hard time winding down towards the ending, I absolutely adored the premise and wonderful characters. Highly recommend this delightful summer read!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What Kind of Paradise

Jane Williams has never known any other life than the one she has led in a Montana cabin with her father Saul, since she was four years old. They hunt, chop wood and live off the grid, but for a phone line he installed for emergencies, they have little to no contact with the outside world. Jane is homeschooled which means she hunts, chops wood and learns anything her father is in the mood to teach. With three Harvard degrees it could be any subject in science, history or philosophy. Jane is also a whiz at math. As Jane becomes a teenager her father’s mysterious ways shine a light on all the things they are missing. She accompanies him into town to get supplies and befriends a girl in the bookstore. Jane begins to wonder about other young people her age, what they do and what they think. She is an avid reader and gleans what life could be like through books. Jane begins to explore his locked office when he is not at home. She is confused by a photo of her supposedly dead mother as the back inscription has a different name. Saul becomes more withdrawn and his rants about technology worsen, he truly believes modern society is being destroyed. Jane begins to devise a plan, partly to find proof of her mother’s death and more specifically to escape the precious cocoon that has become a trap. A fine line between what the internet can do for our world and the dangers of our addiction to even the simplest devices. Mesmerizing doomsday peek at an intimate father daughter relationship and the impact of technology. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Death of Us

When Edward and Isabel are thirty years old they are victims of a violent crime. They survive, but barely. They both go on to have successful careers but ultimately this traumatic event ties up their emotions in such a way that destroys their marriage. There is nothing slow burn about this. Home invasion, serial killer, decades of ongoing fear and finally an ex husband and wife reunite for a trial 28 years later. They connect in a way that outsiders cannot understand. Their love is deep and as their hearts explore these emotions, Isabel and Edward prepare to speak at the trial and must relive the day that has defined them. Half way through I wish I never started this book - but I was in and could not put it down. Horrifically disturbing premise, wonderfully intelligent characters and excellent writing.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Atmosphere

Joan Goodwin has always been a science nerd, madly in love with the stars since she was a little girl. As an adult Joan is teaching at a university when her sister Barbara alerts her of an opportunity at NASA that will include women for the very first time in history. Although Joan is not accepted into that particular program, her dream of space becomes a reality when she is finally brought into a group of astronaut candidates in the summer of 1980. This small group of women scientists are surrounded by male egos and military pilots - well aware of their aspirations and limitations, the women must always do their very best. Joan is not only smart and kind, she is a team player that quickly rises in the ranks. Alongside the space, rocket and astronomy lessons scattered throughout the story we watch Joan explore a sexual awakening she never dreamed possible. As Joan creates close relationships with her crew, whose lives literally depend upon each other, she also deals with a difficult sister who unexpectedly gives her more and more responsibility raising her beloved niece Frances. I was pulled into this story quickly but midway it meandered off course and left me orbiting in space. Unfortunately, I think I am searching for Daisy Jones every time I pick up the latest book by Reid, and I am sorely disappointed. ⭐⭐⭐