Book Review – The Sunshine Girls

Clara and Abbie Beecher are at odds when they bury their mother in Molly Fader’s newest novel The Sunshine Girls.

Clara is fresh off a plane from Chicago. The high priced attorney has no desire to spend any more time than necessary in small town Iowa. It doesn’t matter that she was born and raised there, or that her mother had spent her whole adult life there. The memories are just too painful. 

Her father had been the magnet that held the family together and losing him three years earlier has left her feeling disconnected. A recent fight with her mother has her questioning her childhood. And, now those questions may never be answered. 

Abbie has problems of her own, but she’s not about to let anyone know it. Her job has been to keep everything together. She’s doing all the work and playing all of the parts; attentive sister, doting mother, and loving wife. In reality, her life is unraveling little by little. She’s on the edge and a wine bottle is the only thing holding her up.

However, their focus is on BettyKay Beecher. It’s time to honor a woman who lived a full life. She was a nurse, a teacher, an administrator. She was a published author and a pillar of the Greensboro, Iowa community. The whole town has turned out to show their love and appreciation. But, one guest is unexpected. Legendary star, former Bond girl, and famous model Kitty Devereaux shows up to pay her respects. How did these women meet? What held them together? Why didn’t anyone know? Apparently, BettyKay had a past, and Kitty is the key to unlocking it. 

From nursing school to Hollywood, from Vietnam to Iowa…BettyKay kept diaries and now it is time for her daughters to discover who she really was. Kitty takes Abby and Clara on a journey through the past where sisterhood is the key to survival. And, for the Beecher sisters, this lesson couldn’t come at a better time.

Fader weaves a story that might leave people wondering if they know anything about their own families. Rich in detail, suspense, and emotion, this is a novel that is difficult to put down. The walk through the history of The Sunshine Girls is truly a great read.

On a personal note: I have one fantastic brother! I am eight years older, but it hasn’t seemed to matter. Once he got past the “I’m not touching you,” stage–you know where his fingers were right in my face– he became one of the few people I almost always enjoy hanging out with. The point is, I don’t have a sister like Clara and Abbie. However, I do understand the connection that Kitty, BettyKay, and their friends have. When you leave home, for whatever the reason, you are lucky if you find people that will lift you up when you fall down. They’ll laugh with you and cry with you. They’re the ones who know the secrets, when to hide them or expose them. A little shout out to my best college friend (The one with the DUCK!) and my Sis-in-Law (The One with the Cats). Love to you both, make sure it is the right time to tell people where the bodies are buried!

By: Lisa McAlhaney

A Hanukkah Romance

Read it for the multifaceted, quirky, disabled, best selling author heroine, the successful, handsome hero, the vibrant cast of supporting characters. Relish the way the author incorporates both cultural and religious Jewish experience, shaped by her own life and observances, just as she does for the heroine’s chronic illness. Cheer every appearance of the heroine’s mother and the hero’s grandmother, both formidable and deeply caring women. 

Brace yourself for over-the-top shenanigans, because the heroine and hero are still, at heart, the kids who pranked each other and fell in love one summer at Jewish camp. The lights and wonder of Hanukkah are at the heart of the story, as old traditions are adapted for the modern era.

If you need more romantic comedy to brighten your life, Meltzer’s Mr. Perfect On Paper runs with the story of a a modern-day Jewish matchmaker, her beloved grandmother, and the encounters with the love interests over the course of the Jewish High Holidays.

TLDR: A lovely melding of contemporary romance tropes with refreshing twists, highly recommended. #OwnVoices

By: Lauren Van Dyke

Read-Alikes: Anita Hughes

If you like Anita Hughes’ heartwarming, character driven relationship fiction, try these authors:

Mary Kay Andrews
Tessa Bailey
Sara Desai
Emily Henry
Talia Hibbert
Abby Jimenez
Christina Lauren
Lauren Layne
Susan Meissner
Meghan Quinn
Sheila Roberts
Lori Nelson Spielman
Danielle Steel

Read-Alikes: Beatriz Williams

If you like Beatriz Williams’ dual narratives that explore the past, try these authors:

Sarah Blake
Chanel Cleeton
Kristin Harmel
Kate Morton
Jennifer Robson
Karin Tanabe
Penny Vincenzi

Read-Alikes: Colleen Hoover

If you like Colleen Hoover’s new adult fiction and contemporary romances, try these authors and books:

Helen Hoang
Christina Lauren
Jojo Moyes
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Rebecca Serle
Sally Thorne

Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
My Way to You by Catherine Bybee
The Life She Wants by Robin Carr
When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole
If You Stay by Courtney Cole
The Cactus by Sarah Haywood
Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

Book Review – Anywhere You Run

The Richards sisters find themselves in trouble and haunted by past mistakes in Wanda M. Morris’ newest novel, Anywhere You Run. Violet and Marigold Richards are all alone in this world. These sisters, barely older than 20, have witnessed the passing of their parents and older sister, Rose. This prequel to All Her Little Secrets finds these women searching for freedom from 1960s restraints and trying to establish themselves in the Jim Crow South. 

