Category: About books

What’s Ashley Reading?: Recursion

Recursion by Blake Crouch

First line: Barry Sutton pulls into the fire lane at the main entrance of the Poe Building, an Art Deco tower glowing white in the illumination of its exterior sconces.

Summary: Barry Sutton is a New York cop who witnesses the tragic effects of False Memory Syndrome when a woman jumps from the forty first floor of a skyscraper.

Helena Smith is a researcher looking for a way to save and record memories to help Alzheimer patients.

As the world around them begins to unravel because of the mysterious FMS, they must team up to try and learn how to stop the phenomenon from continuing to plague the world. If they cannot not it can lead to the possible end of the world.

My Thoughts: From the very first page this story is off and running. There is no build up or major character development in the first twenty pages like most novels. Crouch puts us immediately into the story. This is by far one of my favorite parts of his writing. It is very easy to lose interest in a book that drags its story out too long.

When we meet Barry we also hear about False Memory Syndrome but it is not really explained. For a while it was difficult to understand what is happening to those that are affected. However, once I understood what the disease entailed it became obvious why it could be terrifying to contract.

There are several time hops which makes it very important to pay attention to the dates at the beginning of each new section.

I love how fast paced his story telling is. I was on the edge of my seat throughout.

I was never very good with science. Give me history or literature any day. Even though Recursion is very much a science fiction thriller it was not bogged down by the technicalities. When I tried reading The Martian by Andy Weir, the science is what killed the book for me. I just did not get it. But Crouch does a great job of having it as part of the story but not making it overwhelming for the everyday reader.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. Just give it a try. It is worth every minute you spend reading it.

FYI: Pick up Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. It is just as thrilling!

What’s Ashley Reading?: Lock Every Door

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

First line: Ginny gazed up at the building, her feet planted firmly on the sidewalk but her heart as wide and churning as the sea.

Summary: The rules at the Bartholomew are strict. No visitors. You must spend every night in the apartment. And no disturbing the other residents. Jules believes that even though the rules a little ridiculous they are worth the large sum of money she will receive as an apartment sitter. After losing her job, her boyfriend and her apartment she is desperate for a new start.

Shortly after she moves into the apartment she meets a fellow sitter, Ingrid. But when Ingrid mysteriously disappears in the middle of the night, Jules decides to do some digging into why and try to discover what is going on at the Bartholomew. In her research she learns about the dark past of the building and some of its former residents. With this new knowledge she is determined to get out before she meets the same fate as Ingrid.

My Thoughts: Riley Sager has become one of my favorite thriller writers. This is his third book and it was fantastic. The suspense and mystery are perfectly blended. I was easily creeped out in the first couple of chapters. I mean who wouldn’t be tempted by a high paying job as an apartment sitter? But once strange things start happening? Nope. I’m out.

I did find the middle of the story a little slow. It seemed to stretch out a little too much as Jules looks into the residents and the history of the building. I assume that Sager was just trying to give us some more little clues or hinting at the sinister past but it seemed to be rather overdone.

And holy cow! The last few chapters are great! My heart was beating so fast and I could not read fast enough. As I finished it I was on an adrenaline high and had to start another book in order to calm down a bit for bed. Read this. It is worth it.

FYI: Sager’s first two novels, Final Girls and The Last Time I Lied, are just as thrilling.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Milady

Milady by Laura L. Sullivan

First line: The things a woman has to do to make her way in this world…

Summary: The villainess of the classic novel, The Three Musketeers, is Milady de Winter. She is accused of many terrible crimes. However, maybe Dumas’ story got it wrong? Milady now wants to tell her story.

Clarice is a young girl, raised in England on a small estate. When her father decides that she is old enough to be of use to him he takes her to the court of King James I of England. There she meets that handsome rogue, George Villiers. They are both taught how to manipulate and use the people around them to gain power. But when Clarice learns something she is sent away to a convent in France. Here she learns more about who she is and sets her on the path to becoming one of the most notorious women in literature.

My Thoughts:The Three Musketeers is one of my favorite books. I love the action, the love, the revenge and of course Milady! When you read the original story it is easy to see her as the villain but Sullivan gives us a look at who she might have really been. It was fascinating and loads of fun to read.

I loved how the author switched between the events of the TTM and Milady’s past. Giving her a past makes her much more likeable and easier to understand her motives. She does do a lot of terrible things to the musketeers but she is also a victim. I never considered the interactions between Milady and D’Artagnan as rape but as I read this I realized that it totally is. Crazy! This romantic hero did what?!

