The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld was a very quick read. And, while it was disturbing, it was a rather interesting story without much depth. Naomi is a “child finder”  private investigator. She is hired to find Madison Culver, a five-year-old who disappeared three years earlier in the Oregon woods. Naomi is uniquely qualified for these searches for children as she was once lost herself. The story moves back and forth from Naomi’s story to Madison’s. And, while I did read this one quickly, at the end, I was left unsatisfied.

What Happened by Hillary Clinton is a fascinating look at the election. It was well-written (though too long – the middle was skim-able) and surprisingly entertaining. This is not the kind of book that I usually gravitate toward, but I was really interested to understand the election and its aftermath from Hillary’s point of view. And, I very much enjoyed reading it, even though it, at its core, was a sad and disappointing reminder of reality.

The Address, by Fiona Davis, was wonderful! It’s just the kind of book I love – historical fiction, based in truth, with a time back-and-forth, and a dash of intrigue. Sara Smythe emigrates to America in 1884 to work at The Dakota in New York City. Her passage is paid for by The Dakota’s architect, Theodore Camden. 100 years later, Bailey Camden, fresh out of rehab, needs a place to live after being fired from her interior decorating job. Bailey’s grandfather was Theodore Camden’s ward. The apartment (owned by her cousin) where Bailey ends up living (and renovating) was Camden’s apartment, where he was killed by Sara Smythe. While this might seem confusing, it’s actually a well-woven and fascinating story. I now want to read Life at the Dakota: New York’s Most Unusual Address.

I’ve had The Diplomat’s Daughter by Karen Tanabe on my Kindle for a while and finally took it on. And, boy am I glad I did. It’s a World War II story from different perspectives. Three characters, two interred in the US, one fleeing from Germany, have intersecting lives. While the book was a bit long, it was enjoyable – all three stories were interesting and I liked the ending. I only wish it hadn’t left you hanging and had more content after the resolution.

I thoroughly enjoyed Raising America’s Zoo by Kara Arundel. It’s the story of her father-in-law and how he brought two gorillas to the National Zoo, transforming and elevating the zoo’s operations. Kara is a reporter and the book is written as a reporter would tell the story, which I liked – not too much extraneous information, crisp, and to the point. I knew none of the story and it made me want to know even more. This is a wonderful book to grab and a quick and interesting read.

Of course, I read Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng because Reese Witherspoon chose it for her book club and, as previously mentioned, I am obsessed with her. I had read Everything I Never Told You and liked it as well (though I only gave it 3.5 stars – I must have been a harder critic in the earlier days). Little Fires Everywhere is the story of two families, one, just moved into Shaker Heights, and the other who has always lived there. One family, centered on single mom, Mia, is something of a mystery that gets unraveled through the course of the book. The other is the family meant to save Mia’s. The intersection and interplay of these two families make for a great read. I liked this even better than Ng’s first!

Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan is a wonderful book that I loved and couldn’t put down. It reminded me of Alice McDermott’s Charming Billy and Lisa Genova’s Inside the O’Brien’s. Saints for All Occasions is the story of Nora and her sister, Theresa, who move to America so Nora can marry Charlie. We learn this story first and then the story of Nora’s family, jumping back and forth from the 1950s to 2009. The secrets they keep, the compromises they make, all weave together to form a fascinating and wonderful, though sad, story.

Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker was not a favorite. As with many of my choices, it had a good premise but didn’t execute. Emma and her sister Cass disappeared three years ago. When Cass reappears, she tells a crazy story of what happened to them. A psychologist and detective slowly figure out the real story. There were too many characters whose stories never fully fleshed themselves out and the narcissistic mom wasn’t really believable either. I’d give this one a pass.

I was excited to read Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin. I loved her previous work, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry, reviewed here. Young Jane Young is told in multiple ways: email, blog, and traditional story. Aviva Grossman is a congressional intern who has an affair with her boss and blogs about it. When this comes to light, she is vilified and to escape, flees and lives the rest of her life under an assumed name (Jane Young) in Maine. While the story was light, funny, and interesting because of the various modes of telling, ultimately, I didn’t really care for the characters, and the book was only ho-hum.

I was looking for a quick read for the plane and I had The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda on my Kindle. And, while it was quick, I didn’t love it. I found the storyline confusing and the plot far-fetched. So, while I could get into the whole synopsis, I am not even going to bother (!). Skip it.