House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick... Historical fiction at it's finest, this book is brilliantly laid out featuring three time periods, strong characters and a touch of mystery and magical realism to keep it interesting. The book follows the timeline of a modern day sister searching for her brother that went missing while researching their family history and mirrors it with timelines in both the 1600's and 1800's. It reminded me of a Susanna Kearsley's work, of whom I am a big fan. I actually read this in July, but since it comes out this month... I thought I would feature it this month instead. (Please note, I received a complimentary Advance Review Copy of this book, all opinions are my own)
Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak... Just in time for the holidays this heart warming story of a family quarantined to their British estate for seven days is the perfect late fall read. Told from multiple characters points of view I loved this quick read that dove deep into the messiness of family and love and the twists and turns life deal us all. (Please note, I received a complimentary Advance Review Copy of this book, all opinions are my own)
American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land by Monica Hesse... If you are a fan of true crime that reads like a novel, this book is for you. The author is a reporter that looked into several fires on the Eastern Coast of Virginia (I never even knew about the Eastern coast of Virginia! So it was a great geography lesson as well!) only to find herself in the middle of one of the biggest arson mysteries ever. With brilliant story telling - this crime spree comes to life as a real page turner complete with unexpected plot twists. I also highly recommend this book if you are a Serial or S-Town podcast fan!
The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson... This book was a little all over the place with family drama, a comic book convention, murder inquiries and sleepy neighbors-know-all Southern towns. But the messiness and sometimes schizophrenic story line are kind of what makes this book so charming. Its the classic female lead returns to her Southern roots storyline. And while it was a little slow in the middle the ending picked up speed and by the time I was done with the book I was sad to leave the characters behind. This was our October selection for my personal book club, I don't think I would've chosen it on it's own, but it was a sweet and short read.
Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton... One part The Martian, one part Station Eleven (both books I really enjoyed) this post-apocalyptic book was a true page turner. Bouncing between two storylines the book follows a man stuck at a scientific base in the Arctic and a deep space crew on their way back to Earth. Except that neither locations have had any contact with Earth for over a year due to an unknown event (war, famine, disease!?). This book was so beautifully written and I just CAN NOT stop thinking about it. The storylines were so intricately woven and the ending was frustrating yet just perfect. This one is going down as one of my top 5 books read all year. I can't recommend it enough!
