Where She Went

By Gayle Forman   The sequel to bestseller "If I Stay"

continues the saga and love story shared by Mia and Adam. Mia has gone off to Julliard to become the cellist she was meant to be, while Adams dreams come true and his rock band takes off to unexpected heights. Three years have passed and Mia and Adam have lost all contact while leading separate lives and following their dreams. But the past still haunts them both. The friendship and intimacy they shared cannot be forgotten and chances bring them together again in NYC. Adam has a delayed flight, Mia is performing at Carnegie Hall and their paths cross as the truth and the future lays out before them. This is a quick enjoyable read and great conclusion to If I Stay, which I adored. If characters tend to stay put in your mind long after the book ends, it is fun to read how things might have turned out.  If I Stay took the reader to unexpected places and Where She Went is much more predictable but I am glad I read them both!  BUY TODAY!!
Where She Went (If I Stay)

The Gravity of Birds

By Tracy Guzeman  Alice and Natalie, sisters growing

up in the 1960's, spend a month with their parents at a rented lake house. Next door lives a charismatic artist named Thomas Bayber, whom intrigues both the girls and their parents. Alice, an avid birdwatcher and only 13 yrs old, finds this handsome stranger an intellectual that she has instant chemistry with as Thomas listens to Alice and doesn't dismiss her thoughts as adolescent. Natalie, a 17 yr old manipulative beauty immediately begins her game of cat and mouse. And so begins an affair of sorts between two sisters and one man that changes all of their lives forever. 35 years later, a search begins for an infamous painting of the girls that Thomas has kept hidden. As the end of his life is drawing near Thomas must find the missing pieces and the missing girls. Tales of the heart, lies, deceit and cover ups have slowly eaten away at the love/hate relationship Natalie and Alice share. Professor Finch and an art expert Stephen Jameson step in to uncover the mystery that lies behind the painting, the artist and the subjects portrayed. This novel explores many different relationships and an artists life. Highly recommend this excellent writing, though keep in mind it is neither light nor quick.  BUY TODAY!!
The Gravity of Birds: A Novel

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

By Neil Gaiman   A fable set in Sussex England and a

parallel world with delightful quirky characters. When a middle aged man returns to his childhood neighborhood for a funeral, he finds himself on a bench by the "ocean" down the lane. It is on this bench that his mind travels back to his childhood, back to when he was seven years old and his friend Lettie Hempstock saved his life and changed it forever. This Narnia-like magic world spliced so perfectly with reality that the reader must pay very close attention to these beautiful words and characters to follow along. Reflecting on ones own childhood, it is interesting to contemplate why we remember some very specific details from our lives and others not at all. As Old Mrs. Hempstock quotes in the story, "you'll never get any two people to remember the same thing." I highly recommend this novel, it is both easy and unique in every way. I personally have not read many fantasy like stories and was extremely surprised how enjoyable this read was. BUY TODAY!!
The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel

The Girl You Left Behind

By Jojo Moyes   The lives of two beautiful women living

during two very different centuries collide on a path to finding out the truth about the world and about themselves. This novel finds Sophie, a French woman during WWI in a small village that is occupied by the Germans. Her artist husband Eduard is off fighting the war and she lives with her sister Helene to help run the family hotel Le Coq Rouge. The women become somewhat hostage to the German group as the Kommandant takes an unwelcome liking to Sophie and uses their hotel as a dining hall for his soldiers every evening. The fear and discomfort is palpable and Sophie must trust her instincts to see how far she can use this "friendship" to provide for and save her family. Liv, a sad widow at 32, lives in London in an apartment made of glass designed by her beloved lost husband. She looks out these humungous glass windows as the world turns around her, but sadly she is not a part of that world. Liv has removed herself to an isolated existence with few friends and little to fill her days. Until Liv meets Paul and the sun begins to shine once again. These two very different worlds are pulled together by history and chance over a painting of The Girl. A portrait of Sophie hanging on Liv's wall that haunts her very soul but may be the answer to her release, and Sophie's too.  This story is filled with fantastic characters who find their way deep into the readers heart and imagination. Ms. Moyes keeps the twists and turns of the past moving quickly as her beautiful words of love and loss and hope fill the pages. Highly recommend this excellent novel. Okay, readers I hear you. Only once in awhile do books like Me Before You come along. They are few and far between and it is hard to describe "why" but this is a good book and we must support this extraordinary writer. BUY TODAY! You will not be disappointed!!
The Girl You Left Behind

