Mar 26, 2022

Sunday Salon: New Books Reviewed

 Currently reading:



I was curious about Reptile Memoirs, this thriller by a Norwegian writer, borrowed through NetGalley. I'm in the middle of the ebook now and trying to figure out how the woman's pet python relates to her own psyche. 



This another ebook borrowed through NetGalley. Stay Awake is a thriller involving amnesia and a crime the female suspect doesn't remember committing.


Finished reading:

 
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, April 26, 2022, NetGalley. 
 
The book is a dark thriller with violence, cruelty, and revenge. The novel stalled in the middle of the book, making me want to stop reading, as if the story had nowhere further to go. However, luckily for this reader, it picked up dramatically in the second half, with a surprising twist at the end. 



And now for something completely different, a literary drama about a family in three generations. NetGalley. 

French Braid tells the story of Mercy and Robin Garrett - their married life together and apart, their children and grandchildren. Mercy, an artist and wife who longs to get back to painting full time, is distracted at home. Her older daughter, Alice, picks up the slack to watch out for younger sister Lily, and little David, their brother.

In one way the marriage is not a success since Mercy wants to take off on her own and leave Robin to fend for himself. However, success may be found in the children. Alice, Lily, and David go on with their lives into adulthood and marriage, regardless of their parents. Their paths are not always smooth, however - seen in the unconventional marriage choices made by Lily and David. The connections between Mercy and Robin and their offspring remain throughout, likened to a French braid that keeps its wrinkles and crinkles as a result of being so intertwined over time.
The characters make this book, as much as the stories of where their lives head.


This was a pleasure to read, as it brought lots of laughs and chuckles. 
I loved the humor and the characters of a book store owner and her employees. Sophie Bernstein, 54, shop owner and recent widow in Washington DC, wants to shut herself off from society in a secret nook she discovered at the back of her bookstore. While trying to make the dusty nook into a habitable one room apartment, she has several misadventures involving a vacuum cleaner, an errant tortoise belonging to her employees, demanding customers and their dogs, and a blackout from a busted electrical system.

Amid the humor, brought about by Sophie herself and her responses to these events, are the customers and their foibles, book signing authors with their strange quirks, and finally someone interesting to help Sophie take a new look at her world.

A wonderful read, a laugh-out-loud entertaining rom com/women's fiction. Borrowed from NetGalley.


What are you reading this week? 

Memes: The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated BookreviewerAlso,  It's Monday: What Are You ReadingMailbox Mondayand Sunday SalonStacking the Shelves


44 comments:

  1. Thrillers are not among my favorite type of reading, but you make an interesting case for these!

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. You might be surprised how entertaining some of them are!

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  2. You've got a lot of interesting books on your shelves this week. I'm not generally a thriller-type of person, but I do like a well-written thriller that is not too scary. French Braid came in for me this week, but I sent it back because I'm leaving town. I'm glad to see how much you liked the characters. And Bookish People is a book I'd read simply for the title.

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    1. Hope you get a chance to read both books when you return. Have a good time in Paris.

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  3. It has been many years since I have read an Anne Tyler book. French Braid sounds interesting.

    Bookish People sounds right up my alley.

    Have a great weekend!

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    1. I enjoyed the two books, one literary fiction, the other rom com.

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  4. Bookish people sounds great. Have a good weekend!

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  5. I have Bookish People, but haven't go to it yet. I'm so excited to get to it now that I know you enjoyed it.

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  6. Nice mix of reads. Enjoy them all.

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  7. Mystica, can you access NetGalley?

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  8. I like mystery suspense, but have been trying to back off of dark psychological titles so I would pass on The Housemaid. I do want to read French Braid as I've read a few Anne Tylers before, and Bookish People sounds like a fun read.

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    1. You;ll enjoy the last two books on the list. The Housemaid is pretty noir.

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  9. Stay Awake is on my NetGalley stack, and I'm eager to read it. I LOVED French Braid.

    I am curious about Bookish People. Enjoy your week, and here are my WEEKLY UPDATES

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    1. I'm reading Stay Awake right now and it has me guessing...

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  10. Your books look so good. Stay Awake grabbed my attention. I do have Bookish People which looks like a great one.

    Enjoy your books and have a great week!

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    1. I may stay awake reading Stay Awake! Hope you enjoy Bookish People.

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  11. Those sound like some great books! I need to add them to Planet TBR which is what I call my want-to-read pile since it's so huge. lol

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    1. Ihave a ton of TBRs in my pile, too. Good luck!

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  12. I'm glad you had such a great reading week! I'm also glad that The Housemaid picked up for you and you ended up liking it. I think I'll look into it as it sounds really intriguing. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you have a great week!

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    1. Hope you like the book. Thanks for visiting.

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  13. Looks like your reading is going very good! I usually don't keep reading when a book stalls, unless I loved it up until then.

    I hope you have a great week!

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  14. I've been interested in Megan Goldin but not sure I like amnesia stories. Happy reading!

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  15. I'm hoping to read French Braid next month. Bookish People looks good, too!

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  16. I've liked all the Ann Tyler books I've read so I look forward to reading her newest. My Sunday Salon

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  17. I haven't read any of those. I hope you enjoy them and have a great week!

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  18. Bookish People sounds good. So do the thrillers. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  19. Yeah Bookish People sounds fun. I think I could use a humorous novel about now ... And who doesn't want to disappear into the back nook of a bookstore?! I will look for it. thanks.

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    1. Yes, that does sound attractive these days, lol.

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  20. Nice books. I've seen Stay Awake and French Braid making the blog rounds.
    Bookish People sounds good and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
    Have a good week and Happy Reading!

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  21. Bookish People sounds awesome! I think I'd really like that one. :)

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  22. I've been meaning to read Megan Goldin's books but just haven't got around to reading them yet. And Bookish People sounds like a fun read!

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