The Lost Man by Jane Harper

Amy  

mystery

A man is found dead in an extremely isolated area of the Australian outback. While the police feel it was suicide, his brother can't help but try to get to the bottom of the mysterious death.

I enjoyed Jane Harper’s first two novels and wanted to give her newest a read.  The Lost Man was another good character-based mystery. However, while set in a different location in Australia, it’s still a lot of the same as her prior two stories—male protagonist, the family lives in an extreme, remote, isolated area of Australia where work is physically demanding and relentless, a non-usual law enforcer/investigator, and the deceased is suspected of committing suicide.  So, I couldn’t get past the feeling that I’d read this novel before, even though it was a different central story.  Therefore, I can only give it an average rating. Not much else to say.

The audiobook was, again, narrated by Stephen Shanahan and he does a terrific job with great voice acting. I give him an A.

A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

Amy   
Lynnie   

women's fiction

The grim discovery of a baby’s bones buried under a back yard tree, prompts a grandmother and granddaughter to figure out the mystery of someone’s true identity while the only person who knows the answers is unable to divulge the information while recovering from a stroke.

Amy's Review

This is the fifth novel I’ve read by Joshilyn Jackson and this was a good one. Jackson crafted this novel cleverly by revealing just enough information to satisfy the reader until another big clue was provided to help clarify the picture. The characters were very believable and genuine. Again, Jackson’s themes of children being raised by loving people who aren’t their actual parents, religion, teenage difficulties, and life in the southern United States were present. This novel was lacking the level of humor that I adored in some of her other novels. But it felt right without it. I enjoyed the story and the mystery. I was rooting for the characters. I also gave Jackson extra points for including clever references to several characters/themes from some of my childhood favorite movies/shows, like the Sleestak from Land of the Lost.

I did not love the title, A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty, and almost didn’t read the novel because of it.  It sounded like the sort of chick lit I don’t like.  Thankfully, it’s the sort of smart chick lit that I do like!

The audiobook was narrated by the author, as has been the case with her other audiobooks. She’s a wonderful narrator and really added to my enjoyment of the story.  I give her an A+ on this one because she was perfect.

Lynnie's Review

I've read several books by Joshilyn Jackson and, with only once exception, I have loved them all. Her writing just flows and her characters grab you by the heart and bring you into their world. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty is no different.

I was instantly taken by Mosey, Big, and Liza despite being annoyed early in the book by the text exchanges between Mosey and her bestie Roger (who texts "anywai"- it doesn't even save you any letters, just looks dumb) which often felt like Jackson was trying a little too hard to channel a teenage brain. I was drawn into the mystery of the book and eager to see how the next piece of the puzzle would slot into place. There were a few instances of "Checkhov's gun" which foreshadowed some elements of the story, but even the ability to guess several of the outcomes did not make the reveal any less enjoyable.

Jackson's books almost universally make me smile. I love her style of writing and the stories that she is able to craft. If you've enjoyed her books before, you will surely like this one as well.

Something Borrowed (Darcy and Rachel #1) by Emily Giffin

Amy    

women's fiction

In Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin, Darcy and Rachel are best friends. Darcy is engaged to Rachel’s law school friend, Dex. Then, Dex and Rachel realize they have feelings for each other.

This soap opera of a novel was set into motion because of a toxic “best friend” relationship where one girl, Darcy, was superior and luckier in every way (not to mention manipulative, narcissistic, and untruthful) to the point that the other girl, Rachel, never felt she was worthy of anything special—until it was too late.  Despite their poor character traits, I was sucked right in to the story.  The protagonist (Rachel) seems sadly real. The reader can get behind her thanks to Darcy’s comparatively uglier personality features and despite the fact that Rachel’s doing something which is taboo and acting desperate. The crafting of the story is well done and gripping.  Perhaps because reality is too depressing these days, this story about ridiculous people and their odd decisions held my interest. Despite the fact that I wanted to knock some sense into all three of the main characters, I let myself enjoy the drama for what it was.  The sequel is apparently told from Darcy’s side and I don’t think I’ll be able to muster the desire to read it since the character is repulsive.

