Mar 6, 2022

Sunday Salon: Three Book Reviews

 Books read and reviewed:


The Lincoln Highway 
Author: Amor Towles, October 2021, Viking 

Emmett, 18, and his eight year old brother Billie plan an epic trip from Nebraska to California, by car, to find their mother who had abandoned them years ago. They are joined by two other teens, runaways from a juvenile detention center, who want to go to New York before the Emmett and Billie take their car to California.

The journey becomes convoluted and much longer than expected, as Duchess and Wooley, the two runaway boys, make demands and have unfinished business in NY, unintentionally forcing Emmett and Billie to go along with their plans.

The themes are settling of accounts, for the boys, to give and to take, and the book takes the reader on a long, roundabout journey, along the roads as well as into the minds and hearts of the boys. A slow journey, literally and figuratively, but the book is well worth reading and savoring along the way.



The Caretakers by Amanda Bestor-Siegal, April 12, 2022, William Morrow

Genre: contemporary fiction, women's fiction, YA. Source NetGalley


The novel gives an in depth look at several international aupairs/ caretakers and their French host families. The book focuses on three American girls, their family backgrounds, their sometimes harrowing experiences in the French homes they are assigned to, and where they land up after their time looking after children is over.

Caretakers may or may not be fully suited for the job, and the host families may or may not be suited to have an au pair in their home. The book pointed out to me the situations that could occur - unsuitable caregivers and/or unsuitable host families or even dysfunctional families. The novel covers all of these, including a few normal families, with an excellent plot.


One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner, January 18, 2022, Dutton

Genre: thriller, adventure set in Wyoming

Frankie Elkin spends her life finding the lost and missing, successfully finding at least 16 so far. 

In One Step Too Far, she travels to the wild and rugged Popo Agie Wilderness, Shoshone National Park, to help search for Tim O'Day, a young man who disappeared on a camping trip five years ago. The trek was with three of his best friends, groomsmen for his upcoming wedding who later emerged from the wilderness, distraught over losing Tim on the trip.

Frankie joins the search party five years later, one organized yearly by Tim's persistent father, but this year's search turns out to be even more perilous and dangerous than the one that lost Tim. 

The party includes a cadaver dog and his female handler; three of the surviving four groomsmen; a seasoned outdoorsman; a Big Foot enthusiast and tracker, and Frankie, all led by Tim's father. 

This is a thriller with an excellent plot with equally excellent descriptions and dramatic action that gives you a feel of the Popo Agie, its challenges as well as its beauty and perils.

 

Currently reading:

Psychological suspense

 

Thriller set in Alaska


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

53 comments:

  1. I loved Lincoln Highway and One Step Too Far - both authors are so good. I have The Caretakers and The Last Affair on my TBR as well and now I want to add The Final Hunt as well - not one I had heard of. Hope March is a good month for you.

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    1. I'm reading more than usual, Diane. Glad we like the same books!

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  2. I thought Lincoln Highway was excellent. It's the characters that Towles creates that I love so much.

    The Caretakers sounds promising. I just about can't pass up a French setting.

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    1. You'll enjoy the French setting, too, Deb Nance.

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  3. The Caretakers looks one to read. Enjoy your new batch of books.

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  4. I have been noticing The Lincoln Highway for a while. Time to check on it!

    I also want to read the new Lisa Gardner.

    Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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  5. I've heard The Lincoln Highway is very good, loved your review. I recently finished Her Last Affair and I really enjoyed it, hope you do too.

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    1. I'm in the middle of Her Last Affair and wondering where the plot is leading!

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  6. The Lincoln Highway was one of my favorite reads recently too. I think everyone likes it. You didn't give your opinion, just a synopsis, I would like to know what you thought.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. I liked it, Mae, because of the detailed character development of the boys and the variety of personalities they met along the way. I didn't want to give away too much of the plot.

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  7. One Step too Far looks really interesting, like something I might enjoy reading. I'm glad you had such a great reading week. Thanks for stopping by my blog! :)

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    1. It was quite a tense and involved thriller that was gripping for the setting and the plot, Jenni, and the book stayed with me a while.

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  8. One Step too Far sounds really good!

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  9. I have not read any of these. I have heard great things about The Lincoln Highway. Have a great week!

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    1. I recommend all of the books above, Cindy! Thanks for visiting.

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  10. I liked A Gentleman in Moscow but have not read anything else by Towles. Glad you enjoyed this one!

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  11. I've been loving thrillers lately and will have to take a look at several of these.

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    1. Hope you enjoy the ones you choose, Greg! Thanks for visiting!

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  12. I really enjoyed The Lincoln Highway, too, and The Caretakers sounds like a good one as well.

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    1. I liked them both, though different genres!

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  13. I had luck finding good books this month, JoAnn.

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  14. You have some great books on your list. The Lincoln Highway is on my wishlist. It's been a long time since I read Lisa Gardner but she's always good and this sounds like a book I would like. I hope you enjoy all your books. Have a great week!

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    1. I'm surprised I haven't read more of Lisa Gardner. She is a good plotter and writer.

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  15. I still haven't found the energy to begin Lincoln Highway (honestly, I think I'm a little intimidated by the time it will take to read it), but you've added to the evidence that it deserves reading rather than just sitting patiently on my desk for me to open it up to the first page.

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    1. Good luck with the Lincoln Highway. It took me a while to get to it too, and I read it in sections, spaced apart.

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  16. My sister really liked The Lincoln Highway -- saying it was a good story. I'm waiting a bit on it ... because of its length but will eventually get to it. I'm glad you liked it. And I'll be curious about what you think of the John Searles novel. Have a great week.

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    1. I'm in the middle of the Searles novel, reading about non sympathetic individuals with so many quirks!

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  17. I loved One Step Too Far and the previous book. I was so glad it turned into a series.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  18. All of these look like good reads. But I'm especially intrigued by The Final Hunt; I love a good thriller set in Alaska. :)

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  19. Lincoln Highway sounds like a great afternoon read. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've heard a lot of good things about Lisa Gardner's book as well. Hope you enjoy the rest of your week!

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    1. The book will take several afternoons, lol, but it's worth it.

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  20. Love Lisa Gardner. I got rejected for that newest one and the library doesn't carry the audio yet. I'll be waiting until they do. Happy reading!

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    1. I'll have to see what her latest one is. Good luck with the audio.

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  21. I have been wanting to read The Lincoln Highway since it came out. The Caretakers also looks good.

    Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog.

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    1. Hope you get a chance to read them and let us know what you think, Cheryl.

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  22. I liked The Lincoln Highway a lot more than I thought I would. It was worth reading all those pages. :)

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  23. Nice assortment of books. I've read some by Lisa Gardner but not that one. I'll have to add it to my list. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  24. I've looked at Lisa Gardner's books often but have not yet tried anything by her.

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    1. Thus one is not bad. I want to try the first in the series.

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  25. You have a lovely range of books here, Harvee. The Caretakers looks fascinating - I have a friend who used to host students from Italy throughout the summer and some of the tales she told about what the youngsters go up to would make your hair stand on end...:). Have a great week and many thanks for swinging by.

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  26. These all look like good reading. Hope you enjoy them all.

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    1. I’ve just about finished these and am on a new one, Martha. Enjoyed them!

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