Swimming at Night

By Lucy Clarke  Two sister's learn the about the devastating line

between love and hate, need and want, true happiness and contentment. Katie and Mia grow up in Cornwall England with their loving mother in a small house near the sea. Katie, the older sister by three years, has spent her well disciplined life looking out for Mia, teaching her, guiding her and secretly wishing for just a small bit of the freedom and energy emanating from Mia's life. Mia desperately wants to be like her older sister, following her, admiring her yet constantly disappointing her. Well, at least thats the way they see it. Irresponsible Mia is found dead at the bottom of a cliff in Bali. Katie discovers hers sisters infamous journal in her belongings and decides the only way to understand this tragedy is to follow in her sisters footsteps. Keeping the journal close to her heart, Katie learns of the twists and unexpected turns Mia's life had taken the last few months. She feels closer to Mia than ever and as she finds the answers to life's most difficult questions she also discovers who she really is. This novel is filled with sibling psyche, romance, friendship and magnificent scenery. It's got it all! HIGHLY recommend this excellent read, you will not want to put it down!! BUY NOW!
Swimming at Night: A Novel

Pictures of the Past

By Deby Eisenberg  It is 1937 and Taylor Woodmere of Chicago,

is sent to Europe on behalf of his fathers successful business. While traveling he meets and falls madly in love with Sarah Berger, beautiful daughter of a Jewish business associate from Berlin. He presents her with a gift of a magnificent painting by Henri Lebasque that she will possess until they could be together again. And so begins this generational saga engrossing the reader from WWII to present day. Chapters flashing back and forth in time with the lives of Taylor, his disastrous son Courtland and finally his children and grandchildren as well.  Descriptive scenes of the Worlds Fair in 1937, the rise of Hitler, and resistance movement that followed changed all their lives forever. Later when the infamous painting is donated to The Chicago Museum of Art its provenance is questioned and history and love reach back more than 70 years to find the answers and the truth. I recommend this novel if you desire a simplistic historical quick read. It is not a blockbuster but is good. BUY NOW!
Pictures of the Past

Fin & Lady

By Cathleen Schine    It is 1964 and Fin Hadley, an orphan

has come to NYC to live with his new guardian and long lost older sister named Lady. Lady, an exotic free spirited intellectual searching for love and acceptance in a world filled with rules and war. Fin is eleven years old. He has spent most of his childhood on a dairy farm in Connecticut. Fin just wants to have a family and feel safe. He just wants to be loved. Fin watches out for Lady as much as Lady watches out for Fin. Then there is Mabel, the negro maid that does not want to discuss civil rights, thinks these people are generally nuts and loves them more than anything in the world. "Uncles" Tyler, Biffi and Jack, potential suitors for Lady, Phoebe the girl across the street whom Fin confides and joins in his escapades. A colorful novel filled with witty fun and adventure, love and loss. A warm, delicious story from beginning to end, highly recommended! BUY OR DOWNLOAD TODAY!!
Fin & Lady: A Novel

The Woman Upstairs

By Claire Messud       Nora Eldridge is a 37 year old schoolteacher

living in the suburbs of Boston. She has been a good girl, a good daughter and a good friend - all of her life. And she has been waiting. Waiting for true happiness. Waiting to find that magic moment when a person realizes their purpose. And she is waiting. And Nora is getting angry and bitter while she waits. When Nora meets the Shahid family her life dramatically changes. Each member, husband, wife and child become significant to Nora in their unique way and Nora becomes obsessed with their very being. This book is a quiet, intense probe into the workings of an ordinary woman searching for an extraordinary life. Claire Messud is a magnificent writer, I found there were sentences I had to read over and over. She slowly brings the reader closer and closer to the heart of the truth. Highly recommend this excellent read. BUY NOW!
The Woman Upstairs

