We visited the library twice this month. Alexis always picks out five books, and I pick two. In between visits, I read a book or two on my Fire. As someone who's always on the hunt for their next book to read, I thought I'd share what I've been reading along with short reviews. I've listed these in the order that I read them. All but one I checked out from my local library, but all are available to read on Kindle.

Not Our Kind
Author: Kitty Zeldis

Synopsis: A Jewish woman, Eleanor, is hired by a well-to-do society family, the Bellamys, to home-school their daughter, Margaux, who has survived polio. The story is set in post- World War II NYC.

My thoughts: This book had so much potential. I really liked the main female character, Eleanor, and how strong she was in the face of so much adversity. In the end though, I turned the last page and was disappointed in the ending, or lack thereof.

Nine Perfect Strangers
Author: Liane Moriarty

Synopsis: Nine people go to a health club in middle-of-nowhere Australia. Each has different reasons for going - trying to save a marriage, anniversary of a loved one's death, etc. The health resort turns out to be much more than any of them bargained for, although as promised each leaves as a changed individual/family.

My thoughts: I have never read anything by Liane Moriarty, so let me just start with this -- she is a phenomenal writer. This was unlike any book I've read before. It's classified as a psychological thriller, but I don't feel like it fits the bill. I thought Moriarty did a good job of choosing which characters to develop more roundly than others, and for me it was those characters that kept me reading. This book made me say WTF many times and brought forth some tears.

The Magnolia Inn
Author: Carolyn Brown

Synopsis: When Jolene Broussard inherits The Magnolia Inn from her aunt and uncle, she has every intention of bringing it back to its former glory, but she hasn't inherited it alone. Her terrible cousin wants no part in her plan and sells his half to Tucker Malone, a widower former police officer turned carpenter. The two decide to make it work and set out to remodel and reopen the inn.

My thoughts: This book read a lot like a Hallmark movie. Jolene and Tucker are immediately drawn to each other, but both have a good deal of baggage. Along with the inn, Jolene has inherited her aunt's three best friends who help guide her through the beginnings of this new relationship. This was a fast, sweet read.

The Wrecker
Author: Clive Cussler & Justin Scott

Synopsis: Detective Isaac Bell sets out to discover who's trying to derail the Southern Pacific Railway. The saboteur, nicknamed "The Wrecker," travels along the Southern Pacific lines using any means necessary to stall a planned expansion through the Cascade Mountains.

My thoughts: This is another home run in the Isaac Bell series. Cussler and Scott are masters of details. I can't recommend this or any of the other Bell books enough.

The Letter Writer
Author: Dan Fesperman

Synopsis: A disgraced North Carolina cop moves to NYC where he becomes a detective. His first case, a murder investigation, turns into a matter of national security. His partner is an unlikely suspect - an elderly man who writes letters for the illiterate, but he's not all that he seems. As the two men dig deeper into the mystery, the danger intensifies.

My thoughts: I almost gave up on this book. The pace for the first half, nearly three-quarters, of the book was so slow. It was written well, just took awhile to get to the juicy part. The end is certainly the best part, and when things finally start falling into place, the pace quickens. Glad I kept going.

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