Violet blames the deaths of her family members on herself. She realizes that her tendency for quick, unthoughtful decision making is dangerous. The combination of her youth and her guilt leads her astray. She is partying hard and acting reckless. After an incident with a local, she is on the run from the police and in need of a fast exit from Jackson, Mississippi. Dewey Leonard might just be her ticket out. However, a black woman and a white man traveling together warrants attention during this era. Attention is just what Violet is trying to avoid.

While Violet is breaking laws, Marigold is trying to change them. Working for a civil rights organization charged with bringing voting to blacks in Mississippi, Marigold has dreams of going to college. But, after an encounter with a young attorney working in the area, she finds herself in a different kind of trouble. Pregnant and alone, she faces a different kind of prejudice. Left with the possibility of being ostracized in her current condition, she marries a long time suitor and moves North hoping to find a safe place to raise her baby. A place where blacks and whites have the same freedoms.

Sometimes plans work out and sometimes they go awry. Violet ends up in Chillicothe, Georgia trying to buy some time until she can catch up with Marigold in Cleveland, Ohio. Mercer Buggs has other things in mind. Hired by Dewey to track down Violet, he ends up in Cleveland following Marigold. Both good and bad things come to pass when these characters finally all come together. This story bridges the racial division and addresses the fight for equality, but is far from black and white.  

Morris’ intense storytelling style is engaging. Humanity and humility are strong in her main characters. She highlights the tensions of the times as well as the struggle of growing up. These women are surrounded by family, friends, and foes- all of which contribute to the landscape of the South in the changing 1960s.

On a personal note: Chillicothe, Georgia is a fictional town, however, Chillicothe, Ohio is not. This is where I was born and raised. I was desperate to leave there, but I am grateful for the place that taught me everyone deserves respect, that people are inherently the same, that it is okay to be who you are- whoever that may be. Believe it or not, that can happen in small town Ohio. It doesn’t happen for everyone, but I was fortunate enough to have great parents, amazing teachers, a great college experience where I learned that community starts with me. As times continue to change, we all need to do better. If Chillicothe can, we can too. 

By: Lisa McAlhaney

Book Review – Jackal

Shadows of the past pursue Liz Rocher in Erin Adams’ debut novel, Jackal. The minute she steps off the train in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Liz wonders if it was the right move to come back for her best friend Mel’s wedding. Due to a series of suspicious events and terrifying discoveries, she will wonder about that decision for years to come.

Liz’s anxiety rises quickly, just like the flood that plagued Johnstown in 1889. The flood left the town decimated, segregated, and harboring the darkness of death. As the town was rebuilt, more affluent and most white families lived on the rising edges of the woods where they were protected from raging waters and sinister creatures. Over the years, some black families were able to find new beginnings in this area too, including Liz and her mother. Unfortunately, some of their endings were far from happy. The things that lie within the woods and the stories surrounding them were passed down through generations. Some heeded the warnings, while others did not. 

Mel’s biracial marriage brings up many questions about the underlying racial division in the area. This becomes obvious as Liz interacts with the wedding party’s family and her old classmates. Tension mounts when Mel’s daughter, Caroline, suddenly disappears and the weekend of celebration turns into a nightmare. Reliving a horror from her own past, Liz goes digging for answers. What she finds is more questions.

The search for Caroline seems less urgent than it should be, and Liz starts to wonder,”Why?” Fighting memories of a similar abduction years ago, she sees suspects everywhere she looks…Mel’s brother, father, and other members of the police force, old classmates from high school, many of whom are intertwined. With time ticking she reaches out to other blacks in the area and discovers a pattern. Can she put all of the pieces back together to save Caroline and possibly her own self as she comes to realize who to trust, what really matters, and just what or who this shadow is?

Adams’ first work is an incredible read where she often uses a poetic rhythm that can be both lyrical and haunting. The focus on underlying racial tensions leads to many thought provoking questions. The perspective changes through multiple narrators, so sometimes it takes a minute of rereading and reanalyzing along the way, but it is well worth the effort. 

On a personal note:  Although I didn’t mention it above. Liz Rocher feels grounded by the stars. That’s a bit of a dichotomy. However, the certainty of their movements and the length of their existence makes her feel safe. I, also, have always loved the stars. As a kid, I wanted a telescope (still have it), and my first grade career aspiration was to be an astronomer. In reality, that was way too much physics for my taste. But, my interest in them hasn’t waned. Discovering the constellations, their histories, and the stories that go with them is one way to connect. You can always take a look up and know wherever anyone else is in the world they can take a look up too. Race, religion, spirit aside…the stars are there for us all.

