There is nothing like a book about winter and the holidays to make you forget – at least momentarily! – about the 90 degree temperatures and 100% humidity here in Connecticut! So, needless to say, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Winter Solstice, the fourth book in Elin Hilderbrand’s hugely popular Winter series. I missed the memo that there was going to be a fourth book – it was originally publicized a trilogy – so I was very excited to reconnect with the beloved Quinn family.

Winter Solstice picks up where Winter Storms left off. Ava is happily teaching in NYC and enjoying her relationship with Potter, Bart is readjusting to life after his time held as a United States Marine in captivity, Jen and Patrick are getting their lives back on track after prison and addiction, Margaret is closing in on her retirement from the television network and looking ahead, Mitzi is back at the Inn with Kelly, and Isabelle and Kevin are happily married with two small children. However, as we learned at the end of the third novel, Kelly’s health is not good and his condition is rapidly deteriorating. This becomes even more obvious from the opening pages of Winter Solstice and raises an important question for each of the characters – how do you say goodbye and how do you honor a man as incredible and unforgettable as Kelly?

Elin Hilderbrand is well-known for bringing characters from previous novels into new books but – before Winter Solstice – the Winter series seemed to do a bit less of this. However, early on in this newest book, “Fast Eddie” Pancik and his family (from The Rumor) become part of the story. Though at first it seemed unexpected, ultimately intertwining the two stories creates great material for this novel. The characters are relatable, they are likable and their interactions drive the storyline. There are also clearly common issues and themes that resonate for both families – hope, forgiveness, second chances and, most importantly, love,

Fans of Elin’s work will definitely enjoy Winter Solstice. The end of the Winter series will make you laugh out loud and also bring you to tears. However, when the book ends, you can’t help but have a renewed sense of appreciation for love, community, family, and friendship.

*I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for providing a review. Thanks! 

I am not a fan of heat and humidity but one of my favorite things about summer is that I actually have time to read for pleasure – a lot! This month I have had the opportunity to read some fantastic books though sadly my massive reading binge will slow down soon as prep for the upcoming semester begins. In the meantime, I wanted to share a few highlights:

• Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker
  This books is the very definition of psychological thriller – fast paced, complex and full of twists. Three years ago, sisters Cassandra and Emma disappeared one night without a trace and despite an exhaustive investigation and the passionate work of forensic psychologist Dr. Abby Winter, the case went cold. When Cass arrives home with a detailed story of where she has been and an emotional plea to go save Emma, the roller coaster ride begins. The story is dark at times, with the worst of human nature on display in some of the key characters, but readers will slowly begin to understand Cassandra’s desire to bring light to the truth and the underlying reason for her actions.  I thought Walker’s earlier novel All is Not Forgotten was fantastic – and the issues raised stuck with me for quite a while after finishing it – and Emma in the Night is just as compelling and thought-provoking.
• The Captain’s Daughter by Meg Mitchell Moore
  I really liked this book because of the underlying questions is poses: What if our life isn’t exactly what we thought it would be? What if we aren’t where we are supposed to be? What if we are? Eliza Barnes is forced to take an honest look at herself – her past, her present and her choices – when her widowed father has a boating accident and she must leave her “perfect” life in Massachusetts to return to her childhood home in Maine. There she finds herself questioning her decisions and her future as she faces past mistakes and crosses paths with a young woman also at a crossroad and in need of compassion and perspective. I think we all have moments where something unexpected happens and we need to reexamine our lives and Eliza does so with humor, empathy and heartbreaking honesty.
• Secrets of the Tulip Sisters by Susan Mallery
  This is the perfect summer read – family secrets, romance, rediscovery, friendship and forgiveness all set against the backdrop of an colorful small town and a beautiful tulip farm. Kate and Olivia Murphy have been estranged for more than a decade but when Olivia returns home they find themselves together in their childhood home both at somewhat of a turning point in their lives. The sisters – along with Kate’s best friend Helen – must each examine their own lives, their hopes for the future and their willingness to forgive if they hope to be a family. Although the story does look at real life issues – abandonment, family dynamics, business challenges/successes, personal fears – the book is completely enjoyable – funny, romantic and heartwarming. I found myself rooting for all three women- Kate, Olivia and Helen – and being genuinely satisfied by the ending.

  What have you been reading? Any recommendations? I’d love to hear about what you have been loving this summer!

