I got the recommendation for Ice Shear from Oprah. And, while I want to be above Oprah’s recommendations, they have never steered me wrong…HOWEVER, this one was ho-hum at best. There was no suspense. No edge-of-your-seat mystery. And, frankly, I was bored for most of the book. Not what I am looking for in a mystery/thriller. I would give this one a pass.

The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henriquez was a gem of a book. Quiet and spare, it was a journey through the lives of multiple immigrant families who ended up in Delaware, but really of one family and their quest to help their daughter who had suffered a traumatic brain injury. I liked all the characters and I enjoyed learning a little about their lives and how they intertwined. This was a very quick read and one that I think many readers would enjoy.

I enjoyed reading A Hundred Summers and was excited to discover a new book by Beatriz Williams. The Secret Life of Violet Grant did not disappoint. I liked it even better than A Hundred Summers. It was less predictable and much more intriguing. Even at the very last, there were still surprises to be had. I loved the notion that Violet’s life was being researched by her great-niece after her great niece was sent her lost valise. In addition, Vivian was a wonderful, wry, and entertaining character. Sometimes she was a little too flippant, but it worked. This was a good read and I highly recommend it.

I must confess that I have read most of Emily Giffin’s books. They are good beach reads, but I haven’t read one in a while. The One and Only kept coming up as recommended all over the place, so I figured I would go for a little mind candy even though the summer is over. I mean, the start of a new school year is taxing, right?! Ooof, though, this one was painful right from the start. You could tell long before each major event happened that it was coming and the ultimate love story of the book was completely and utterly implausible. I did finish the book, but only because it was such a quick read. Do yourself a favor and give this one a pass.

I didn’t know much about Bittersweet and I don’t know how it ended up on my “to read” list, but I am glad it did. While I had trouble sticking with it after about 50 pages, I pushed through, and I found it hard to put down for the last 100 pages of so. The relationship between Ev and Mabel was somewhat implausible and the ending was a little ridiculous, but overall, it was a good mystery with interesting plot twists and a compelling storyline.

I waited for a long time for All the Light We Cannot See to be available at the library. I heard from several friends that I needed to read it and I was eager to start. And WOW!! This was a phenomenal read. I loved it and didn’t want it to end. The way Doerr moved from past to more recent past and wove the stories together was masterful. The German and French perspectives, the way he put you in the character’s shoes, the language, the descriptions, all wonderful. I was going to give this one 5 stars (first one to earn it for me), but I didn’t love the ending, so I’ll stick with 4.5. But it’s a terrific read and I highly recommend it!

I had to see if Divergent lived up to all the hype. I did enjoy it, but I don’t think I am going to read anything else in the series. I got my fill of the dystopian with this one. It was a fast-paced and interesting story and I can see why everyone was so excited about it.

Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson was a much heavier book than the rest of those I read this summer. I almost gave up on it several times. The main character, Pete, wasn’t entirely believable and drove me crazy. The alcoholic social worker who dabbled in random sex and drugs just didn’t work for me. I get why Henderson cast him this way, but it made me want to bail out because I didn’t really care about him. A more altruistic man trying to save these folks would have been more effective. Nevertheless, I did finish and am glad I did. There wasn’t much closure, but I liked knowing what happened with the characters I had spent so much time with. Interestingly, while reading Fourth of July Creek, my next door neighbor posted an article about the Last True Hermit in GQ – what a funny coincidence and fascinating companion read.

I can’t remember where I got the recommendation for That Summer by Lauren Willig. I liked it immediately. A woman is willed a house in England by an aunt she has never met. Good start, right?! Add to that an art mystery, a Victorian romance, Pre-Raphaelites, and the back and forth, chapter by chapter, between 1839 and 2009. What a great book! I loved how the stories wove together and the ultimate outcomes of both.