Beth Harbison ONE LESS PROBLEM WITHOUT YOU Out Now

I loved this book not because it had a bad mean character that it was ok to dislike very strongly and may-be even hate, but because of the dynamics between the three female characters who are all strong women in their own ways but they don’t often see it.  Let’s start with Prinny who brings all the other characters together.  Prinny is short for princess it is a nick name her father gave her and it stuck.  Her mother died when she was young and so she grew up with a parade of house keepers and her busy but very dotting father, and her step brother.  From day one her step brother Leif does not like her, he pinches her as a baby, bullies her as they grow up and once their father is gone he tries to control her inheritance, luckily she has a kind a wonderful person to help her keep Leif at a distance.  Prinny opens Cosmos her store full of mystical things in part because she needs to invest her money and also because she feels a connection to her mother who also dabbled in tarot cards and other mystical items.  The store does ok and she manages to hire Chelsea who is constantly reading and practicing for auditions and trying to get that first part that will lead her to bigger and better things, and she does seem truly talented.  I envied her for the confidence to put herself out there again and again.  One day out of the blue Prinny’s sister in law Diana says she is coming for a visit and she turns out to be just what Cosmos needs to add some new items and get more traffic into the store.  As you might expect Leif eventually figures out where Diana has gone and turns up to bring her home he has even concocted a cover story for her absence and promises she will be kept under house arrest when she returns.  After leaving Diana he goes to see his “sister” and while he is at her house there is an unexpected series of events that will change everyone and allow Prinny and Di to be happy for the first time may-be ever.  I loved the women in this novel and the way they do what they can to help each other, I loved Prinny’s financial adviser and the day she meets his wife Britini, I also loved Chelsea’s friends and the small but vital things these characters do that help our strong women remain that way.  A fantastic read for the beach, a rainy day or if you are like me and it is almost hot enough outside your door to boil water a great book to hide inside with.  A special thank you to the publisher for my advance copy which I was given in exchange for an honest review.

Machinations by Hayley Stone July 26

Rhona Long gets a second chance at life and more time to fight the machines that have risen up and tried to obliterate humanity, but she will find her second chance is not the gift that is seems it should be. Rhona must figure out the dynamics of her past and decide what to do with the future she can help shape.  She is a gutsy girl and a tough fighter yet she struggles with her second chance and the gaps between her past and her present.  She is tough and gritty yet vulnerable and gentle.  A great blend of traits and a very likable character.  A great story.

 

Conquest by Jamie Boust Out Now

OK I am guessing with a title like Conquest you may already have some idea what this book is about, and you would be right but not totally right.  It is true that Brie has an awakening and makes a very specific naughty bucket list and the book is the story of her journey to mark them all off, but that would make her a flat character and Brie accomplishes so much more over the course of her story and she is a full and multidimensional character, yes there is sex in this book, but Brie also leans about herself and her place in the world so many times over, she figures out what she wants and how to get it and she keeps you laughing and cheering along the way.  A great summer read either on the beach or on a rainy day.  Brie will keep you riding shot gun from start to finish and you will be glad you got to ride along.  Thank you to BookSparks for my free copy so that I could review this book.

Lost Along the Way: A Novel by Erin Duffy

Jane, Cara and Meg thought they would be friends no matter what but life had other plans.  Years later Jane is married to a man who stole money from his clients and looking for somewhere to go and get away from the press and the people who want her out of their lives.  In a desperate last ditch effort at a fresh start she turns up on Cara’s doorstep to the horror of Cara’s social climber husband, but even her brief stay convinces Jane that Cara’s life is not as it should be either and after a frank and straight shooting conversation the two agree to see if they can escape to Meg’s beach house for a few days.  Jane didn’t count on the fact that Cara and Meg had a falling out of their own so they go with plan B, track down Steve Meg’s husband and when they do they learn that Meg is already at the beach house, but their unexpected arrival creates havoc for Meg and yet despite the arguing and accusing the happens between them all of them admit it is great to be together again.  A touching and funny story of friendship and love and life.

All Is Not Forgotten: A by Wendy Walker

This story is touching and handles a very sensitive subject with care and honesty.  When a girl is brutally attacked and the new cure that makes her forget leaves her with more answers and sends her searching she will find out many secrets about the town, about her family and about herself.  Masterfully written and well paced it will keep you guessing as the pieces are revealed.  A great read for the beach or a rainy day.

Nine Women, One Dress: A Novel by Jane L. Rosen

I adored this story of the infamous little black dress.  The story is told by the person who creates it, the model who sashays down the run way, the women who wear it and the store staff who must care for and keep track of it.  Each character has a unique and distinctive voice and we are drawn into their lives and the life of the dress.  Warm and funny and sweet, it made me wonder about the stories of the dresses of the world.

The Memory Book by Lara Avery

Cassie must face the fact that her memory is going to be stolen from her by a disease and she must fight back the only way she knows how with a memory book.  She writes it to her future self and in it she lists everything from locations of important things like her study guides to debate stories about her best friend, to dating her long term crush and how much she misses her child hood friend Cooper.  Cassie has always had a plan and this time is no different, this time she must remember, she must keep her grades up, she must prove to her doctors and her parents that she can handle college, and she must remember her life.  A touching story of the things in life that catch us by surprise and how we face them.