  

  

  
  
  * I received early access to Emma in the Night from NetGalley in exchange for providing a review. 

Imagine how many words you speak, read and hear each day. Think about how many choices you have in terms of deciding what you want to say and why and the images that your words can paint. Think about the impact that nuance, tone and irony can have on the words you deliver and the way that they are received by others. Consider how may words have multiple meaning based on culture, region or slang. Now imagine that the leader of your society limited those words more and more each year (only 500 words allowed) and put strict rules in place for the language you could speak, the tone you use and the images they evoke. Crazy, right?

This is exactly the premise of Patricia Forde’s brilliant new YA book The List. Part apocalyptic/dystopian novel and part social commentary about courage, morals and the power of words, I had a very difficult time putting this book down. The story is set in a place called Ark, the surviving society after a catastrophic event called “The Melting” – think worst case scenario climate change impact. Letta, the main character, is the wordsmith’s apprentice and one of the few people “allowed” to know about the full range of language of the past and speak freely. It is her job to write out lists of acceptable words and provide the lists to the people of Ark. John Noa, the leader of Ark, believes that words are the cause of all of humanity’s problems. He decrees that the list of words be cut again and again to the bare minimum required to function as a society. Words including art, hope, love, freedom are all banned and deemed unnecessary. Letta accepts this as simply the way things are until a series of events force her to question Noa’s intentions including the disappearance of Benjamin (the wordsmith) and the appearance of Marlo, a teenage boy who knows about all of the words and is a dissenter living outside of Ark’s society.  As the story unfolds, several interactions make her question Noa’s limits on language and the validity of his vision for humanity. The novel is fast paced and engaging as Letta must decide whether to ignore her own values and accept the status quo or face her fears and become part of a revolution.

Most compelling about this story are the parallels between the fictional world of Ark and our own current events – climate change, global warming, narcissistic leadership, the truth behind our words (fake news claims, anyone?), conflicting visions for society and humanity….sound familiar? Letta is just a teenager in the novel but the conflict she faces in both universal and relatable: Who can we trust? What do we do when our leadership if failing us? What are our options to create change? What are we willing to risk to do what we think is right? How far do we go for the people we love? Though the end of the book is satisfying in many ways – these questions and the links to current events today resonate long after the story is over.

*I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for providing a review. 

I had no idea that Marcia Clark was also a novelist until about two years ago when a friend recommended her Rachel Knight series. I quickly read all of those and moved on to the Samantha Brinkman books. I was immediately struck by Clark’s talent as a writer – she creates honest, compelling characters tackling incredibly interesting cases with legal and social implications. What I particularly love about Samantha Brinkman is that though in theory she fights for “justice”, she defines it in her own way and it often changes as she investigates each case. Sam lives in the gray area. Things aren’t black and white for her, instead she understands the nuance and takes incredible risks to get to the truth.

Snap Judgment is the third book in the Samantha Brinkman series. Without giving away too much about the plot, the book centers around the death of Alicia, a college student and daughter of a prominent local lawyer Graham Hutchins. Days later, the young woman’s boyfriend – and prime suspect in her case – is also dead and Graham fears he will be arrested for murder and there is only one person he can trust. Enter Sam and her fabulous team including best friend/office manager Michelle, investigator/hacker Alex and dad/former client/police detective Dale. Together, they find themselves in the middle of a much larger case that hits very close to home – family drama, revenge, secrets and danger.

Sam is a compelling and complicated character. She believes in doing the right thing. She has a clear sense of what is right and wrong – even if her definition isn’t quite the same as others. She believes in doing everything she can to help the people that she loves.  She believes in the law. However, she knows the system has flaws and that you can’t always follow the rules. She also knows that sometimes you can do the wrong thing for the right reason and that often the ends justify the means. What is most intriguing about Sam is that she doesn’t stop fighting for what she believes in – even when it puts her in danger and even when she doesn’t have things all figured out. She follows her gut. Even when you don’t agree with what she does, you can understand why she does it. Clark makes you root for Samantha, her team and for justice.

As Sam tries to keep Graham away from law enforcement, she also fights to find out what really happened to Alicia and hold those accountable responsible. Snap Judgement is a great read and a reminder that things – good and bad – aren’t always what they seem.

* I received access to an advanced copy of Snap Judgement as a reviewer for NetGalley. Thank you!