An Anonymous Girl

Fiction by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Jess, a young make-up artist in New York City, decides to try to make some quick cash by participating in a psychological study that promises high compensation in exchange for revealing your deepest secrets. But as she gets more involved with the psychologist conducting the study, she find that her secret revelations may have gotten too deep for comfort.

This was a good thriller with a dual point of view, although I found the psychologist's point-of-view odd, because the passive voice is used so much.

I also read recently by these authors: The Wife Between Us

And Then There Were None

Fiction by Agatha Christie

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This is definitely an Agatha Christie classic, although I wouldn't say it's my favorite of hers. I like the absence of a detective in this story, although it makes the solution even harder to work out. It's a "locked-room" kind of mystery, although the place involved is actually an island.

It's funny that I remembered almost all of this story, but I still didn't know who the murderer was until the end...

I also read recently by this author: Death on the Nile

Mother's Day

Fiction by Patricia MacDonald

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/

At the beginning of this story, the body of a teenage girl is found in a nature preserve, causing a flurry of media attention that eventually dies down when the girl remains unidentified. Still, some townspeople are uneasy, and Karen Newhall is quick to assume the worst when her 13-year-old daughter Jenny fails to turn up for their traditional Mother's Day lunch. But this is only the start of the trouble for Karen and Jenny...

This was an exciting and enjoyable thriller.

I also read recently by this author: Secret Admirer

Fair Coin

Fiction by E. C. Meyers

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This is technically a "young adult" book, meaning it's for teenagers, but I really enjoyed it.

Ephraim comes home from high school to find that his mother has tried to kill herself because she thought he was dead. She's not crazy; there was an actual boy matching Ephraim's description and carrying his library card who had been hit by a bus that afternoon. But it wasn't Ephraim, obviously, because he arrived home in time to call 911 and save his mom's life. But the mysterious lookalike boy left behind a strange coin that might be magic...

A fast and fun read, this book was very enjoyable. Apparently there's a sequel, too!

The Turn of Midnight

Fiction by Minette Walters

https://www.barnesandnoble.com
This is the sequel to The Last Hours, a historical apocalyptic book I read last year. Yes, there can be a historical apocalyptic story-- people during the Dark Ages who experienced the The Black Death were pretty certain it was the end of the world, I think. When over half the population just dies, it's pretty darn scary.

This was a good sequel; I had really wanted to know what would happen to the people in the previous story, and the wrap-up done in this book was satisfying. I don't think the author plans another book in this series, but I could be wrong.

I also read recently by this author: The Shape of Snakes

The Institute

Fiction by Stephen King

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Oh, Mr. King. I love your characters so much! Why are you so mean to them?

This book begins with Tim, a man who takes a job as "a night-knocker" (which seems to be kind of a security guard employed by the sheriff's office), and Luke, a brilliant twelve-year-old with a loving family and an early acceptance at MIT and Columbia. I liked both of the guys, but I just loved Luke.

Of course, I knew bad things were coming for this poor kid, and that he would eventually meet up with our man Tim somehow, but I had no idea where this story would really go. I won't ruin it for you  by saying any more (although the synopsis from the book jacket will give more information than I have).

This was a really good, although disturbing, book.

I also read recently by this author: Revival

Free Food For Millionaires

Fiction by Min Jin Lee

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Casey Han is a Korean-American girl in New York City trying to remain true to herself, while being pulled in different directions by her traditional parents' and modern society's expectations.

This was a really good character story. I liked Casey and wanted things to work out well for her, and her sister and best friend too. It was a long book and held my attention well. I enjoyed it, although I was not completely happy with the ending.

I liked the other book I read by this author better (see below), maybe because it was historical.

I also read by this author: Pachincko

The Girl Next Door

Fiction by Patricia MacDonald

https://www.barnesandnoble.com
This was another exciting mystery thriller from Patricia MacDonald. (I'm going to be really sad when I get through all her books; I've already read almost twenty!)

Nina Avery is the youngest of three teenagers in suburban New Jersey in 1988, and she's got the usual types of worries of a girl her age: the crush she has on the boy next door, her new part in the school play, and her parents' constant fighting. Then her mother is murdered one night and her father blamed, but Nina just can't believe it's true.

Although her brothers reluctantly accept their father's guilt, Nina keeps believing that her father is innocent, even after his conviction. She vows to help him get back on his feet when he's finally paroled fifteen years after the murder, and brings him to her Manhattan apartment to live. But when Dad wants to go back to their old hometown and start trying to clear his name, Nina's not sure it's a good idea...

A great story!

I also read recently by this author: Secret Admirer

Jackdaws

Fiction by Ken Follett

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/

A great, fast read about women spies during World War 2!

I also read recently by this author: The Man From St Petersburg

The House Girl

Fiction by Tara Conklin

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This is the story of two women separated by over 150 years.  Lina, a law associate in 2004 New York City, goes on a research quest to find Josephine, a house slave in 1852 Virginia. The similarities and differences between these characters really gives the reader something to think about.

It was a very good book!

Girl in the Rearview Mirror

Fiction by Kelsey Rae Dimberg

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Finn Hunt works as a nanny for a rich and powerful Arizona family. She loves her young charge, four-year-old Amabel, and she feels like her glamorous employers really regard her as part of the family. But when trouble starts, she'll soon learn who is really in the family and who is out in the the cold.

This was a good thriller, although I wasn't completely happy with the ending.

The First Formic War Trilogy

Fiction by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This is a science-fiction trilogy prequel to the novel Ender's Game, which I read many years ago, along with its sequels. It is not necessary to read any of the others to understand these books, however. (If you are interested in reading that series, I have the list in order on the post about Shadows in Flight).

This series stands alone as a story of a futuristic universe in which Earth is invaded by killer aliens.

Yes, that sounds campy, but it's actually a very good set of books, and it's quite serious. (In fact, I felt like the war stuff was a bit too realistically detailed sometimes.) The characters are good, and I do feel like the co-writer has stayed true to the original style.

Apparently there is another trilogy after this, still partially in the works, so I'll plan to read that as well.

I also read by this writing team: Invasive Procedures

Lessons From Lucy

Subtitled: The Simple Joys of An Old Happy Dog
Nonfiction by Dave Barry

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Dave Barry is a humor writer, but in this book he tries to impart a little serious wisdom in the form of "lessons" he's "learned" from his dog. Fortunately, he doesn't get TOO serious...

The Lessons are pretty normal, non-earth-shattering stuff --enjoy the moment, make new friends, let go of your anger, et cetera-- but the good part of the book is the funny way Dave tells the stories.

I also read recently by this author: Insane City