booklistqueen's reviews
619 reviews

In 1950s San Francisco, Vivian is ecstatic when her three daughters begin to make a name for themselves as the singing girl group, The Salvations. Although Vivian has arranged a once-in-a-lifetime chance for The Salvations, her daughters have begun to grow up and have desires of their own. As the Black neighborhood begins gentrifying, Vivian struggles to maintain control even as new avenues open for her own desires.

On the Rooftop was a disappointing read, especially since it was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. The conflict between a mother's dream and her daughters didn't have any teeth because Sexton doesn't add any emotional pull. Vivian is extremely unlikable but unfortunately the daughters are almost entirely forgettable. It didn't help that On the Rooftop lacked a climax. Despite having the bones of a good story, Sexton couldn't rise above its lackluster plot. 

In August 1975, Barbara Van Laar is discovered missing from her summer camp bed. A tragedy for any child, but Barbara is the daughter of the wealthy owner of the camp and the nearby estate. Fourteen years ago, Barbara's older brother also went missing without a trace. Tying together the wealthy Van Laar family with the working class community that supports the camp and estate, The God of the Woods is a multi-layered drama about secrets that refuse to be forgotten.

I'd been hearing great things about The God of the Woods since it came out last summer and I immediately snagged a copy. Which proceeded to sit on my shelf for months, intimidated by its large size (almost 500 pages). I'm so glad I finally picked it up because I was completely engrossed staying up way too late to finish it. Moore does the slow build of suspense perfectly, gradually unwinding the past and present in an atmospheric story with rich characters. 

Jonathan Haidt explains why moving from a play-based childhood to a screen-based childhood has changed the neurological development children, making them more anxious, along with other mental health problems. Haidt shows why this causes them to withdraw further into a digital world, and then proposes a solution that he says will reduce the incidence of mental illness in the rising generations.

Jonathan Haidt paints an enlightening (and terrifying) picture of the damage screen-based childhood has done on a generation of children. He perfectly expressed in data the feelings I already had about my kids and phones. While Haidt mostly focuses on the dangers of social media and smartphones, he also focuses on the solutions, especially a greater need for connections, independence and in-person interaction. I will definitely be making some changes to my parenting after reading this one and I absolutely recommend it to everyone. 

When his father has a stroke, Kyle McCray reluctantly returns to his hometown to care for him. Two and half years ago, Kyle abruptly left town abandoning his father, his friends, his employees, and Casey, his wife of sixteen years. When asked to coach the struggling middle school hockey team, Kyle finds an chance for redemption. But to stay in town permanently, he must make peace with Casey as the book slowly reveals what caused a love-filled relationship to collapse so suddenly.

Tearjerker alert. I cried several times while reading Lange's latest novel which, I should add, I devoured in one day. Tracey Lange knows how to tear my heart and then put it back together in just the right ways and I am loving her family dramas. The complicated intertwining of grief and guilt that destroyed their marriage is painfully realistic and hits you like a truck but the hopeful ending provides the catharsis you need to warm your heart back up.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is where the overarching series story arc really feels starts to kick in. Rowling does an excellent job of balancing the fun and joy of being a student at Hogwarts and normal preteen problems with the darker story of a convict on the loose and Lord Voldemort's supporters gaining power.  

The second book of the Harry Potter series continues the imaginative nature of the first book and deepens the world building. To the charm of the magical world, Rowling uses her classic good vs evil theme to start to introduce a little more darkness into the school year. As an adult, it sometimes shocks me how nonchalant the wizarding world is about danger to children but I have to remind myself, it's just a book. 

J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series is engaging and imaginative and just as entertaining for adults as children. I love rereading this series to spot the foreshadowing of future plot points. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone does an excellent job kicking off the series, mostly focusing on the incredible world-building and letting you fall in love with Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

Laura Dave aimed for a slow-burn thriller that mostly just fizzles out. You don't have to wonder if Liam's death was a murder because the very first chapter reveals he was pushed. Yet, the mystery of whodunit never felt compelling or even that interesting. The family drama sparked a little interest for me although the siblings fell rather flat, especially the brother. Though the story wasn't particularly memorable, I did like the nice twist near the end. 

Liane Moriarty's latest novel was an interesting read but the broad cast of characters kept it from being quite as gripping as her former novels. It took a while for me to get into Here One Moment. The initial flight takes up the whole first quarter of the book. However, once a got a feel for all the characters, I was surprisingly attached and dreading their deaths. Although I enjoyed the look at fate versus free will, I struggled with the chapters from the Death Lady's point of view. Fortunately, the entire story connected in a satisfactory ending that tied everything together well.

I completely fell in love with this family drama about addiction and grief. Mellors does a fabulous job showing the complicated and messy connections between sisters and yet also highlighting the enduring love running underneath. I enjoyed how each sister had a different way of coping with their chaotic childhood and the death of their sister, but each showed addictive tendencies in her own way.