By: Lisa McAlhaney

Book Review – Carrie Soto is Back

The “Battle Axe” heads onto the court again in Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest novel Carrie Soto is Back.

At the age of 37, Carrie Soto is still obsessed with being the best tennis player the world has ever seen. So naturally, her competitiveness comes rolling to the forefront when she watches Nicki Chan tie her record for the most Grand Slam wins ever. The only way to stop Nicki from rewriting history is for Carrie to get back into the game. So, six years after a fall from grace and her subsequent retirement, she makes a decision to fight.

Carrie’s career was pretty much a given. Born to a dancer and a former tennis pro, she had the build, the grace, and the tenacity to be a natural. She was also coached from birth. Her father, Javier, was the driving force behind her ascent to the top. He always pushed her to improve, but was always careful of her form. The admiration she received as a player for her smooth and powerful play didn’t translate to the locker room or the press room. She was rough around the edges. Many  people found out that her backhand wasn’t the only thing that was brutal. Searing honesty and matter of fact bluntness earned her the nickname “Battle-Axe.” 

Now Javier and Carrie are back in the game, starting all over with a precise plan of action. Time moves quickly. With only about five months to prepare, Carrie needs to find a sparring partner who is up to the challenge. In order to be the best, playing against real competition is imperative. Carrie’s unpopularity on the circuit makes this a challenge, but Bowe Huntley is one of the few who is willing and able. Their relationship, however, has had its faults. These two share a past, but they both want a win. Can they work together to achieve the ultimate? Game, Set, Match.

This book is told through a lot of backstory and it is one of the places where Reid shines. I enjoyed the tale of Carrie Soto…who she was, who she is, and where she is heading. There were moments that were a little slow, but there was an underlying theme that I found really interesting. Reid touched on the sexism in sports. Being strong and stand-offish earned Carrie the name of “Battle-Axe,” where it probably would have been revered in a male athlete. This is the thought provoking kind of content that makes a book worth reading.

On a personal note: I love all kinds of sports. Watching the sheer drive of athletes on every level is exciting. The youngest of players can have a passion and love for the game, and that love is important. It’s about winning, but it is also about trying, learning, and improving. Tennis is one of those rare sports that has many ways to play (singles, doubles, mixed doubles, etc.). This is something we should try to remember in daily life- reframe your tasks, mix things up a little, better yourself.  Once you read this book, take some time to revisit the “Battle of the Sexes” between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King because tennis is also a sport where sex of the athlete makes little difference in the outcome of the game.

By: Lisa McAlhaney

Spooktacular October!

Come check out all the displays and activities by the Readers Desk,
and get in the Halloween spirit!

Book Review – Overkill

Super Bowl MVP Zach Bridger’s fall from grace is the least of his worries in Sandra Brown’s latest novel, Overkill. 

He started to spiral four years ago after a tragic night left his ex-wife Rebecca in a coma. The incident and its aftermath plagued his game. Used to calling the shots on the field, he punted. He deferred to Rebecca’s parents, and it was the beginning of the end of his star studded career. Determined to get and keep his act together, he’s now living a life of comfort and reclusion in the North Carolina mountains. Off of alcohol, drugs, and loose women, he’s back in shape and content on the sidelines. Little does he know things are about to change once again. Once again, his and Rebecca’s fates are entwined.

When Rebecca’s attacker gets an out of jail free card, Kathryn Lennon from the Atlanta District Attorney’s Office comes knocking on Zach’s door. She sacks him with news that will ultimately thrust him back into the limelight. As unhappy as he is with the intrusion, her presence might just remind him that sometimes you need to be part of a team. Before you know it, he’s face to face with his old coach and confidant, Bing. This father figure is the only one who can help Zach with the fallout of the decisions at hand.

Meanwhile, Eban Clarke is celebrating life. He’s reconnecting with old friends, throwing around his family money, enjoying some extracurriculars, and motoring around Atlanta in a brand new Turbo Porsche that is worth almost as much as Zach Bridger’s arm. He doesn’t care to hear or heed warnings about over indulging from any of his inner circle.

When these characters intersect, there is nothing but trouble for them all. Brown builds suspense throughout this novel. True to form there are twist, turns, and sexual tension. This book is a great choice for those who love a good page-turner and don’t mind some content that is more than just a little spicy.

On a personal note: I love football, and football season is at hand. In my opinion, there is nothing quite comparable to the Friday night lights of high school complete with cheerleaders and the marching band. I can’t wait for the frenzy of Saturday afternoon college football tailgating, or the upcoming Sundays spent watching the Bears with family and friends. That is probably part of the reason that I picked up this book, but you don’t have to like football to enjoy it. Hunky quarterback (we’ve all seen a few of those), bad boy turned good, strong female love interest, a guy you can easily hate- all components to a great story. (Also, Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, a Dream by H. G. Bissinger is also a great book for you football lovers and non-fiction fans.)

By: Lisa McAlhaney