Audio Book Review: The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: March 2019

Martha Storm volunteers at her local library, several days a week. Helping out with the book club and re-shelving the books. One day as she is going to the library for an author event, she sees a man leaving something at the library entrance that is addressed to her. When she opens it up, it's a book dedicated to her from her grandmother, 3 years after her passing. How could this be? What secrets does this book hold? Is her grandmother really dead, or is she still out there somewhere? Martha is determined to find out what is going on and the more she finds out about her past, the more it shapes her future.

Who doesn't love a book about books and libraries and used book stores? I picked up this book mainly for the title alone.

This story is mainly about Martha Storm and her family. Martha helps everyone else and leaves herself for last. She is living in her parents house (they are deceased) and their stuff is in boxes all over the place along with projects she has promised to help other people with. When Martha gets the book, she is eager to share it with her sister, Lillian, who tells her to just drop it and move on with life. But Martha is determined to find out the secrets that her family has kept hidden for decades.

I really enjoyed this story. I felt as though I was there along with Martha, trying to uncover the secrets of her past and bring her current life into a better place. Reading books, telling stories, and hosting book clubs all sound like a glorious life for me. Martha enjoyed all of these things and more. I wonder if there is going to be a sequel to the book, because I really want to know what is going to happen next for Martha.

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Review--Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight

Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ridgedale is a small town in New Jersey. Not much happens there. So when the body of a baby girl is found under a bridge near the University, the town is in an uproar. Molly Sanderson, usually a freelancer with the Ridgedale Reader, is given the task of reporting on this story. This is a story that really resonates with her, having lost a child herself, not too long ago. During her investigation, she meets some interesting people and learns more about this small town. The story is told from the point of view of three women from the town. Molly, the reporter, Sandy, the teenager trying to survive with an absentee parent, and Barbara, the "perfect" mother who is also the wife of the chief of police. All three of these women have a connection to this dead child, they just don't know it.

This book was very hard to put down. A thriller with three female characters you will either love or hate. Each of them has a spirit that is determined. Several times during this book, I felt my heart racing. I had to know what was going to happen next.

From the title you might deduce that the mystery is solved in the first chapter, but there are many who need to be found in this book, in more ways than one. Kimberly McCreight grabs at your heart and sold with her writing. She draws you in and keeps you engaged through the entire journey. I can't wait to read more from her in the very near future.

Also by Kimberly McCreight
 


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I WON! I WON! I Think....

So the other day, I took my kids to the library to play in the Discovery Room that they have and to pick out a few(30) new books for the next couple of weeks.  So while the kids were playing, I was out browsing the new releases.  The librarian approached me and told me about an Adult Summer Reading Drawing that they were having.  I just had to enter my name and email address and I would be entered to win some books.  I glanced at the titles only briefly and decided that it didn't really matter what the titles were.  First of all, chances are I'm not going to win, and secondly FREE BOOKS!! Does it really matter what the titles were.

A couple of days later, I got an email from the librarian letting me know that I had won the drawing.  I was so excited.  I like winning free books!! Then I remembered I'm excited, but I really don't know what I'm excited about.  I asked her if she could let me know the titles that were a part of the drawing.  I wasn't going to be able to pick them up until after the 4th of July holiday since the library was closed for the whole weekend.  So, these are the titles that were included in the drawing:

Les Brown, Live Your Dreams -- published 1992
Russell Simmons, Def Poetry Jam on Broadway -- published 2003
Nene Leakes, Never Make the Same Mistake Twice --published 2009
Eric Jerome Dickey, Between Lovers -- published 2001
Sharon Mitchell, Near Perfect --published 2001
Barry Lee Pearson, Jook Right On -- published 2005
Angie Daniels, Trouble Loves Company -- published 2007

Now, while I am grateful for the win, I would hope that for a summer reading drawing:

1. The books would be summer related  OR
2. The books would be on a summer reading list  OR
3. The books would be current or recent 

I will enjoy my books that is for sure, but I'm not rushing to go and pick them up!!

Review--The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Husband's Secret focuses on three main characters.  Cecelia Fitzpatrick, married to John-Paul with three beautiful daughters.  Tess O'Leary who owns a business with her husband, Will and cousin, Felicity and has a son, Liam. And Rachel Crowley, who is still mourning the death of her daughter nearly 30 years after the fact.  How do these women's lives intersect, well....Cecelia finds a letter from her husband, not to be opened until his death...she opens it anyway.  Tess finds out that her husband and cousin(yes her business partners) have fallen in love with each other.  So she takes her son and heads to Sydney and enrolls him in the school which, Rachel Crowley is the secretary and Cecelia is the mother all other mothers love and hate.

The news Cecelia finds in the letter, the thoughts Rachel has about her daughters killer, and the actions Tess take after leaving her husband would make for one exciting story.

I'm afraid this story feel short of the exciting mark.  When I first picked it up and started reading, I was dying to find out what was in the letter, but I would have to wait for that.  Once the secret was out, I wanted to know what was going to happen next, with everyone's story.  But the excitement wasn't there.  This wasn't a book, that I had to hurry to get back to, which was very disappointing.  I couldn't abandon the book, though because I had to know.

Would Rachel find her daughter's killer? Would Cecelia be able to live with her husband's secret? Would Tess and Will be able to work through their marriage?  But getting those answers was not page turning and gripping.

I gave the book three stars because the whole premise behind the book was good, I enjoyed the story as a whole, but there was too much in between the good parts. Don't tell me about a secret letter at the beginning of the story and take three days to tell me what was in it....it's not fair.  And what was happening in those three days was not exciting enough to make me wait.  The moments just before the opening were the most thrilling.

Don't know if I will read more from Ms. Moriarty or not.


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