Summer Reading Reviews Part 2Unpublished

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5 STARS

Reacher uses his brains & brawn along with some of his former elite team to thwart a terrorist plot. Hard to believe how he overcomes near impossible odds.

3 STARS

-Abby P.

While written for young adults, read this with my kids, it is an engaging, well researched, well written account of the creation of the atomic bomb. Given all the hype around the Oppenheimer biopic in theaters this summer, which was not age appropriate for my kids, this gave them some insight into what everyone was talking about. A good read for the whole family which lead to some very good discussions around war, weapons, ethics and power.

-Erika D.

5 STARS

The NYTIMES food critic and columnist tells the touching and turbulent story of growing up in a stereotypical Italian family, where food is the focus. With a doting Grandmother and a mother who loved cooking for their family, Bruni succumbs to the pleasures of eating and the devastating aftermath of unhealthy weight gain. The book combines humor and the tragedy of trying to overcome his calorie filled background. He suffers from the horrors of bulimia, extreme fasting and exercise beyond moderate. We travel along with him, identifying with the extra portions of sumptuous cheese lasagna and creamy gelato. While Bruni will always be a foodie, he learns how to control the richness of his life with the richness of the food he consumes, in a profession where eating is the goal. All of us who do constant battle with the extra ten pounds and begin very Monday with the promise to begin the week with sensible eating, Bruni's adventure gives hope that our table will always be attended with pleasure and no residual love handles, a guilty reminder of overindulgence. Bon Appetit. The recipes and menus in the book will leave you hungry for more.

-Edie S.

I've been reading all of the Shadowhunter series books by Cassandra Clare along with my oldest daughter, since she was in 8th grade. This does not disappoint. While fantasy, these books allowed us to have discussions about many social issues that exist in the real world at an awkward age for her. It allowed us to discuss 'characters' not people and share our thoughts and feelings about social issues in a safe, non-judgemental environment.

-Erika D.

I've been reading all of the Shadowhunter series books by Cassandra Clare along with my oldest daughter, since she was in 8th grade. This does not disappoint. While fantasy, these books allowed us to have discussions about many social issues that exist in the real world at an awkward age for her. It allowed us to discuss 'characters' not people and share our thoughts and feelings about social issues in a safe, non-judgemental environment.

-Erika D.

I've been reading all of the Shadowhunter series books by Cassandra Clare along with my oldest daughter, since she was in 8th grade. This does not disappoint. While fantasy, these books allowed us to have discussions about many social issues that exist in the real world at an awkward age for her. It allowed us to discuss 'characters' not people and share our thoughts and feelings about social issues in a safe, non-judgemental environment.

-Erika D.

5 STARS

A beautiful memoir about a woman's journey through family trauma, relationships and career while growing up as a Mexican American woman with a passion for writing and adventure. The author's candid descriptions about her experience with depression were heartbreaking but left me with hope. I want to read more of her work.

-Sandra C.

5 STARS

This book is a must-read. So wholesome with focus on themes of love and purpose. I cried several times reading this because I can relate to growing up with a dog but I think anyone would enjoy this book.

-Sandra C.

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5 STARS

I was in a reading slump and was falling behind on my reading goal for the year. I was recommended to read this book since I was a dog lover. It was definitely right up my alley and was my favorite book I've read in quite a while! It was hard trying not to cry while reading this book on the plane!

-Sean K.

5 STARS

-Abby P.

5 STARS

Absolutely loved this book! If you read Jeannette's first book, The Glass Castle and enjoyed that, this is a must read. It's the fictional story of Sallie Kincaid growing up in rural Virginia in the 1900's. The plot keeps shifting with lots of memorable characters and twists and turns which keep you guessing. Sallie has a father who is a legend in the county. She truly believes that he could Hang the Moon for her. As the story continues and she matures, she finds out that her father is not the person she thought he was.

3 STARS

4 STARS

-Abby P.

5 STARS

This book absolutely gripped me from beginning to end. Family mystery woven into a deeper and more complex historical phenomenon that most Americans were not taught about in school. The narrative is written in a manner that tells a story while providing historical context on the Osage murders and FBI's development. This story is so important and I am interested to see the movie version coming out this fall.

Sandra C.

4.5 STARS

4.5! This book started a bit silly, unrealistic and slower for me but by the end I couldn’t put it down and loved it. It hit on a lot of important and serious themes while still being a funny love story set in academia. I’m glad I read it and will likely read more of the author’s work.

-Sandra C.

5 STARS

Fascinating fictional read on what could have been the possible birth of the mafia in Sicily. The characters are totally believable & portrayed in such a way that I cared for even the most villainous because I could feel their emotions & sense of loyalty to their cause. I found myself rooting for the good guys & wishing they could amicably settle disagreements.

I really enjoyed this book. Loved how it surrounded the death of a young girl but educated the reader on LGBTQ, specifically trans life. The struggles, the history, the details. This was a well written book.

3 STARS

I had heard that this was the "top mystery book" of last year according to Goodreads, but it fell a bit flat for me. The mystery itself wasn't very entertaining for me since you aren't given enough info to figure anything out on your own, and I couldn't get behind a lot of the dialogue. Felt fairly generic even though the main character had a pretty unique perspective. This one just didn't quite hit the mark for me, but was still a pretty good read.

-Sean K.

4 STARS

-Abby P.

4 STARS

Started slow and got better and better by the end. Powerful story to be told of finding oneself and dealing with the disapproval and constraints of others but a bit all over the place in structure.

-Sandra C.

5 STARS

Gabriela Rose is a recovery agent who finds lost treasures for people and companies. A family legend sends her to Peru to look for a lost treasure. It is very valuable and could help her home town rebuild. He ex-husband, Rafer insists on going with Gabriela. This book is full of mystery and fun.

5 STARS

What a perfectly wonderful way to end the summer! I wish I could give this novel ten stars, not just five. It is the beautiful and uplifting story of a widow who cleans an aquarium at night, her friends, the owner of a local grocery story, her son who dies a tragic death at 18, and an octopus in the aquarium's tank. The octopus changes her life, as she changes his. Do not think this is the plot of an upcoming Disney film. Instead it the basis for lives, all lives, human and otherwise. The characters are people you know, including yourself. While life can throw you some bad punches, the spirit that lies within us often makes room for second chances. Kindness can indeed make a difference. This book is for the young and those growing older Be prepared for a wonderful read, an ending that you won't expect that will leave you smiling, with perhaps a tear escaping from a corner of your eye.

-Edie S.

5 STARS

Kept me rapt by slowly inserting an occasional clue to the solving of the mystery. Great mixture of action, danger & humor. Wanted to read before watching on Netflix to see how closely it follows the book.

5 STARS

Wow!!! Truly kept me on my toes from beginning to end. Reminded me of Behind Her Eyes with all the twists and turns. The author masterfully develops several characters who could be suspect throughout the book and switches perspectives to keep us guessing who is truly good or bad. Any book that does this well and actually surprises us in the end is great in my book.

-Sandra C.

4 STARS

-Abby P.

4 STARS

-Abby P.

4 STARS

4 STARS

-Abby P.

3 STARS