What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris

What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This debut novel is a coming of age story about 2 African American sisters sent to live with their grandfather after their drug addict father is found dead and they lose their home. As their mother enters a treatment facility to deal with her depression, KB and her sister Nia wonder why they are dumped with this grandfather who is mostly silent and reads the bible. Told from KB's POV; she is 11 years old and has experienced much turmoil in her short life---and she has many questions that no one seems to want to answer. As she navigates the summer--she gets to know her grandfather, falls out with her beloved sister, and goes back and forth in her feelings about everything. I rooted for KB as she tries to make sense of what she knows, what she finds out, and how she moves on.

View all my reviews

The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan

The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great narration by Kate Orsini , Sophie Amoss , Michael Crouch as I compulsively cobbled this mystery, thriller about a law student who has a vendetta against a man in prison and now coming up for a hearing on The Innocence Project. I loved all the narrators as they led me through this compulsive mystery; I was not really a fan of Hannah other than her gift of being able to persuade people to let her do what she wants. But the story is compelling---when Hannah was 14 she read her mother's journals and what happened to her that summer has driven Hannah's decisions to make sure this guy stays in prison---but what happens is that Hannah is confronted by her mother's lies and manipulations as she strives to have the real story (her mother's story) come out. It takes Hannah connecting with the prisoner, Shawn (her colleague) and his mother to make her realize she has been duped and how she handles this is pure Hannah once again---and hopefully she will become the better person, she knows she can and should be.

View all my reviews

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again I was captivated by this creepy, scary, mystery taking place in lots of snow and flashbacks that keep you turning those pages. There is Wylie a true crime writer who has distanced herself from family and life. There is a little boy she finds outside her house in the howling snowstorm. And the final plot piece is a murder of a family that took place 20 years ago. I really liked the competing story lines and the mystery and suspense.

View all my reviews

What Happened tot he Bennetts? by Lisa Scotoline

What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Awesomely narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini; Jason Bennett and his beloved family are devastated when ambushed on the way home from their daughter's lacrosse game. They are quickly rushed into a witness protection program and it takes Jason and his wife a short time to realize this program is not for them and as Jason sneaks away to hatch a plan, I rooted for him to help his heartbroken family and himself as promises are made and broken and lies pile upon lies. A thrilling mystery I loved listening to! Recommended for the mystery lover!

View all my reviews

Forbidden City (City Spies, #3) by James Ponti

Forbidden City by James Ponti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 3rd book in the City Spies series by James Ponti! Once again, I totally enjoyed the daring do of the city spies and Mother and Monty as they race to stop Umbra from taking a father/son team from North Korea. There was adventure, mystery, friendship and more in this thriller that shows the team how to succeed as they each take their mission to fruition to fight evil. Highly recommended! I really hope there is another book in this series!

View all my reviews

A Devil in the Valley by Paul Holes

A Devil in the Valley by Paul Holes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

this Audible Original Podcast was so good; Narrated by: Jim Clemente & Paul Holes it was thoroughly researched and as Paul Holes goes about trying to tie serial Killer, Phillip Hughes, to one murder, then two, and each time solving cold cases. I loved this podcast and will definitely listen to others Paul Holes is involved with.

View all my reviews

Heartstopper: Volume Four (Heartstopper #4) by Alice Oseman

Heartstopper: Volume Four by Alice Oseman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series so much and Nick and and Charlie so much too! This 4th graphic novel delved into Charlie's issues of anorexia, insecurity, body image, and depression. Nick is so supportive and reaching out to his mom about his concern for Charlie, she helps him be supportive of Charlie. I can't wait for Vol. 5! This series is a must read!

View all my reviews

Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow

Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to my niece Casey Ciocca, for this awesome audiobook/podcast recommendation. Ronan Farrow's narration was totally mesmerizing, his research was thorough, and the way he captures the world of NBC news, sexual abuse, lies, intimidation, power, money, status, and the long haul to report and help the women who were raped, abused, threatened in order to silence them and keep their tormentors free to plunder other women. A must read/listen to!

View all my reviews

Give and Take by Elly Swartz

Give and Take by Elly Swartz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It all begins with the day her grandmother does not remember her anymore, Maggie, fearful that she won't remember things anymore, begins at home and school, with "special" boxes containing items she wants to remember- a baby binky, milk cartons, that attract ants, gum wrappers, her grandmother's gecko necklace...). No one is allowed to know about them and when her little brother or mother do---Maggie responds with white hot anger and yelling. Even more upsetting to Maggie is that her beloved all female trapshooting team is broken up. I love Elly Swartz books, they really deal so well with tough subjects, while treating her readers to great chapters of the characters lives and how they deal with many issues. I highly recommend this book and loved the chapters at the end that include information on topics middle grade readers will want to know more about.