Crazy Rich Asians

By Kevin Kwan  After two years of dating, Nick is finally bringing

Rachel home to meet his family in Singapore. They are both professors at NYU and plan on spending the summer traveling on holiday after attending the wedding of Nick's best friend, Colin. Nick basically has been leading a double life; while in NYC he appears as an intelligent struggling young history professor, he has failed to mention that he hails from one of the most powerful and richest families in Singapore. He does not warn or properly prepare Rachel for the scrutiny and evil eyes she is about to receive from his entire (huge!) family at the mega $40 million wedding of century. This funny, laugh out loud novel sweeps the reader through the world of private jets, couture designer boutiques, yachts the size of cruise ships and mansions staffed with an army of servants. Mr. Kwan describes the delicious cuisine (yum!) in detail, regals us with this ridiculous opulence, which he apparently toned down to be believable! Intermixed with difficult family dynamics (like any family!) a lovely romance between Nick and Rachel and characters out of the cheekiest international soap opera! Fun, enjoyable, terrific beach read! A definite MUST this summer!
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Crazy Rich Asians

With or Without You

By Domenica Ruta  This insightful, semi chilling memoir stars

Nikki, as she is called by most, a young girl growing up in Danvers, Massachusetts during the 1980's. She lives in a ramshackle home that is falling apart and filled with trash, with her drug induced single mom who loves her deeply. But love is a tricky word to describe Kathi Ruta who appears uneducated, yet is wicked smart and quite savvy. Kathi seems most untrustworthy, yet consistently figures out, connives, steals and lies her way to solving most problems successfully. She verbally abuses Nikki and simultaneously loves her immensely. Nikki is raised in a world of drug deals, an extended complicated family in a town where most people do not aspire to ever leave. Nikki finds herself living in a world of books and excels at academics at every level. Her mother secures her a coveted scholarship to private school and even through her drug haze pushes Nikki to always reach for more. After a life filled with such contradiction, it is sadly no surprise that Nikki finds herself as an addicted adult on a confusing road to nowhere. Reminiscent of The Glass Castle, this memoir stole my heart. This authors honest deep story of her life is witty and brilliantly written. The reader wants to cheer, pray and save this smart hungry little girl. There is no doubt this author was born to write and share her words. I recommend this excellent, somewhat difficult read.  BUY TODAY!
With or Without You: A Memoir

If I Stay

By Gayle Forman      Mia is a cellist, a prodigy growing up in

Oregon with open minded hippie parents and an adorable little brother. Juilliard bound and finishing highschool Mia has fallen madly in love with Adam, a talented local punker in a rock band. Suddenly - unexpectedly - tragically - a terrible accident occurs leaving Mia struggling for her life. She quietly reflects on her family, friends and passions to find a deeper truer meaning in her fight to hang on. This layered, simplistic story is sickeningly beautiful, the friendships so true. Focusing on the sacrifices we all make for our children and loved ones on a daily basis. What is life, before and after all the beauty. How people celebrate life every single day, never knowing what the next one will bring. Measuring success and constantly comparing to others when it could all be taken away in a single moment. This is a teary but enjoyable story that forces you to face the truth, or at least one of them.  Highly recommend this novel. It is a YA novel that actually has a sequel I cannot wait to get my hands on.  BUY TODAY!!
If I Stay

