The Good House by Ann Leary

The Good House by Ann Leary
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Tara Smith for recommending this audiobook, narrated by Mary Beth Hurt. Hildy Good is a life long resident of quaint Wendover. Hildy happens to be a pretty successful real estate broker, is divorced and an alcoholic who will not recognize she is one. It was interesting reading all the ways Hildy gave herself to drink and how often she had to drink but always hiding it because her daughters sent her to recovery. I loved Frank her life long friend and sometimes interest--but Hildy can be nasty & she was nasty to Frankie too often for me. I am not a fan of the unreliable narrator and Hildy was the perfect unreliable narrator for most of this story---and for the few times she was not drinking I did like her.

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Demon Copperhead by Barbra Kingsolver

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Casey Ciocca for telling me what a great book this is & Tara Smith for lending me her copy!!! What a thoroughly mesmerizing read! I loved Demon (also known as Damon Fields) his voice, his mind, and his heart! From his beginnings born to a drug addicted mom in Appalachia, Demon is a thoroughly likable character who goes from foster home to foster home and none of them good until he meets his grandmother Betsy who pounds into him her belief in a good education and once he promises her, Betsy sends him to live with one of her other fosters, Coach. Demon's trauma follows him through life as he frets about being thrown out of his next place to live. But as he grows older, he begins to enjoy popularity, athleticism & girls. But in this bright period, he meets Dori & falls madly in love. I rooted for Demon, but his life with Dori & Maggot who introduce him to drugs, takes him down a dark and twisted road. I loved seeing his ability to draw, his friendship with Tommy and Angus, the adults in his life he believes in, and through this, I prayed for a GOOD LIFE for Damon, he deserved it. A must read, you will not be able to put it down!!!

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Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, this latest Robert Dugoni detective and courtroom mystery was so suspenseful! I loved Keera Duggan, her dysfunctional family which has been forever altered due to her father's life long alcoholism. Keera catches a case where she represents the husband who is accused of killing his wife. I loved the way Dugoni unfolded the story through the chess game, the mysterious Mr. Worth who leads her to many people who grew up/knew the accused who is a multi-millionaire investment advisor, her father's missteps, and her ambition to show up the prosecutor. It definitely was like a game of chess with each move calculated keeping the reader on pins and needles. You never meet the murdered wife, but the title, Her Deadly Game was perfect in so many ways. Readers will enjoy wading into this juicy mystery. An awesome crime thriller!

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All My Rage by Sabaa

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a haunting must read! I could not stop listening to narrators Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan, and Kausar Mohammed as the tale of 2 teens who have grown up together and life comes crashing down when Misbah, Sal's mother dies, his father is drinking, and secrets Sal is keeping from Noor break them apart. The racism, the abuse, and secrecy were so profound and sinister, that the regret the characters suffer is just so sad. A must read for all!

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Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book, writer, etc...but the totally depressing topics, the Glasgow dialect made it difficult for me to gush about loving this book. I am now listening to Young Mungo, so we will see if the narration makes it easier to enjoy... Shuggie's life is so dismal- his mother drinks and she becomes abusive to her family and gets on the phone and crank calls people who have wronged her, goes thru men, is totally irresponsible and leaves her children hungry and disillusioned. As this continues, the older children plot to leave...and poor Shuggie is left to watch over his mother, hungry, cashing her child support checks and missing lots of school. I ached for Shuggie and all the difficulties he encounters, will he be able to escape this life?

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Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson

Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this Varian Johnson book so much! Ant is 10 yrs old and loves cards as muc h as his father and brother and this year he wants to do so much better in the card tournament than he did last year. But it all seems to fall apart and his partner and friend must back out of the competition. What happens is Ant's family falls apart, he meets a new girl who is good at cards, and he begins to change as he finds out more secrets about his father. A must read!!!

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Liar's Bench by Kim Michele Richardson

Liar's Bench by Kim Michele Richardson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this historical fiction debut and Muddy's fight for answers when her mother is found hanged and is then ruled suicide. Muddy can't believe it and searches for answers with her love interest friend, Bobby (who passes for white but is black and Indian) as they fight racism, bigotry, and secrets in small town and small minded Kentucky. What will happen to Muddy? A great mystery and thriller taking place in 1972 with flashes back to the history of Bobby's people.

