Signal Moon by Kate Quinn

Signal Moon by Kate Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this riveting short story awesomely narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and Andrew Gibson about the war in 1943 a code breaker and how one night she receives a transmission from the future, 2023. Lily contacts Matt in the future and together they try to avert a catastrophe. Another suspenseful historical fiction tale from Kate Quinn, thoroughly enjoyable!

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First Family (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell, #4) by David Baldacci

First Family by David Baldacci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great suspenseful mystery! I am so enjoying this series--Michelle and Sean work so well together; it is a great partnership. There is a kidnapping that affects the first family and the first lady calls Sean into help return her niece to her family. There is an ages old conspiracy that has left a family devastated and an old man decides on justice. I could not stop turning the pages as lies, murders, and conspiracies multiply and through their own issues Michelle and Sean work with others to save this little girl. A must read!

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Empire of Pain: The Secret History of teh Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Narrated by: Patrick Radden Keefe I could not stop listening to this awful, compelling nonfiction narrative of the Sackler family and their willful brutishness about their role in the drugs they produced and actively advertised to their sales reps, doctors, and ultimately their users who often became hooked and died. For years, law was after them and for years the Sackler family used legal tactics against the government, district attorneys, and the victims (some were their own employees) that halted for investigations...but as the dying continued and the opioid crisis continued, this author relentlessly interviewed, researched and documented the continued Sackler accountability unearthing many documents, people and victim to finally bring this giant family to admit to their role and try to exact justice for the many who died or became addicted to the drugs the Sackler family created and touted. A must read!!!

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Meena Meets Her Match (Meena Zee, #1) by Karla Manternach

Meena Meets Her Match by Karla Manternach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this first book in the Meena Zee series, I will definitely be reading these and passing along to my granddaughters! Meena looks at the world in terms of bright colors and how "anything" (including trash & other disgusting stuff) cab be used for her art projects in school and at home. But the bright colors darken when Meena has a medical event that turns her world upside down. Also her best friend, Sophie stays in now at recess and Meena is upset and angry about this. I loved all the characters, the plot was so enjoyable, and all of the resolutions were authentic. I especially liked the Author Note at the end. I also liked that this book was for 3rd graders, a middle grade beginner book, readers will enjoy and ask for more!

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A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow

A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very enjoyable novel in verse about trans teens, their friendship, their love and their journeys (re-enactments & exploring history). I liked the 2 main characters but also their families as they individually try to handle their lives with each other and their families, they begin to carve out MORE when they go to a re-enactment of the American Revolution. Teens will really enjoy this book and the way the author presents the story, the characters and queerness through the ages. Highly recommended.

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The Women of Chateau of Lafayette by Stephanie Dray

The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to my Albright reading buddy, Mary McGrath Nakajima, for recommending this awesome read & stellar narration by Tavia Gilbert , Emma Bering , Rachel Jacobs! Even though I did not enjoy the horrors of my last historical fiction read (many many times I wanted to put it down for the misery it evoked) The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan; I was energized to read more and more about the heroines of Chateau Lafayette! These women (Marthe & Beatrice) strived to be like their heroine, Adrienne Lafayette (who emulated the ideals of freedom and equality of her husband, the Marquis de Lafayette) and the time periods this book spans were so thoroughly researched and plotted that I could not put this book down! Highly recommended!

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Simple Genius (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell, #3) by David Baldacci

Simple Genius by David Baldacci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, there was so much going on in this intense mystery thriller! Sean sinks all of his money into helping his partner and friend find the therapy she needs after a night where she tried to kill a man. Hired by his old friend and lover, Joan, Sean is tasked with finding out why a genius explored and was found dead in a forbidden CIA facility. I really liked the therapist/friend Horatio who tries to find out why Michelle has deadly issues and later treats the murdered man's daughter who is a genius with numbers. There is lying, deceit, secrets from wartime, codebreaking, and much more in this top notch mystery!

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Hour Game (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell, #2) by David Baldacci

Hour Game by David Baldacci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this 2nd of the Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series, there is someone who is killing people mimicking famous serial killings. There are clues deliberately left and a wristwatch is set at a particular hour. They are hired to defend a man when all of these murders begin to happen. Can they be tied to their case? I could not stop turning the pages & I love these 2 characters! Moving on to the 3rd book in the series!

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The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan

The Last Green Valley by Mark T. Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very very difficult book for me to read; the terrible things the Martel family suffered under Stalin during WWII. There was so much horror, suffering, death and evil that many many times I wanted to put this book down. I was so glad I persevered and finished this book for my Albright College Zoom book discussion because this family was determined to survive against many horrific odds.

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