A Raisin in the Sun/The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window By: Lorraine Hansberry

 

If there was ever a question in your mind of Lorraine Hansberry's brilliance, then read both of her plays in one fell swoop and all your questions will be answered.  It's always a wise idea to revisit A Raisin in the Sun for it's power and heart, and the now I've finally read The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window.  Equally as powerful as Raisin, but very different in style.  Sidney himself is ,like a mirror to each of the other characters, reflecting back to them the flaws in their own personalities and thinking.  At times he is incredibly annoying, but he's always truthful, and it takes a heartbreaking tragedy for him to turn that mirror on himself.  Brilliant, insightful, full of life (the good and the bad of it), and realness.  Hansberry's work continues to thrill today, nearly 60 years after her premature death, because she was that good!  When she passsed, the world lost an immense talent!

Hidden Beneath By: Barbara Ross

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of the latest in the Maine Clambake Mystery series, and I'm so excited for fans of this series to read it when it comes out!  Julia and her mother Jacqueline end up embroiled in two age old mysteries on a neighboring island.  Friendships and family will be tested in this intrigue filled cozy.  Another winner by Barbara Ross!

Hunting Time By: Jeffrey Deaver

 A taut, tense thriller, with a twist that I didn't see coming.  Great characters, and an amazing read!

House Made of Dawn By: N. Scott Momaday

The language in this is beautiful.  Other than that I missed, not only the point of the story, I missed the story itself, if there was one.  I got no sense of time; (despite each section being labelled with a year and each chapter being labeled with a month and day), I had no idea who whose point of view was being offered throughout most of the book; and I had no concrete sense of what I was reading.

 

Keep Quiet By: Lisa Scottoline

This was okay. I found the mother to be incredibly annoying, cruel, and hypocritical. I also found some of the situations completely beyond the realm of believability. Can't give an example without giving away major plot points.  I also figure out the ending.  However it was interesting enough for me to fly through it.

The Notebook by: Nicholas Sparks

While I like Nicholas Sparks' writing style, I didn't get all the feels that everyone else on the planet seems to have gotten when reading this book.  While it was a good story, it was too short for me to get to know these characters and the timeline was so accelerated that I found it hard to believe the depth of their romance.

 

Yes Please By: Amy Poehler

 

It's odd, I don't watch Saturday Night Live, I barely remember the Upright Citizen's Brigade show, and I didn't watch Parks & Recreation, but I still know who Amy Poehler is and I think she is funny as hell, and her memoir is an absolute joy to read!  Don't let her humor and humility fool you, she is intelligent, insightful and full of heart!  Pay particular attention to the chapter on Time Travel-it's absolutely beautiful! More Amy Poehler wisdom...Yes Please!

In Plain Sight By: C.J. Box

This one wasn't my cup of tea.  Although well written, I didn't buy a lot of the plot points, I personally don't care for books (movies or tv shows for that matter) that are set out west, and I didn't find the mystery to be much of a mystery and the story was bogged down by too many sub plots. 

A Salty Piece of Land By: Jimmy Buffett

 

Have to admit...I wasn't expecting much from this, but I was pleasantly surprised at how charming it was!  A light and breezy tale, well told about restoring a lighthouse.   great many interesting, and delightful side stories lead to an endearing and touching ending.  A perfect beach read!

Murder, She Edited By: Kaitlyn Dunnett

A feisty, impatient protagonist, a bizarre bequest from a long forgotten person, and a 70 year old cold case all conspire to make a delightfully fun and oddly tense mystery!  Huzzah to the Deadly Edits series!

The Secret Life of the American Musical By: Jack Viertel

How I loved this book!  Laid out like a musical itself, this book traces how musicals are structured, and it's endlessly fascinating. Just a damn good read!

James Herriot's Animal Stories By: James Herriot

A delightful visit with the folks and animals of Darrowby.  Exquisite storyteller, James Herriot shares 10 lovely tales ostensibly about animals, when really they are about the human condition.

 

The Stranger's Wife By: Anna-Lou Weatherley

 

An updated and innovative twist on Strangers on a Train! Two women, from two different backgrounds, in two seemingly different circumstances meet by happenstance and it's up to Inspector Dan Riley to untangle the mess.  Riley is a wry, sarcastic, gem of a character and his single minded determination to do good and what's right can lead him into hot water, but what fun it is to watch him work.  This is a great read!