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Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood by Gary Paulsen

Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood by Gary Paulsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a crushing memoir from awesome author, Gary Paulsen. Aimed at middle grade readers, this book would also be very interesting to YA readers and adults. Referring to himself as the boy, Paulsen describes parts of his upbringing and how it shaped him---from a mother who used him in bars to sing at the young age of five, to a doting grandmother and awesome Aunt and Uncle who instilled love and the beauty of nature to his time in Manila, running from his alcoholic parents and school, finishing school with a vocation and then his time in the army. Paulsen's writing made me so angry at times due to what his parents did or did not do to him. But when he talked about his time on the farm with his aunt and uncle and his love of the woods and their farm I was enthralled with how much love and beauty this world and these people gave to Paulsen when he was six years old. Thankfully his awful childhood made him resilient due to the calming influence of his grandmother and aunt and uncle---those parts of the book transported me and I fell in love with Paulsen's descriptions of the food, animals, livestock, pastures, mushroom gathering and fishing in this part of his life. This book will interest many kinds of readers, Paulsen was not a student and reluctant readers will identify with Paulsen's feelings about school. A must read; this book will speak to many different people.

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If I Tell You the Truth by Jasmin Kaur

If I Tell You the Truth by Jasmin Kaur
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, I loved Kiran and Sahaara's voices as they relate their stories in prose, poetry and illustrations! The author, Jasmin Kaur weaves an all to real plot about being undocumented, sexual assault, fear, and deep seated anxiety. Kiran is Sahaara's mom, an undocumented immigrant. She never speaks of what happened to her daughter, but the reader knows Kiran was raped, thrown away by her mother who labels her a liar, and arrives in Canada to begin college. Staying with her aunt, Kiran reveals to her mother and aunt, she is pregnant. Her aunt will not help her and go against the Punjabi family rules and Kiran's awful mother does not believe her and blames her. Kiran wants to keep the baby and her mother orders her to get an abortion. Kiran wants something of her own, not to be judged as less than and with this in mind, Kiran confides in her friend, Joti, and Joti and her mother take her in where she lives in a real family (that she has never known) of strong, loving women and Sahaara has a best friend in Jeevan and a love of art as the best way to express herself. I ached as I read the lives of this mother and daughter; so many mysteries, secrets, and questions silenced. I could not put this deep examination of what it is to be a woman who does not matter in a man's world that includes lies. I loved being a part of Kiran and Sahaara's journeys and urge adults as well as young adults to read this story. Highly recommended!

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Dark Horses by Susan Mihalic

Dark Horses: A Novel by Susan Mihalic
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, just Wow! Mihalic's debut was stunning, gripping, terrifying! Roan is only 15 years old when this novel begins but she has the maturity and tenacity of an adult; a much older, time worn woman. Being raised by totally normal looking parents; they are a scary dysfunctional family with few redeeming qualities. Her mother is an alcoholic, a beauty who no longer models, hates her husband and daughter because she feels they chose each other and not her. Poor Roan does not know why her mother can't love her; she even told her about the abuse from her father and it fell on deaf ears. Roan has been lashed to her father since she was a child; he controls her every movement. She is an award winning equestrian (just like her father) but there are strings attached, and in order to survive Roan places aspects of her life in boxes in order to deal. As she grew up the abuse continued and with it threats--her father killed her dog, threatens to take away beloved horses, and punishes her when she falters. Add to this a high school friend who becomes someone special and life becomes filled with more and more secrets threatening to explode. But Roan has been groomed by the best, her father and along the way she has learned to become skilled in deception and as her life with her father collides with Will Howard, Roan tries desperately to live with her father's expectations and her interest in this new boy's attentions. I could not stop turning the pages while I was entranced by the world Mihalic created of the beauty of farms, horses, and competition. I rooted for Roan and hoped her resilience forged from her father's demands would help her find her way to a life she deserved. A must read about family dynamics, sexual abuse, and the power of love. Highly recommended!

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Life in the Balance by Jen Petro-Roy

Life in the Balance by Jen Petro-Roy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this awesome book for my 2nd #BitAboutBooks Winter Reading Challenge, Direction in the Title. Veronica is the only child of lawyer mom and home salesman dad. She loves softball; her mom and grandmother were stand out softball players and her ability is obvious. Looking forward to an All Star Team tryout; life crashes and burns when her mom reveals she will be going to rehab for alcoholism for 2 months. This changes so much for Veronica and as she decides how to tell her best friend, Claudia about her mom, Claudia has challenges too; her parents are separating. So Veronica does not tell tell Claudia and as time goes on she confides in another friend. Her dad tells her they may not be able to afford the fees for the All Star team, devastating Veronica. I loved Veronica's voice; her anger; her fears, and her vulnerability (that she hides from all). Middle grade readers will identify with the life choices, school drama and family dynamics, Petro-Roy so convincingly portrays in the characters of Veronica, Claudia, Libby, her mom, her dad and scary Coach Ortiz as they navigate the good times and the "new" times in this realistic story of family, addiction, and the many changes and struggles in the life of this young teen. Highly recommended!