The Husband's Secret

By Liane Moriarty  Amazing Australian author Liane Moriarty

(What Alice Forgot & The Hypnotist's Love Story!) once again mesmerizes her readers with a tangled web of love, family and friendship. Tess, Rachel and Cecelia find themselves connected in extraordinary circumstances that they could have never dreamed of in a million years. Tess, a young mother and wife is terrified of losing all she worked for in a mystifying love triangle; Cecelia the perfect mom, housewife and tupperware extraordinaire is shocked to find a letter revealing a past she knew nothing about and her husband's most terrifying secret and Rachel is raging and mourning over the loss of her daughter Janie who was murdered 28 years prior. As the reader delves into each of the women's stories, the connections become astonishingly clear. Who would you choose when it is all at risk? How far would you go to keep a secret? Could not put down this page turner, a definite must read for summer! Enjoy!! BUY TODAY!!!
The Husband's Secret

Where'd You Go Bernadette

By Maria Semple    Bernadette Fox, certified award winning genius

architect/mom/wife/recluse is living in Seattle with her husband, Elgie, a top top top at Microsoft and her brilliant, sassy 15 yr old daughter named Bee. They live in a ramshackle home that used to be a reformatory for pregnant girls and while Bee attends a local out-of-the-box school, Bernadette hides in her backyard Airstream and sits on her computer all day complaining about Seattle, everyone in Seattle and everyone near Seattle while having a virtual assistant in India complete all her daily tasks. This hysterical, completely UNIQUE, funny book will certainly take you away! The adventures and misadventures of this family and town is almost a spoof and yet could actually be true at the same time. The reader will find themselves in the minds of a topsy turvy world where everyone is on the edge of - is it genius - or crazy???? After many recommendations I am so glad I finally read this book. Sometimes you just can't take yourself so seriously! A GREAT SUMMER READ! People at the beach will keep wondering why you are smiling. BUY OR DOWNLOAD TODAY!
Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel

Is This Tomorrow

By Caroline Leavitt   Ava Lark lives with her 12 yr old son Lewis in Waltham, MA.

The year is 1956 and it is not easy for a divorced, Jewish, working, single mother who just happens to be beautiful - to live in this small town in this small time. It is a period in America where divorce is unacceptable, as are tight jeans and being even a little "pink" (communist or showing signs against the coming war in any way). Lewis has only two friends in the whole wide world and they happen to also be fatherless (theirs died from a heart attack). Jimmy and Rose are siblings that live across the street and the three mouseketeers are inseparable. Ava works, Ava dates, everything Ava does is frowned upon by the neighbors and deep inside shames her son, as he yearns to be more like everyone else. One day a horrible tragedy occurs that changes each of their lives forever. This novel is about family and friendship. It is about love and acceptance. It is hard enough for adults to maneuver through this sometimes crazy world, remember how it felt to be twelve. Ms. Leavitt is an extraordinary writer. She brings the reader into the mind and hearts of these tremendous characters. It is amazing how things on the surface are so very different today yet people have hardly changed at all. Highly recommend this fantastic summer read!!
A MUST READ!!! BUY OR DOWNLOAD TODAY!!
Is This Tomorrow: A Novel

The Silver Star

By Jeanette Walls    Nothing is better than a hammock, a great book, a hot summer day and reading it

in its entirety in 6 hours! :-) Liz and Bean, two sisters that take care of each other through the trials and tribulations of a complicated lifestyle. Charlotte, their mother, a singer and songwriter basically wandering the country with her two beloved daughters leaves them alone to find herself during a "bad spell." When authorities become suspicious that the girls on on their own, Liz, 15 and Bean 12 decide to find their Uncle Tinsley and travel across the country by bus, from California to Virginia and the small hometown of their mother. The girls are smart and savvy and their love is never ending, doing whatever it takes to survive in a world that is not always true or honest. This novel is about family, love, civil rights, and your place in society. It is the early 1970's and while world is trying to fight its way to fairness, so too are Liz and Bean. With the beautiful writing of Ms. Walls, the reader manages to once again love the wacky mother who doesn't always follow the rules but loves her girls nonetheless. If you loved The Glass Castle, DO NOT MISS THIS AMAZING READ!!!
BUY OR DOWNLOAD!! The Silver Star: A Novel

