The Days of Afrekete - Asali Solomon

 The Days of Afrekete - Asali Solomon

She read

Liselle is hosting a dinner party for her husband, Winn, an unsuccessful political candidate. She has been warned that he is under FBI investigation for his campaign and is about to be arrested. As she lives through the dinner party, she reflects back on a happier time when she was in college and was with her lover, Selena, as well as her earlier life with Winn. Meanwhile, Selena, who has had mental health issues through the years, makes her way through the same day. Both contemplate their pasts as thoughts shift to each other.

Reminiscent of Mrs. Dalloway, Sula, and Zami, I enjoyed this short read; especially its observations of contemporary life (it was published in 2021). Despite the brevity of the novel, the diverse characters were well developed and their musings give the reader a lot to think about. 

Thanks to #NetGalley and #fsgbooks for the DRC. 

****

An Anonymous Girl - Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen

 An Anonymous  Girl - Greer Hendricks; Sarah Pekkanen

When Jessica lies her way into a psychological study about ethics and morality, she catches the attention of the professor/therapist running the experiment, Dr. Shields. Soon she is caught up in a web of manipulation,  obsession, and the pathological relationship between Dr. Shields and her husband.   

I have read three other books by Hendricks and Pekkanen that I really liked, so I wanted to go back and read this one that I had missed.  While many others may love this book, I did not enjoy it as much as the others I have read by this duo.  

Told from two POVs, there are twists, turns, unreliable characters.  The reader, along with Jessica, won’t know whose narrative to trust. I thought this read a bit slow paced and repetitive.     

***

The Note - Alafair Burke

 The Note - Alafair Burke

Pub. Date: Jan. 7, 2025

She read

 Kelsey, May, and Lauren meet in the Hamptons for a girls weekend.  Once close friends, they have been somewhat estranged as each one has something scandalous in their backgrounds. When a prank goes awry and someone is murdered, their friendship is tested as suspicion falls on them. Secrets are revealed, relationships questioned as the hunt is on for the killer. 

Like peeling away the layers of an onion, the histories of the three women slowly unfold with twists, turns, and surprises.  I didn’t particularly like the main characters, but I loved the story….I couldn’t put it down.  Another  book read deep into the night.

Even though I wasn’t trying, I did guess the perpetrator fairly early. That did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. A great escapist read; perfect for the beach, a rainy day, or a cold and stormy one.  

Thanks to #NetGalley and @aaKnopf for the DRC.

****

The Nurse's Mistake - Daniel Hurst

 The Nurse's Mistake - Daniel Hurst

Pub. Date: Nov. 5, 2024

She read

OK, I admit it.  I am addicted. Daniel Hurst writes what I like to call “popcorn thrillers.” They are fast paced, easy to read, a bit over the top, and, dare I say, fun to read. (See The Doctor’s Wife series). This is the third in The Perfect Nurse Series. After the second one I wasn’t sure if I would read the next. Yet, here I am, reading and writing about it.

Darcy, once a nurse, has amnesia as the result of an accident. She killed someone, relocated to Florida where she kills someone else, and is now fleeing Florida to hopefully reunite with her family. Sister Pippa, also a nurse, was drawn into the drama and also killed someone. Now Pippa, her son and husband and parents are on the run. Got that? What danger will they find?  Will they be caught?  Will Darcy be arrested or will she escape once again?    

As in the prior books, there are twists, turns, deceits, and, yes, more murder. It also continues the question, how far would you go to save your sibling, your child, your self? And, yes, one must suspend some belief as those on the run encounter various situations.

Want to make any bets as to whether I will read the next book/series from Hurst?

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the DRC.

***

The Butterfly House - Katrine Engberg

 The Butterfly House - Katrine Engberg

She read

This is number 2 of 4 in the Korner and Werner series.   have previously read 1 and 4.  I enjoy Engberg’s writing and this series so much that I went back to read this one.

The book opens with a nurse injecting a cardiac patient with a lethal dose of medication and then goes back in time 6 days to when a body is found dumped in a fountain. The victim was murdered somewhere else, the weapon an antique instrument that causes exsanguination. After a second body with the same MO appears in another body of water, Korner discovers that what they had in common is both had worked at a youth psychiatric home that was closed down after a patient committed suicide.

There are still some employees from the facility in the city, including a suspicious psychiatrist.  Who will be the next victim?  Werner, who is on maternity leave,  cannot resist doing her own investigation.  Will it endanger her?

This is a Nordic noir novel, so it is characteristically a bit dark. With a clever plot, good character development, it is a well written, fast read; I couldn’t put it down. I particularly find the main characters entertaining and enjoy the atmospheric descriptions of Copenhagen, especially as its residents prepare themselves for a winter’s night. 

Quite a few characters are introduced initially but as the story progresses, they sort themselves out and it is not confusing telling them apart. Red herrings and an air of mystery will keep readers guessing.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @GalleryBooks for the DRC.

*****

The Soul of a Woman - Isabel Allende

 The Soul of a Woman - Isabel Allende

She read

Published in 2021, this has been on my TBR list for a long time.  I really like Allende’s writing, but somehow skipped over this one. I am so glad I rediscovered it as it was an enlightening, inspiring read.  

Part memoir, part chronicle of what it means to be a woman including the struggles universal to all cultures and others specific to some societies, I can’t say enough good things about this read. Written in her 78th year by a woman who knew she was a feminist at age 5, Allende’s reflections on aging particularly resonated with me. 

Run, don’t walk to your libraries, bookstores, kindles to read this book….especially people residing in the United States; it helps understand the big mystery of our upcoming (2024) election. Some of it is tough  reading, but being a woman in so many cultures is tough.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @Randomhouse #BallantineBooks for the DRC. 

*****

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for C-PTSD - Sheri Van Dijk

 The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for C-PTSD - Sheri Van Dijk

Pub. Date: Dec. 1, 2024

She read 

Focusing on Complex (multiple, chronic, or ongoing trauma) PTSD, this book helps understand the effects of trauma on our psyches and behaviors and provides some good coping skills and ways to manage one’s life.  Utilizing dialectical behavior therapy techniques, this workbook would be useful to both professionals and people wanting to heal from CPTSD and take control of their lives. This is a book that probably should be read and re read a few times to maximize its benefits.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @NewHarbinger for the DRC. 

 *****