Author: Jamaica Kincaid

Pat suggested that I might like this book. Since I was waiting on a book from the library I picked it off the shelf to read. If ever a book was written to make me break the rules (finishing every book I start), this was probably the one.

Although not a memoir it tells the story of a family (mother, father, a boy and a girl). Most of it is told through the eyes of the mother and father, and the father doesn’t seem to love any of his family other than his daughter, who is barely mentioned in the book. The mother dotes on her son but seems indifferent to her daughter. Not a happy book at all and, although it is small, it was a real challenge to get through it.

Goodreads Rating: *

Author: Roxana Spicer

I never would have picked this book but Stacia was on a trip with someone who knew someone and she passed it along to me.

The author’s mother is Russian and served during the Second World War. Her Mum’s story is remarkable, as is the author’s research to find the information her mother would never share. The big connection is that the family lived in Netherhill, SK, a town where my uncle and aunt lived. Although I didn’t necessarily enjoy the book (and my aunt and uncle aren’t mentioned) it did teach me things about the war that I had never heard.

Goodreads Rating: * *

Author: Carson McCullers

This was definitely one of those books chosen by the cover. It’s been on my list for a long time and on a recent trip I downloaded it from Libby. It was almost time to return it when the hard copy I had requested from the local library came in.

I took a long time to read the book for a few reasons. Christmas was coming and I was busy planning, buying and wrapping gifts. I was reading on my phone and/or iPad and, because I was mainly reading in bed, it wasn’t comfortable. And, to be honest, I didn’t really care for the book.

The girl depicted on the cover is only one of several characters in a small Southern town in the 1930s. The characters all seem “broken” in some way and, although they are all connected, it didn’t feel like a continuous story but more like individual stories told over time.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Harlan Coben

This is one of the books included in Kathryn’s 2025 birthday bag. I saw the idea on Facebook and decided to pass it along. On her birthday Kathryn received a bag of books (second hand that for the most part I’ve pre-read) each wrapped in brown paper. The idea is that once a month (on her birthdate) she can pick a book to read. Each book includes a bookmark of some sort.

I was first made aware of this author through a series on Netflix. I read one of his books and knew I’d be reading more of them.

The Baye’s are a successful family; Tia is a lawyer and Mike is a transplant surgeon. They have a son, Adam, and a daughter, Jill, and from the outside they seem to be a perfect family. After the suicide of his best friend Adam changes and his parents are worried. But will they really spy on him and what will they do with the information they glean? In the meantime murders are being committed and connections between the murders and the Baye family are revealed.

Goodreads Rating: * * * *