I devoured this 600-page genre-bending novel in less than a week. I was totally absorbed in the story that blends coming of age, friendship, and bioloI devoured this 600-page genre-bending novel in less than a week. I was totally absorbed in the story that blends coming of age, friendship, and biological and found family with the disappearance of young women, police procedural, and the pursuit of a serial killer over decades across the US. The author superbly establishes setting through his descriptions of the rural Missouri community and geography set against actual historical events. The characters are so well-developed that I felt like I knew them personally....more
This book has it all. A whole lot of characters, plot, and themes, all executed cohesively and masterfully. It is in contention for the title of the GThis book has it all. A whole lot of characters, plot, and themes, all executed cohesively and masterfully. It is in contention for the title of the Great American Novel. I enjoyed every moment of this expanded edition....more
Jen Dixon’s son Max has moved from elementary to middle school and joined the wrestling team in this 4th installment in the Class Mom series. HilarityJen Dixon’s son Max has moved from elementary to middle school and joined the wrestling team in this 4th installment in the Class Mom series. Hilarity and heartbreak ensue. Jen is such a great character – an everywoman who speaks her mind with style and sometimes snark. The reader is easily invested in the lives of these characters who are facing universal issues....more
Propulsively written story about a contract killer’s last job before retirement. Excellent character development, a hallmark of my favorite Stephen KiPropulsively written story about a contract killer’s last job before retirement. Excellent character development, a hallmark of my favorite Stephen King books. I liked how the unexpected relationship between Billy and Alice developed, and the supporting characters were memorable....more
A delightful quest novel. Orphaned brothers Emmett and Billy set off from the Nebraska farm that their late father lost to foreclosure in search of thA delightful quest novel. Orphaned brothers Emmett and Billy set off from the Nebraska farm that their late father lost to foreclosure in search of their mother who had abandoned them years prior. They have a definite plan for their future that is hijacked when Emmett's work farm acquaintances Duchess and Woolly unexpectedly appear on the scene. The result is a detour of mythical proportions....more
Jen Dixon is back as her 5th grade son Max’s class mom in this third installment in the series. This time, she is tackling the school’s fundraiser, elJen Dixon is back as her 5th grade son Max’s class mom in this third installment in the series. This time, she is tackling the school’s fundraiser, elderly parents who are declining in health, turning her spinning obsession into a gig as a part-time spin teacher, and protecting her 2-year-old granddaughter Maude from her overzealous other grandmother. The dialog is snappy and snarky in a fun and funny way. I listened to the previous 2 books on audio and read this in print. I don’t know if that made a difference, but this is my favorite of the series so far, and I read it in less than 24 hours.
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway....more
I love the idea of this story: two rival chicken shacks (Mimi's and Frannie's) run by members of the same family in a small Kansas town competing for I love the idea of this story: two rival chicken shacks (Mimi's and Frannie's) run by members of the same family in a small Kansas town competing for $100,000 on a national reality TV show. Generations of family secrets are revealed, including those of the two main protagonists, sisters Amanda, a lifer at Frannie's, and Mae, who left the town for college and a career as a professional organizer and never looked back, only to return to help their mother Barbara run Mimi's for the show. The novel is a bit too long by a good 50-100 pages....more
Collection of 11 stories, each depicting people’s search for identity and home as they either remain in or leave Kansas. I was born in Kansas and haveCollection of 11 stories, each depicting people’s search for identity and home as they either remain in or leave Kansas. I was born in Kansas and have spent a lot of time there in my life, and I could identify with many of these characters and their plights. I previously read and loved Mandelbaum’s novel, The Bright Side Sanctuary for Animals, and it inspired me to pick up this collection. I will continue to read whatever she writes next....more
This is a perfect example of the right book at the right time for the right reader. Prodigal daughter Ariel returns from college town Lawrence to the This is a perfect example of the right book at the right time for the right reader. Prodigal daughter Ariel returns from college town Lawrence to the animal sanctuary that her mother Mona owns in rural western Kansas following an anti-Semitic act of arson on the financially struggling property. This is heavily character-driven, which I love, but even more, I love the strong sense of place and the contrast between a liberal college town and conservative rural community, and a young woman trying to reconcile her position between the two, immediately following the 2016 presidential election, especially because I have a personal connection to this part of the world....more
A group of misfits with booths at an antiques mall in Wichita, Kansas display their miscellaneous collections of items that many readers would consideA group of misfits with booths at an antiques mall in Wichita, Kansas display their miscellaneous collections of items that many readers would consider to be junk. They interact over their various obsessions, the struggling financial viability of the mall, the prospect of a famous television show taping an episode at the mall to reinvigorate it, and the fascination over the disappearance of a young local beauty pageant winner. There is a lot to like in this debut novel, from the quirky characters, well-defined setting, and unique plot points, all of which would have benefited from more cohesion in the narrative....more
