Summer Darlings by Brooke Lea Foster

Life has never been easy for Heddy.  She's never met her dad and her mom has struggled to make ends meet while working two jobs.  But Heddy is a bookworm and her studying pays off with a scholarship to Wellesley.  Until an unfortunate night with a boy threatens to end her scholarship and her days at school.

Thanks to Heddy's roommate she's secured a great job babysitting on Martha's Vineyard.  The summer is full of promise and excitement as she meets the islands rich and famous.  Heddy hopes the answers to her problems can be found on the island in the form of love or money to finish her senior year.

Heddy soon realizes money and fame don't bring happiness.  Behind the smiles and parties the island folk aren't all that they appear.  She's got two potential island guys but which one will be the answer to her problems.

At times Summer Darlings seemed predictable and then quickly it wasn't.  There were lots of exciting twists and an ending that I never saw coming.  I really enjoyed reading Summer Darlings.  I read it March during week 1 of self-isolation and it provided a great escape to the beaches of Martha's Vineyard.

What you Wish For by Katherine Center

What You Wish For almost felt like a book written for me.  There are two good reasons I picked up this book to read.  1. It takes place in Galveston, Texas which is one of my most favourite places to be.  My husband I went there for our 20th wedding anniversary.  It is a beautiful island.  I talk all the time about when I can go back again.  If you go - check out the San Luis resort - AMAZING!  2. I'm a school librarian and so is Sam, the main character.  Well, a supply now, but still, I can relate.  Sam is the librarian I strive to be.  She is a super star librarian.

Sam is an 'Islander by Choice' in Galveston.  She moved to the island 4 years ago after a love that was not reciprocated.  Now she's established a great group of friends and a great job at a school she loves.  That is until her beloved principal passes suddenly leaving the whole community shook up.

When it's announced that her old love will be the principal, Sam makes a plan to quit and start over somewhere new.  There's no way she can handle that heartache again.  But when Duncan Carpenter walks in to the cafeteria it's like he's a totally different man.  No longer fun loving, he's become a man in a grey suit that wants to change everything that is loved about their school.  Worse he wants to lock it up like a jail.  Sam blames the changes on his new wife.

Despite all the changes Duncan has made Sam still finds her heartstrings pulling.  Perhaps it's time for her to walk away. 

I really enjoyed What You Wish For.  I loved the characters and the setting was described just as I remembered it.  During this Covid-19 isolation I was happy to head back to Galveston for a few pages.  Grab this book and read it pool side at the San Luis with a plate of their yummy food and a cocktail.

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

When someone asks you 'How are you today?', how often do you give an honest answer?  Have you caught yourself politely asking someone how they are doing, but then not listening to their answer?  What would happen if you told the truth?  If you shared your true authentic self?

The Authenticy Project begins with an old, lonely man, Julian.  He spends days in bed, eats all his meals alone, sometimes out of a can in bed.  He used to have a life full of friends and fun.  He used to be an artist.  Now he is none of those things.  One day Julian writes his authentic truth in a notebook.  After his story he challenges whoever finds the book to share their truth.  He leaves the notebook in his local coffee shop.

Monica owns the coffee shop and finds the notebook while cleaning up.  What's Monica's truth?  She wants to get married and have a baby.  Certainly 79 year old Julian isn't the match for her but she can help with his loneliness.  She posts a flyer in the coffee shop window trying to entice Julian to come teach an art class.

With a little help from the next recipient of the project book a new group of friends is formed over an art class in the coffee shop.  But is telling your authentic truth to strangers a good idea?  Does life stay the same or is it life changing?

I really enjoyed The Authenticity Project.  I loved all the characters and wanted to find out all their truths and how they were changed for sharing them.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale is a book that I feel like everyone has read but me.  It came out in 2015 when I was still saying "No, I don't read historical, especially not war."  I have to thank some former co-workers for pushing me to just try one.  Over holidays I read The Great Alone which left me wanting more Kristin Hannah books.