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Watermark (Broken Bell, Book 1) by Elise Schiller

Watermark by Elise Schiller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Told in alternating narratives by Angel’s sister and Angel’s best friend, this gritty urban fiction novel takes place in Philadelphia with oldest sister, Angel, ardent protector of her three younger sisters while juggling school, swim team practice, holding down a job at the laundromat all while their mother, Pic, is selfish, absent, abusive, drug addicted, alcoholic and married to Frank (who hates Angel, does not work, feeds Pic drugs and invective). What I loved about this book are the many supportive people in Angel’s life who step in and make a difference. When their mother is in rehab, their grandparents take them and provide a very stable environment. CJ is the coach of the swim team who sees Angel’s worth on the team while also grooming her to succeed in life; he is tough but fair and pushes Angel to swim her best time and time again, even when her life is falling apart. Angel is a teen; strong, flawed, but very likable; she speaks her mind (which pits her against her mother and Frank), is devoted to her sisters and friends. From Jeannine and Alex, their story/life of Angel, is riveting, shocking, and just so real. Jeannine has so much inner turmoil, she stops going to school, self medicates, rarely eats and leaves the house. Alex has the nice house, is best friends with Angel, and has a friendly mother where Angel feels comfortable enough to relax and even confide. The desperate search for Angel when she does not come home New Year’s Eve is heart wrenching. What happened to Angel and will she be found in time? A highly recommended ripped from the headlines read that teens and adults alike will not be able to put down. Even better, this is the first in a series, Broken Bell; I can’t wait for the second book. I love Elise Schiller’s writing, her characters, and portrayal of Philadelphia with beauty and authenticity. A must read! Due out in May, 2020.

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Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry

Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tom Doherty Associates and Tor Teen for the advance reader copy, Echoes Between Us by awesome YA romance author, Katie McGarry, in exchange for an honest review. I love the way this story unfolded; cool guy Sawyer and weird Veronica are new neighbors since his mom is renting the first floor of V’s house. But both of their personalities hide enormous pain in their lives; Sawyer’s divorced Mom (along with absentee Dad) have put him in the awful position as caretaker for his 6- year-old sister and his mother (she drinks on weekends) but this has caused Sawyer to develop a secret, dangerous addiction. Veronica (V to her friends) believes in ghosts; she sees and talks to her dead mother all the time. I rooted for Sawyer and Veronica! Katie McGarry has written a hard-hitting story about teens with haunting secrets; parents who don’t care (Sawyer) as opposed to a close family relationship with their teen (Veronica), and high school friendships that are fierce to their core; I loved every word in this novel! Both Sawyer and V have friends they totally depend on but these friends do not like seeing the new closeness between V and Sawyer. As they work on a class project together about the existence of ghosts; Sawyer and Veronica open up to one another, becoming very attached. This poignant, mesmerizing, gripping novel reminded me of one of my favorite Katie McGarry novels, Crash Into You, with Isaiah and Rachel, my very special protagonists. I could not stop turning the pages. Katie McGarry is a gifted writer for teens and is totally delivers with real themes, current topics, and contemporary issues they want to read! Highly recommended.

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Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Salire Saenz

Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A heart-wrenching tale of a young man, Zach, who is an alcoholic and finds himself at a rehab facility where he must remember in order to heal. Zach is an 18 year old who has so many skeletons in his closet and he doesn’t really talk too much but you know he has a mother (with depression problems) and a father (who drinks too much) and a brother who is so psychopathic, he is holding the family emotionally hostage. His childhood as he “remembers” it is so dysfunctional that he drinks in order to cope and keep up a façade as a fun guy. Zach almost dies of alcohol poisoning which lands him in a hospital (none of this he remembers) and now at the rehab facility, we are introduced to his therapist, Adam, and Sharkey, a larger than life guy with many demons, and Rafael, a 50 year old man, who has alcohol issues, and it is through these relationships and Zach’s stream of consciousness that we learn about all the “monsters” that are torturing these fragile individuals. It is a tough read, more sad and haunting than I felt comfortable with at times and I thought of putting it down but I was also compelled to read about Zach’s journey. I know this journey is torturous and fraught with self-doubt, loneliness, anger, and helplessness. But it is a journey that many must make and hopefully they will be better, happier, more filled with life.



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