Anne Perry, famous for her Victorian-era mysteries, begins a new series set in 1930s Europe, with a great new heroine, young photographer Elena Standish. Elena is drawn into the hidden world of espionage through a nipped-in-the-bud love affair, which in turn pulls her grandfather to reconnect with his past in the secret service from the “war to end all wars.”
“Death in Focus” is a great series starter, with the historical verisimilitude of Perry’s previous books and engaging characters. Elena encounters unsuspected villains, unexpected heroes, and uncertain loyalties amid shifting social and political realities. The plot is satisfyingly complex, yet believable.
Three words that describe this book: Exciting, engaging, expertly plotted
You might want to pick this book up if: You like mysteries and don’t mind the 1930s setting.
-Lynn
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
I adore murder mysteries so “The Only One Left” was right up my alley and also one that hadn’t been on my radar until a friend chose it for our book club. Essentially, it is a book about Kit, a caregiver with her own secrets, who is assigned to Lenora, an elderly invalid woman living on an estate on a cliff’s edge who just also happens to be a supposed murderess.
What follows Kit showing up at the estate to care for Lenora is a delightful box of secrets, murder, and thinking that you have it all finally figured out when nothing could be further from the truth. Just when I figured one piece of the puzzle out, another piece would get lost under the couch or roll off the table and I would have to go searching for it. I figured out big things, but rarely the details that really flushed it all out. It was a very enjoyable read.
Three words that describe this book: Mystery, Secrets, Betrayal
You might want to pick this book up if: You love murder mysteries and lots of good old fashioned family secrets and drama set in another historical time. This is set in the 1980s.
-Angel
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
The book “Animal Dreams” is set amidst the backdrop of Hispanic and Native American culture, traditions, and way of life. The story involves a woman desperate to move forward and forget who is faced with putting the pieces back together of her puzzled past.
I love author Barbara Kingsolver’s aptitude for capturing the human experience so achingly and accurately whilst setting her characters against something much larger and more powerful than themselves — the sweeping expanse of the natural world. The way she writes of humanity’s vulnerability is somehow magnified when compared to the wisdom of the ancient earth.
Three words that describe this book: Bittersweet, realistic, powerful
You might want to pick this book up if: You have an affinity for beautiful descriptions of nature.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
“All Good People Here” features a woman who returns to her hometown as a young adult to care for her ailing uncle. When she was 6 years old, her best friend was found dead in a ditch. Shortly after returning to the town, another young girl has gone missing. Is it connected? The woman was an investigative reporter before coming back to town, so she starts digging into the new story and tries to connect it to the murder of her childhood friend.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down. There were several unexpected twists and many interesting characters. I also liked that it was told from the perspective of the woman in present day, and also from the mother of the dead friend at the time that was unraveling. (Although I think the book needed one more chapter and the end to tie up a few more things.)
Three words that describe this book: haunting – secrets – page-turner
You might want to pick this book up if: You like true crime podcasts (this is fiction, but has the same vibes).
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
What I liked about “The Anxious Perfectionist”:
- Practical Advice: The book offers actionable strategies and techniques to manage anxiety and perfectionism, making it highly useful for readers.
- Insightful: It provides deep insights into the connection between anxiety and perfectionism, helping readers understand the root causes of their struggles.
- Empathy: The author approaches the subject with compassion and empathy, making readers feel understood and supported.
Continue reading “Reader Review: The Anxious Perfectionist”
Full of mishaps and adventure, “A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon” is an eye-opening account of a man’s trek through the base of the Grand Canyon and the many dangers he encountered there. This book goes past the knowledge that most of us have about the national park, exploring the history of the canyon and the indigenous people who call(ed) it home. I love this book because it helped me to think about the impact we all have on our environment and how important it is to conserve these awe-inspiring landmarks.
Three words that describe this book: Adventurous, hiking, conservation
You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy outdoorsy nonfiction narratives
-Alexandra
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
“The Way of Kings” which is book one of “The Stormlight Archive” series does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of world building for author Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe. Much like his other novels the book takes its time to build up character stories through a lot of “showing” rather than “telling” moments. The pacing may feel slow at times but it’s a good simmer that leads to full boil throughout. And much like other Sanderson novels the final parts of the book make for a full on Sanderlanche that makes the book impossible to put down as all the pieces and characters come together for an phenomenal bit of storytelling that leaves you wanting to grab the next book immediately.
I highly recommend this book for fantasy genre fans, but if the size is daunting then I’d recommend giving “Mistborn” a try first. Just, you know, clear your TBR list to make room for this author to take it over.
Three words that describe this book: Bridge. Soul. Honor.
You might want to pick this book up if: You want a well fleshed out world with characters you want to stick with to see their story play out.
-Blake
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
After a night out at a bachelorette party, Lauren returns to her London flat to be greeted by her husband. But wait… Lauren doesn’t have a husband! And when her “husband” goes up into the attic to find something, she is astonished when a totally different “husband” comes back down the ladder. What ensues is a unique story where one woman must learn how to be truly happy with what she has.
I loved “The Husbands” for how unique it was. I read it via audiobook, which I highly recommend.
Three words that describe this book: Humorous, unique, thought-provoking
You might want to pick this book up if: You are looking for a summer read that has some substance to it.
-Alexandra
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
“The Women” is about a woman named Frankie McGrath who volunteers to be an army nurse in the Vietnam War following her brother’s enlistment. The book focuses on the role women played in Vietnam and how they were treated when they returned home, as their duties abroad greatly contrasted the “typical” duties of women in the 1960s. The first half of the book tells the gut-wrenching story of Frankie’s service and the bonds that got her through, and the second half explains the effects of the war on Frankie’s later life.
This book made me angry, it made me cry, and it made me proud. It deserves all of the hype it has gotten this year. Something that I liked about the book, which I see has also gotten the book lower ratings, is that Frankie is depicted in a very real way. So much about Frankie’s character changes from the beginning to the end of the story, and she makes a lot of poor decisions. This is due to trauma — this book was not written to be a lighthearted read.
Three words that describe this book: Informative, Frustrating, Thought-Provoking
You might want to pick this book up if: You like historical fiction and want to learn more about the role of women in Vietnam.
-Ashley
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
“Just Add Water: My Swimming Life” by Katie Ledecky is a memoir that chronicles Katie’s rise to fame as a world-class swimmer. I enjoyed reading about her journey from swimming in a local pool to becoming a successful Olympian. She discussed each of her Olympic experiences as well as the challenges in 2020. She wove in stories about the impact various family members had on her. She seems humble and kind — I’m even more of a Katie Ledecky fan after reading this book.
Three words that describe this book: Inspiring, insightful, motivational
You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy memoirs, like the watching swimming, want to learn more about Katie.
-Kristi