When I began reading I was highly anticipating the events mentioned in TTM at Milady’s trial. I loved her time at the convent. Sullivan twisted the original story and its characters to fit into her story. I could tell that she did lots of research in order to make the story plausible. If I had not recently reread TTM I would have almost believed that things happened the way she wrote it.

My second and probably favorite part was her relationship with the Vicomte de la Fere. He is one of the major twists in the classic novel. I could not wait to see what their relationship was like and how it turned so deadly. It was well worth the wait. I loved seeing her change over time but in the end she could not escape her past.

FYI: If you love swashbuckling tales then this one is for you! And please read The Three Musketeers. It is wonderful! Read my review in our July newsletter.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Mouse and the Motorcycle

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

First line: Keith, the boy in the rumpled shorts and shirt, did not know he was being watched as he entered Room 215 of the Mountain View Inn.

Summary: A young mouse named Ralph is living in a knot hole in Room 215 when a small boy comes to stay. Ralph loves to watch the guests, especially children because they are always dropping food around the hotel. As he watches Keith he sees him playing with his toys cars and a motorcycle. Ralph has always wanted to ride a motorcycle. When the boy is not in the room Ralph gets his chance. However, it does not work out as planned. He falls into the trash can. Keith soon discovers the small mouse and they quickly become friends. With Keith’s permission Ralph is allowed to ride the motorcycle all over the hotel. This is when the adventure Ralph has been craving truly begins!

My Thoughts: This was one of my all-time favorite books as a child. I loved everything I read by Beverly Cleary but Ralph definitely holds the top spot. His adventures were lots of fun and quite funny too. And to have one of your favorite novels also be a movie was so cool! I spent many a summer day watching the movie version of this book as well.

When I just reread this charming story I realized that Wichita is mentioned in it. How cool is that?! The teachers who are staying at the hotel are from Wichita and consider taking Ralph home with them to live in their classrooms. I thought this was a fun little tidbit to find as an adult.

On my most recent trip to Oregon I stopped in Portland for a few hours. While looking for things to do I learned that the Multnomah County Library in Portland has a Beverly Cleary Children’s Library. I immediately added it to my itinerary. We stopped into this beautiful library for a short visit. As a fan of Cleary’s and a librarian I was in heaven. If you get a chance go and check it out.

FYI: If you are looking for a bit of nostalgia then this book is perfect.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Baby Teeth

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

First line: Maybe the machine could see the words she never spoke.

Summary: Alex and Suzette are the parents of a beautiful seven-year-old girl named Hanna. With her father she is his sweet little girl. For her mother she is complete opposite. After having been expelled from several schools in the last few years Suzette has had to home school Hanna but as the months pass the tension between mother and daughter continues to escalate. Suzette truly does love her child but she also fears her a little bit. Whenever she tells Alex about Hanna’s behavior he thinks she is overreacting. How can his perfect little angel be as bad as Suzette says?

My Thoughts: There is something truly wrong with this child. I could not decide between a 4 or 5 star rating mainly because I did not know if I could say I loved a book about such a scary little girl. I was completely terrified of her. Even though I was cringing and shocked by the events of the story I could not stop reading.

In alternating chapters we see the perspectives of Hanna and Suzette. I kept telling Suzette (in my head of course) to leave. Just leave. How can a person live in a house with a child who seems to want to kill her mother? Suzette though tries everything she can think of to try and help her child. I think what makes it even scarier is that Hanna does not speak. She cannot or will not tell her parents what is bothering her.

FYI: Not for the faint of heart. I have to say that I had to put this down several times in order to breathe a bit.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The First Mistake

The First Mistake by Sandie Jones

First line: “Sophia, let’s go,” I call out from the hall.

Summary: Alice’s life is beginning to come back to normal. She has remarried after the death of her first husband. She has two beautiful daughters and a successful business. But when her husband, Nathan begins acting strangely she turns to her best friend, Beth. As they talk about the situation Alice begins to wonder who she can trust anymore.

My Thoughts: This by no means is anything groundbreaking or new to the genre but it was a lot of fun to read. It went by very fast and kept me interested the whole way. I liked how it was divided into sections for each of the women. We got a look into each of their lives and pasts which helps build up to the conclusion. I had so many theories flying through my head as I read. Each became more twisted with each passing page.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a fun thriller. It is a perfect summer read!

FYI: Sandie Jones’ first book, The Other Woman, is fantastic as well!

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Summer Country

The Summer Country by Lauren Willig

First line: “Emily!” Adam shouted.

Summary: Emily Dawson has inherited a plantation on the island of Barbados from her grandfather. When she arrives at Peverills it is far from what she dreamed. After the slave uprising forty years before it has sat in ruins. On the invitation of the Davenant family of Beckles, she and her cousin stay at the neighboring plantation while Emily decides what to do with her inheritance.