At once an immigration story of the Irish protagonist, Tom McNulty, a war story of the American Indian War and the Civil War, the expansion of the wesAt once an immigration story of the Irish protagonist, Tom McNulty, a war story of the American Indian War and the Civil War, the expansion of the western frontier, the reconstruction of the South following the Civil War, and the relationship between Tom and John Cole and their adopted Native American daughter Winona, this is truly an American story, in many ways ahead of its time. However, the prose, story, characters, and setting were incongruously written, and as a result, it was difficult to get through this short 259-page novel. ...more
The author was born and raised near where I was born and still have family in central Kansas, which made me especially interested in reading her memoiThe author was born and raised near where I was born and still have family in central Kansas, which made me especially interested in reading her memoir of a certain group of people in a certain place at a certain time in American history. Indeed, her family’s economic and class struggles throughout multiple generations make for compelling reading, as do the family’s issues with domestic abuse and teen pregnancy, which implicate strong feminist themes. The author is a keen and objective social commentator....more
Another fun installment in the Class Mom series. This is lighthearted and amusing, and I can only imagine that it is a very accurate portrayal of the Another fun installment in the Class Mom series. This is lighthearted and amusing, and I can only imagine that it is a very accurate portrayal of the lives of the parents of a modern classroom of 3rd graders. The author does a great job narrating her audio book....more
Kent Haruf's simplistic, insightful prose, combined with Peter Brown's beautiful photographs, perfectly capture the essence of small-town life on the Kent Haruf's simplistic, insightful prose, combined with Peter Brown's beautiful photographs, perfectly capture the essence of small-town life on the high plains, from driving on a desolate stretch of highway through a storm, to a high school championship football game on a snowy Saturday afternoon in November, to a humble church supper. The images and accompanying words evoke a familiar sentiment....more
Multi-generational story set in Appalachia spanning the late 19th to mid 20th centuries. The story revolves around the troubled marriage of a volatileMulti-generational story set in Appalachia spanning the late 19th to mid 20th centuries. The story revolves around the troubled marriage of a volatile couple. Ambitious Anna and twice-married John live and work on a farm and raise a family that includes his children from his previous marriages. Narrow-minded community members illustrate the societal issues of the time involving religion, education, and traditional gender roles. The writing is delicate yet impactful and effectively portrays a particular place and time in history....more
Three distinct storylines are told in a rambling Southern traditional style until they ultimately converge towards the end. The characters experience Three distinct storylines are told in a rambling Southern traditional style until they ultimately converge towards the end. The characters experience hardships for about 20 years, beginning during the Great Depression and continuing until after World War II, while roaming rural Alabama in pursuit of their respective vocations. Found families form as they encounter and attempt to overcome one hardship after another....more
The dysfunction of a South Carolina family is at the heart of this novel that spans from contemporary Rome and South Carolina to the Ukraine and PolanThe dysfunction of a South Carolina family is at the heart of this novel that spans from contemporary Rome and South Carolina to the Ukraine and Poland during the Holocaust to the college campus protests of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s and early 1970s to the modern day attempts to preserve the loggerhead turtle population off the coast of South Carolina. The protagonist Jack McCall and his four brothers surround their mother who is dying of leukemia. Jack is haunted by the suicide of his wife Shyla and reluctant to expose his young daughter Leah to the family and community that has traumatized him ever since. The long-held secrets of the McCall family, Shyla's family, and the group of Jack and Shyla's childhood friends are revealed and examined in Conroy's trademark detailed and rambling style. The beauty of this novel is in Conroy's attention to place and complex emotions....more
Bryn Greenwood has again created a world replete with nuanced characters for whom the reader roots through unimaginable situations. The drug dealer/muBryn Greenwood has again created a world replete with nuanced characters for whom the reader roots through unimaginable situations. The drug dealer/mule Zhorzha and her modern-day knight in shining armor, the autistic, schizophrenic Gentry, are characters not soon to be forgotten. This is a completely unique and creative story, made even better by the genuine humanity at its heart....more
I do not normally read a lot of true crime stories but have read a few so far this year, including this one. I can easily see how this classic has infI do not normally read a lot of true crime stories but have read a few so far this year, including this one. I can easily see how this classic has influenced later books in this genre. I liked the structure of this book, organized into sections by the crime itself, the search for the killers, their apprehension, and finally their incarceration and execution. The author does a good job of exploring all angles of the crime and its aftermath, as well as the victims, killers, and law enforcement. Having read this book, I cannot wait to re-watch the film Capote....more
The dynamics of parents of a class of kindergartners make for a fun, light audiobook listen. The protagonist is a witty and sarcastic older-than-normaThe dynamics of parents of a class of kindergartners make for a fun, light audiobook listen. The protagonist is a witty and sarcastic older-than-normal parent of a kindergartener. The emails that she sends to organize classroom activities are funny and a very clever character development device. The author's narration of the audiobook is entertaining....more
Loading...