Goodbye for Now

By Laurie Frankel    Sam is a software engineer living in Seattle,

working for a romance matching web site. He is so good at his job that he gets fired. But not before matching himself with a coworker named Meredith and unexpectedly falling head over heels in love. Meredith becomes overwhelmed by the passing of her beloved grandmother and Sam gives her the gift of a lifetime. And so starts the most unique storyline I have ever read. One that is hard to accept but amazing to imagine. In this new high tech world we live in, it is not too far to stretch the imagination and realize that our every click will follow us long after we are gone. Amazing writing, page turner, wonderful funny loving characters. This novel is a great summer read, highly recommend. Enjoy!!
BUY IT NOW!!! Goodbye for Now

The Interestings

By Meg Wolitzer    Summertime during adolescence, torture for some, defining moments for others. The Interestings, a self named group of teens at Spirit-in-the-Woods, an arts camp in the Berkshires. It is the mid 1970's. Womens rights, freedom of expression and spin the bottle are the hot topics of the summer. These new friends share experiences, dreams and hopes that will follow them for the rest of their lives. Jules the comic actress, Ash the playwright, her brother Goodman - the spoiled good looking one, Jonah - a talented musician with a famous mother, and Ethan - whose talent as an animator outweighs all others from the very beginning. These teens are self conscience and curious. The loving friendships they form evolve and struggle through the years but never disappear, even as some of their dreams and visions fade into memory. Success, envy, jealousy and change, always change. This novel is superbly written, the characters are crisp and clear, their journey created by many pieces of real life. A heartwarming story filled with creativity and love. As I highly recommend (and I do!!), the only note is that it is long. The chapters are long, the book is long. I thoroughly enjoyed each part but it is a time consuming read. Perfect for the summer when you have the time and inclination to read and reminisce.
BUY NOW!! DOWNLOAD OR PURCHASE! The Interestings: A Novel

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

By Mohsin Hamid  

 A table in an outdoor cafe in Lahore Pakistan, two men, one evening, a tale that is both simplistic and complicated. Told in a dramatic narrative form, Changez details his recent years to man who could either be a friend or foe, the reader is never sure. A top student, from an old Pakistani family, Changez graduated from Princeton and was living in NYC, working at an upscale financial establishment. He was a shining star at work, had a blossoming friendship with Erica, a beautiful fellow Princeton graduate and was enjoying an expense account for the first time in his life. And then it is September 11, 2001. Changez recounts his sense of betrayal, loss and confusion to his newfound dinner companion. How his life and future changed in an instant. One of the most unique styles of writing I have ever encountered. A story that will fill your imagination with images and your heart with questions. Do not miss this extraordinary read.
BUY NOW! By Mohsin Hamid: The Reluctant Fundamentalist: A Novel

Austenland

By Shannon Hale  

 A single girl in NYC, working as a graphic designer at a magazine, dating one disappointing man after another, Jane secretly dreams of another man, in another time. Jane is obsessed with Jane Austen novels and the romantic idea of Mr. Darcy. Not a single date in real time can ever live up to the idea and notions she has of a real gentleman and true love. When her Aunt Carolyn passes away she wills Jane a 3 week vacation at Pembroke Park, hence Austenland. And so begins a modern day Austen tale of this beautiful young woman finding love and most importantly finding herself in the process. If you loved Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict or Definitely Not Mr. Darcy, enjoy this quick summer read, loved it!!
CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW!!   Austenland: A Novel

The Best of Us

By Sarah Pekkanen

Four college friends and their spouses find themselves on the tropical island of Jamaica to celebrate Dwight's 35th birthday. Isolated in a magnificent vacation villa they realize a lot has changed since college days as they explore their lives, and question their choices, desires and dreams. Suitcases are filled with sexy swimsuits, sunscreen and unfortunately all their fears and worries tag along. Although this story is one that most of us could write (and definitely relate to!) - predictable, simple, honest writing, make this novel a fun, mindless, quick beachy chic read for summer. Enjoy, I did!!  BUY NOW!!
The Best of Us: A Novel