The Nightingale is based during World War II.  Vianne and Isabelle are sisters that life had already been struck by World War I.  Their father fought in World War I and then after the sisters mother died the dad just couldn't cope with raising two young girls.

Isabelle, now 19, has grown into an impulsive young woman looking for love, while Vianne has sought out a safe life and is married with a daughter when war strikes again.  Vianne's husband leaves for war and her world is upset even more when a German soldier decides her home is a great place to billet.  Isabelle wants to fight.  She isn't willing to just sit and watch the men fight this battle.  But what can a pretty young woman do to save France?

The Nightingale tells the painful story of life in France during World War II.  It is also the story of the bravery of the women who risked it all to save a few.  It is hard to imagine the risks, suffering and loss that was World War II.

Kristin Hannah is a very talented author and I look forward to reading more of her novels.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes by Kathleen West

I picked up this book because it reminded me of Where'd You Go Bernadette?  which I enjoyed.  Where'd you Go Bernadette? has now been made in to a movie that I must still see.  

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes revolves around the parents, students and teachers at a privileged school.  Isobel Johnson is trying to make a difference teaching grade 9 English.  She encourages her students to look at other perspectives in their novel studies.  The story begins with an anonymous phone message suggesting Isobel stop teaching anti-American ideas.  The message is a little worrisome but Isobel is accustomed to the controlling parents in the school community.

Julia is a parent to two children at the school.  For years she's been hoping her son will make it to a leading role in the school play.  She has generously donated a costume room.  She has worked on the board helping to fund raise for the productions.  Her son deserves this role and to be certain she's made a strong suggestion to the principal that the lead is the role for her son.

Things begin to unravel for Julia and Isobel and it's all being displayed and discussed on the parent's Facebook gossip page.  But who is the person that owns and mediates the page?  Why are they constantly stirring things up?  How do they have know so much?

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

The Great Alone looks daunting with well over 400 pages.  I, on the other hand love a big book, especially when travelling.  My only complaint was I loved it so much I read it too fast.  I ended up finishing it 1 hour into my 4 hour flight with nothing left to read.

Leni Allbright is 13 years old and has grown accustomed to always being the new girl in school.  Her parents are constantly moving.  When her mom and dad sit her down to tell her the next big idea is to move to Alaska and live off the land she's not too surprised.

Leni's dad, Ernt, fought in the Vietnam War.  When he came back from war years later he is haunted my nightmares.  Leni's mom wishes that she remembered him as the loving man he was before 'Nam.  Everyone thinks that Alaska will give Ernt a place to breathe and clear his head.  

For a while things are great.  They all work together as a team to clean up the house and land that they've been gifted from one of Ernt's old war buddies.  The days are long and the sun in Alaska summer never sets.  There is lots to learn about living in Alaska and the neighbours are all welcoming and willing to help in any way.

Unfortunately, the winters are long and dark.  With dark comes nightmares.  Now the Allbrights are living in a small one room house and it becomes impossible for mom to hide Ernt's abusive side.

I loved reading about the beautiful Alaskan scenery.  The characters were so easy to get attached to.  This is the first book I've read by Kristin Hannah.  I definitely plan on checking out more of her books. 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

I picked up The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian from Indigo because my son will be reading it for his grade 9 English class.  

Junior is a 14 year old boy that lives on the Spokane Reserve.  Throughout the book he describes the life of living on a Reserve.  One day he finds himself in class and notices that his mom's name is written in a text book.  This makes him furious to think that they don't have new resources.  As a result, Junior makes a major decision to attend white school off the reserve.  Risking the hatred of his community, family and best friends Junior sets off each day off the reserve to find out how the other half live,

I was a bit surprised at a few of the pages.  I think the author could have shared the truths and reality of life on reserve and still left out a few of the stories/words.  My son believes that it will be a story that each student will read a chapter out loud in class and I think that will make a few students uncomfortable if they have to read certain chapters.  However; I do think it is age appropriate and an important subject matter.