The audiobook was narrated by Jennifer Wiltsie who did a great job.  Her voice acting was spot on and she had a variety of accents and voices. Her Ls are very L-y which was a bit disruptive but I’ll give her an A.

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

Amy   

Lynnie


historical fiction

The Book of Lost Friends tells two tales set in Louisiana: the first story is from 1875 told by Hannie Gossett, an 18-year old girl born into slavery, and the second is from 1987 told by Benedetta (Benny) Silva, a 27-year old woman in her first year of teaching English at a school of disadvantaged children.  Both women’s stories are compelling and self-sufficient. However, the thin link between them grows a little thicker with the telling until the reader is finally rewarded with the connections at the end.

Amy's Review

Aside from the unnecessary Prologue and a section in the middle that dragged a little, I was completely absorbed in this novel.  It is rare for a novel with two points of view to land equal footing in each story. Normally, I’m more interested in one story than the other but this was wonderful. I loved that both the stories were so strong. This is the second novel I’ve read by Lisa Wingate and both novels have taught me about history of which I had been previously unaware.  From this book, I learned of the Lost Friends column which was an opportunity for separated slave families to reunite or learn about their relatives’ situations. It was fascinating to read actual clippings from the column between all the chapters.

I thought Wingate did a terrific job crafting the story, although she let Benny’s secret be withheld much too long, in my opinion. The rest of it was so entertaining.  The lead characters were warm, yet determined, and I loved getting to know them and spend time with them. The novel was full of adventure and heart-filled spirit.

I was supposed to meet Lisa Wingate at a book reading/signing this month and am sad it was canceled due to COVID-19. I will definitely read her future novels because I have loved the two I’ve read so much. I wanted to include a quote in this review. From Benny’s Classroom Constitution Articles, “Article Number Three:… Civil debate is a healthy and democratic process. If one cannot make one’s point without yelling, name-calling, or insulting others, one should develop a stronger argument before speaking further.” That, right there, is good life advice for all.

The audiobook was fantastic!  It was read by 6 narrators: one for each of the two main characters and four for the various Lost Friends articles.  All were terrific!  Hannie was read by one of my favorite narrators, Bahni Turpin. As usual she was stellar. She has a ton of voices and accents and perfect voice acting. I give her an A+.  Benny was read by Sophie Amoss and she was perfect for the role. She, too, had a diverse repertoire of voices and accents and I loved her voice acting also.  A+ for her too!

Lynnie's Review

This is the second book I've read by Lisa Wingate, and I'm a fan.

Similar to the first book of Wingate's I read (Before We Were Yours), The Book of Lost Friends is a tale of past and present, based on real records and facts. Set on the same property in Louisiana, Hannie tells the story of what it was like to live as a former slave and share cropper in 1875, while Benny's story takes place in 1987 as she tries to connect to her students, her new town, and the ghosts of the past.

I was drawn equally to both stories and found myself eager to see how they would get through their trials and circumstances and what path would find their stories co-mingled. Hannie and Benny were both compelling, as were the secondary characters and Wingate's writing compelled me forward while painting vivid images in my mind about what the characters were enduring. This is a tale of loss and there is plenty of heartbreak in its pages, but it is also a story about who and what we find along the way.

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

Amy    

fiction

Ask Again, Yes is the story of two families who were linked by home country, the two dads’ police careers, and the fact that they became neighbors. The two families were very different, one of the parents had some undiagnosed mental issues, and the boy from one family became very close friends with one of the girls in the other family.  Then, when those two kids were 14, tragedy struck and one of the families moved away. Yet, the kids never forgot each other.

This novel focused on what could go wrong with children when there is a lack of family communication, a lack of action being taking to combat (or, for that matter, even recognize) mental illness and alcoholism, a lack of parental responsibility, and a lack of constructive guidance or support.  Even with all those issues present, the kids did not turn out as badly as they could have. Still, as the story progressed, it was painfully obvious that these families, especially Peter himself, needed counseling and social workers looking out for them.  The families did the best they could with their limited resources but that mostly involved ignoring the problems and soldiering on in solitude. I believe this was largely due to the times and lack of financial resources.