Forty years earlier Charles Davenant returns home to run his family plantation, Peverills. The home he knew as a child has changed and so have Charles’ views on life in Barbados. As tensions rise on the island he must decide where he stands.

My Thoughts: This is a what great family sagas are made of. Big family secrets with dark turns around every corner. I loved the intertwining narratives and how closely they connected. The characters are so well done. I went in expecting to like some and hate others but Willig does a great job of proving you wrong on your first impressions. I am not much for a romance novel but this was a beautiful love story in the midst of so many challenges.

And the history is fascinating. I had never read or heard anything based on the island of Barbados so the storyline was completely fresh for me. Lauren brings it to life. The heat, the smells, and the lifestyles come through in her writing.

FYI: I highly recommend Willig’s Pink Carnation series!

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Last House Guest

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

First line: I almost went back for her.

Summary: Littleport, Maine is a small coastal town that spends half the year catering to the wealthy visitors on summer vacation. The Loman family is the richest and most prominent family in the area. One summer the Loman’s daughter, Sadie develops a friendship with a local girl. They become inseparable. As their friendship grows, Avery is brought on to manage the family’s local rental properties and other business ventures in town. Then one summer everything changes. Sadie is found dead. The police rule it as a suicide but Avery feels like things do not add up. Who could want to hurt Sadie and why?

My Thoughts: This is a perfect read for summer vacations. It is set on a coastal town with beaches, bungalows and bistros. While reading it I desperately wanted to be sitting outside with a cold drink.

Miranda does a great job a spinning a tangled web. The story jumps back and forth between the summer Sadie died and the next one without her. But at the same time we get glimpses farther back into Avery’s past as well. There seemed to be so many possibilities for the ending. I was shocked by the big reveal at the end. The last 50 pages fly by so fast. It was hard to put down.

FYI: My favorite Megan Miranda books is All The Missing Girls. It is fantastic. The story is told in reverse. You would think it would give away so much but it does not. Both of these books are perfect for your summer reading list!

What’s Ashley Reading?: Mistress of the Ritz

Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin

First line: Blanche is dead.

Summary: Blanche Auzello, the wife of the Ritz hotel director, is living a beautiful life in Paris until June 1940 when the Nazis invade. They take over the grand hotel and life changes drastically. Life under the occupation becomes strained especially for Blanche who is hiding a secret that could potentially harm her and those she loves. However, she and her husband are determined to do what they can for France and the staff of the Ritz, even if it means their lives are forfeit.

My Thoughts: I am a big fan of Melanie Benjamin. Her novels are always very interesting and filled with fascinating women. I had never heard of Blanche or her husband before picking up this novel. It sounds like life in Paris was very tense during the occupation but not nearly as bad as I imagined it would be. It seems as if people continued to live life as normal as possible during those years.

Melanie Benjamin at Watermark books on May 28, 2019.

One of the issues I had with the story was that it seemed to almost center on her husband, Claude, rather than her. He references her often and thinks about her during his chapters but he almost takes over the narrative. And strangely I enjoyed his storyline more than hers. He could be a jerk but his story was more interesting except for when Blanche was with her friend, Lily.

FYI: Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn’s book, The Alice Network.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Last Year of the War

The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner

First line: I’ve a thief to thank for finding the one person I need to see before I die.

Summary: Elise Sontag, a fourteen year old girl from Iowa, has her life turned upside down when her father is arrested on the suspicion of being a Nazi sympathizer. Her family is sent to an internment camp in Texas where she meets her best friend, a Japanese girl named Mariko. They spend several months together before Elise’s family is deported back to Germany. In the hopes of keeping their friendship alive the two exchange letters but it is difficult with the ongoing war. However, Elise keeps up hope that after the war ends she will be able to return to America and see her best friend again.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this story. The last several books have not been as good as Secrets of a Charmed Life which was my first book I read by Susan Meissner. It is a topic that has not been talked about much and it could be because it is embarrassing but it is our history and we need to acknowledge it. And learn from it too. I cannot imagine how shocking it would be to have everything taken from you and being forced to live in basically a prison. Then to be sent back to a land that they had left or never even lived before. Especially with a war on and cities are being heavily bombed. How do you rationalize that?

The time spent in camp was actually a very small part of the book. Most of it took place in Germany after Elise’s family is repatriated. I liked listening to her story as she navigates this foreign land in wartime. She did not speak German which put her in a tight spot since the Germans were at war with America. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a story set during World War II.

FYI: Definitely check out Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner.