Well that, as they say, is that. The year 2020 has come to an end, and I think I speak for all of us that we are happy to see the back of it. More than ever I found myself turning to books to escape the ever changing landscape of the world around me, to lose myself in a wondrous tale. This month's choices are quite varied as I was trying to whittle down my physical book piles to more manageable stacks, ready for 2021 additions. I hope you find a something to add to your TBR list and please pass along any book recommendations my way, I am always looking for my next favorite author!
Speaking of favorite authors ... this gentleman is right up there. I admire his ability to turn the mundane of everyday life with one pivotal moment into a introspective and sometimes life altering journey. Told in multi-character view points this story starts out introducing a group of people who are unknown to each other, thrown together by said pivotal event. As the story evolves we find that each has influenced the others lives and how their journey were changed because of that influence. Very entertaining, funny and poignant.
Rating: 4.5/5
The 5th installment in this highly entertaining series keeps they high energy and romantic tensions high. As we follow main characters, Veronica and Stoker, as the hunt for a killer in Victorian England, we also get a deeper view into their relationship. The attraction is obvious to all but is it sustainable? With satisfying whodunnit to delicious repartee between the main characters the author does not disappoint and I look forward to more adventures.
Rating: 4/5
The tried and true combination of romantic suspense will always hold a special place for me. These are books I would get handed down to me from aunt as a teenager and would devour in an instant. My literary tastes have expanded but I always have a few on my TBR piles. This selection example of a high octane mystery and smoldering romance ... what more do you need to escape the daily grind?
Rating: 3.5/5
Lucky number 13 in a series that shows no sign of slowing down. Can DCI Kim Stone, and her team, find out who is behind the murders of women in the city by deciphering the letters that are being written to her directly from the killer? As they race to uncover the truth they find that they may be dealing with not one killer, but two. An exciting and intelligent read.
Rating: 4/5
WOW ... just wow. What a powerhouse of a book! Oprah was not messing around when she named this as a book-club choice. This was my audio-book for the month and I think it was all the more real because of it. This is a fictional story, but one based on the true horrific tales of living among the drug cartels of Mexico. Lydia and her son are on the run from Acapulco, Mexico after their entire family is shot down at a family BBQ by the biggest cartel in the area. Their journey as migrants searching for a safe passage to "El Norte" is not for the faint of heart yet shows the determination and sheer will of a mother trying to save her son and herself. Gripping and emotional I was drawn in to the story right from the start.
Rating: 5/5
This selection kicked off my Christmas vacation reading and, as usual with Karen Swan books, provided a nice escape . The Norwegian landscape depicted sets the book up so well for the love story within that it becomes a character of its own. Contemporary romance with an international flare.
Rating: 3.5/5
Not a Christmas-y read but an interesting look at the life of two young black boys sent to a Florida detention centre in the 1950's. The hardships these boys endured due to race and a corrupt system was at times a hard read but an eye-opening one as it is based on fact. How these boys made it though their time and how they adapted afterwards was a great show of resilience.
Rating: 4/5
This author sure does love a twisty ending. Follow a nanny, that has been arrested for the murder of one of her charges, as she tells her tale of innocence. Though not my favorite of Ruth Ware books I will always pick up her titles because I am guaranteed an interesting read.
Rating: 3.5/5
The story of a woman returning to her home town after 15 years abroad to reconnect to her family and the daughter she gave up for adoption. Not a simple reconciliation as there is something behind her return that she need to confront that will impact the lives of her family and the newly widowed neighbor who becomes more than interesting in a future with her. A satisfying read by a good author.
Rating: 3.5/5
I have to start by saying that I adore this author and have, and will, read anything that she writes. This newest read is part of the ever popular Shopoholic Series, which if you haven't read I'm not sure we can be friends! True to form this story did not disappoint. Can Becky Brandon nee Bloomwood pull off hosting the family for Christmas? In her usual quirky and hilarious style we tag along with Becky as she prepares, or attempts to, the most memorable Christmas gathering. Always a pleasure to lose myself in the Shopoholic world.
Rating: 4/5
Happy Reading!
P.S. Look out for my Best of 2020 Roundup coming soon!
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