View all my reviews

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to MaryAlice BD & Janet for recommending this read for my Albright College Zoom friends! After reading some heavy historical fiction and nonfiction history, they were ready for a lighter read and this book was good on many levels. Poppy and Alex meet on the first day of college and since this book is from Poppy's viewpoint, it was a fail (Alex was from her hometown, wears khaki pants and too tightly wound for Poppy's personality). After sharing a ride home things change and Poppy and Alex become the best of friends through college and after. Each year they vacation together and it is during this time, they begin to hide things and not be honest with one another. But that is not totally true because as the book goes from the present - This Summer- and each vacation year---the reader knows Poppy has major issues with her hometown, settling down, and Alex. Whereas the reader knows thruout the book that Alex is steady in his goals- fall in love, get married, have kids and teach in his hometown. It is how Emily Henry weaves this story that captured me; I could not stop turning the pages as I hoped they would both get it together and appreciate one another. Henry says that her books are about family and love and this reader so enjoyed the redemptive ending but also leaving open choices--now will those choices work or not, I am very very hopeful!

View all my reviews

The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah

The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This latest book by Glendy Vanderah effectively uses "magic" as the two main narrators/characters meet and their pasts are revealed/collide. I loved the narration by Brittany Pressley & Zachary Johnson as Riley and Vaughn meet at Riley's adoptive home where her brother, Kieran is a very special intuitive child where the all important magic resides. Since both Riley and Vaughn are hiding things, it will take trust, especially from Vaughn, if his past resurfaces. Once again, I loved the redemption in this book, the magic & beauty & healing of nature, and the strong characters who believe in forgiveness, family, and finding happiness in the future.

View all my reviews

Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this compelling middle grade book so much! Delsie and her grandmother live in a little nook of Cape Cod and the summer brings many changes Delsie has trouble working through. Her Grammy doesn't like to discuss Delsie's mom and she has so many questions, her best "summer" friend turns on her with fake friend, but Delsie begins a new friendship with Ronan, a boy just arrived to the Cape with this Dad. Delsie, Ronan, her grandmother and her neighbors are such strong, relatable characters and I fell in love with Delsie's personality, not wearing shoes all the time, her explorations and adventures with Ronan, and her summer of discovery. This is a MUST read, kids will GET Delsie and Ronan!

View all my reviews

The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah

The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG did I love this 2nd book by Glendy Vanderah, I listened to the audiobook, awesonely narrated by Susannah Jones. I love Vanderah's writing so much---flawed but strong female characters and how they find their way- in this book Ellis is a hassled mom who is so disturbed to see her husband kiss another woman that she unwittingly leaves behind her infant, Viola, in her car seat which was next to the car. Her sons realize and warn her Viola is not in the car. So begins the horror that is Ellis' life and as she spirals from the guilt, her inlaws come in and ruin an already faltering marriage with their judgment, and religious zealotry. Ellis escapes her family, leaves behind her boys and tries to come to terms with her life of hiking. Along the way she meets a nonjudgmental ranger, suffers an injury by 2 men who want to harm her, and she decides to effectively disappear. This was such a spine tingling mystery, I could not put it down, but Vanderah is masterful as she weaves a tough but good story of redemption, finding the meaning of love and family. Highly recommended and I loved the power of nature throughout her book- it was haunting, beautiful and cleansing.

View all my reviews

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Awesomely narrated Kathleen Gati and Robert Fass, this historical fiction debut is taken from Georgia Hunter's Jewish family in the year leading up to & during the Holocaust! It was so tough but compelling to read about the Kurc family during WWII and the Holocaust---expansive and horror filled as I listened I kept telling myself---remember the title of the book---they were the lucky ones... as debut author Georgia Hunter wove a heart warming family saga beginning in Poland through the gut wrenching Holocaust and what happens to the many family members. A must read, highly recommended!

View all my reviews

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2) by Sarah J. Maas

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will begin by saying I LOVE all Sarah J Maas books and I pre-order the series books so I can get to turning those pages and reading all about the romance, adventure, suspense, bullying her characters try to rise above. That said, I hate this ending and I will beseech Ms Maas to end her books with some kind of great redemptive cliffhanger or resolution that puts a smile on the readers face. This ending was none of that! In the times we live in, fraught with all kinds of angst, this reader goes to books for GREAT endings, and this book was so not that. I fell in love with the plot, characters and all they had to fight through because there was so much mystery, lies, etc. But I still could not stop reading this awesome book, just couldn't you have found a better way to keep me hanging on?

View all my reviews