It was sad to read. Parental neglect and lack of support are really upsetting to me. It makes me angry.  Peter’s uncle did his best for Peter but he didn’t have enough resources or experience. It has a hopeful ending, thankfully.  But, this type of heavy novel doesn’t bring me enjoyment. There were so many characters making poor choices. Also, Mary Beth Keane's writing jumped around from one character’s head to the other’s without much warning.  It added stress to my audiobook experience. This is a book club book and I’m sure there will be some good discussion around the issues raised, at least.

The narrator, Molly Pope, bugged me—especially at the beginning. She moved through the introduction so quickly (and this was probably also the author’s fault) that I kept losing track of who she was talking about. Also, when not voice acting as one of the characters, her “narrator” voice was clipped and unemotional.  Again, perhaps part of this is the writing. Narration that is too fast or too slow are problematic and it takes a high-quality narrator to understand where the area inbetween is located. Since her narration bugged me enough to make me consider it, I’d normally give her a B-. Although, since I suspect part of the problem was the writing, I’ll bump her up to a solid B. When she was speaking as one of the characters she was not bad. Sadly, too much of the story was straight narration.

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

Lynnie

contemporary fiction

The Library of Lost and Found was a sweet book, with a lovely idea, but the execution was a bit clunky.  Martha is a volunteer librarian and people pleaser, who is routinely taken advantage of by those around her. When a book of fairy tales inscribed to her from her presumed dead grandmother arrives on her doorstep, she is determined to discover the truth about her grandmother, regardless of the cost.

I wanted to cheer for Martha from the beginning, but it's hard to get behind someone who is such a sad sack. I was glad to see her grow throughout the novel, though, and with each victory I found myself liking her more and more. I was often frustrated by Martha's journey to find out what happened to her grandmother- so many of the interactions did not seem realistic to me.

The revelations in this story were all quite predictable, but I was glad to see them, even if things seemed more drawn out than necessary. My other quibble with this book is that there is no gray area- all of Phaedra Patrick's supporting characters are either fairly horrible and narcissistic or so overly kind and generous that in some areas it made me roll my eyes; like I said above- clunky.

Still, it's a quick, easy read, good for those times when you just want to read something that will make you smile and that you don't have to think too hard about.

Lamb by Christopher Moore

Amy  

fiction

The official title of this novel by Christopher Moore is Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. It tells the story of the first thirty years of Jesus Christ’s life as told by Biff, Joshua’s (as Christ was known then) best friend.  It’s written as a comedy.  The angel, Raziel, raises Biff from the dead 2000 years after his death so that he can write about the missing segment of Christ’s life.  While he holds Biff hostage in a hotel room, Raziel watches television and orders room service.  The novel is mostly the telling of Joshua and Biff’s experiences and adventures, interrupted often by the happenings in the modern-day hotel room. 

I never, ever would have chosen to read this novel if it weren’t for book club. I normally do not enjoy novels in the “comedy” genre.  I prefer watching my comedy on TV and movies. I usually find comedy novels to be more annoying and forced than funny.  I will say that the comedy was annoying, as expected, although it did make me laugh a few times. What bothered me most, honestly, was the length of this novel.  But I persevered for book club.

We get details about Joshua’s childhood and then he and Biff set off in search of the three wise men to see if they can teach Josh how to be the Messiah.  These three journeys were a slog for me except for Biff’s antics in bed!  Joshua learns about several religions and belief systems throughout the East (and also fights a demon, befriends the Yeti, acquires amazing martial arts skillz, and learns how to multiply food portions) and finally returns home just after his father dies.  Then, they decide it’s time to acquire some disciples so they set out to do that in anticipation of Joshua becoming a public figure. Eventually, it wraps up with, roughly, the story everyone knows leading up to Christ’s crucifixion.

The audiobook was narrated by Fisher Stevens and he was pretty perfect for this novel.  He was the best part about the novel, in my opinion!  He has great comedic delivery and wonderful accents.  I give him an A.