The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

   I read this one for the coronacation reading challenge, although, to be honest, it had been sitting on my TBR pile for a while just waiting for something to compel me to pick it up.   Holocaust stories are hard, and in these times it was especially so.  But also, it was even more inspiring if that is possible.  This isn't the first time in history that bad things have happened to large groups of people.  We have gotten through bad things before and we will get through this.  Honestly, sitting in my house doesn't really compare to the horrors that Lale and Gita faced.

I loved Lale's character but agree that the story didn't come off feeling "real" but more of an amalgamation of stories told through one character for ease of story telling.   That said,  I admired Lale's sacrifice for his family, his absolute fortitude in the face of so much horror.  The part in the story where the gypsies are rounded up and then the ash on Lale's face-  I cried and cried. 

It was amazing to me how, in the face of so much horror, Lale and Gita still managed to find one another.  Through it all, they kept their promises to one another.  That certainly is what real love, in my opinion, looks like.

I thought this book was a beautiful love story and more than that, a tribute to the triumph of the human spirit. It presents both the best and absolute worst in all of us. I was really interested in Cilke's story and was interested to learn that there is more about her in another book.  Put that one on my TBR list too. 

I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars. 

Reap by Casey L. Bond.

Are you guys starting to notice a pattern yet?  Apparently, Casey L Bond is my recent go -to author for dealing with this Pandemic.  Her stories are well written and engrossing.  The perfect mix of story and romance to get away from the overwhelming reality that is 2020. 

This is the story of Abby.  She is a Lesser who lives and works in the Village of Orchard.  The Lessers are ruled over by the Greaters, and the Greaters benefit from the work of the villages and reap and harvest what the villages provide.  Every year, the Greaters  watch over the harvest, but this year, things are just a little bit different.  Are they only hear for the Apples?

This book felt a little like the Hunger Games meets Matched, but at the same time, is a completely original story.  I love that way that Bond questions what makes a "greater" and a "lesser" and what things really have value.   I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series - there are three books in this one.   4 out of 5 stars. 

Brutal Curse by Casey L. Bond.

   I will tell you that I am a crazy fool for two things - epic fantasy and fairy tale retellings.  This one is the later - it's sort of an epic Alice in Wonderland meets Beauty and the Beast.  It was a great, entertaining and original retelling.  Loved every minute of it. 

This is the story of Prince Carden,  a prince who has lost everything and Arabella, a girl barely getting by.  Their chance encounter leads to involvement with Queen Couer and one of her infamous games.  Couer is a Fae Queen who likes to play with mortals and show them how fickle their human hearts are.   The only person more dangerous than Couer is her son, Rule.

This is Alice in Wonderland as you have never seen it before and it was completely wonderful.  I don't want to say too much because I fear to do so would reveal more of the plot than I would like.  I will say that if you enjoy fairy tales - this one really is a must.  

The Upside of Falling by Alex Light.

  This book is exactly what it looks like.  A cute, feel-good story that is slightly more complicated than it appears. 

Becca is a girl who doesn't believe in love.  She watched her family be torn apart by infidelity and now she thinks that all loves are a tragedy.   She spends her life in books.  Until one day, Brett walks into her life and bam - next thing she knows they are in a fake relationship?

Brett lives his life to please his father.  Impressive football accomplishments - check.  College prospects - check.  Big plans for the future - check.  Girlfriend?   Not so much.  So Brett decides that Becca is the perfect candidate to check girlfriend off his list without too much strain and effort.

You can imagine how the story goes, but along the way, there are some great lessons about friendship, family and real love.  I read it in a sitting.  It was the distraction I needed.  Like Becca. 

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

   I just read this one for my book club.  WOW.   I'm really glad I did.  It was the hardest book to put down since I read the Silent Patient.  Loved it.  So many twists and turns - all REALLY well done. 

This is the story of Emma,  a young 14 year old girl who goes away to camp for the first time.  It is a well known camp for girls of the affluent.   While there she meets Vivienne, Natalie and Allison.   Vivienne especially takes Emma under her wing, treats her like a little sister.  But one night, the three girls sneak out of their cabin and never return.

This story takes place in the past ( 15 years ago) but also in the present.  Camp Nightengale has just reopened and Emma, now a famous artist, has been invited back to teach the girls art.   

The author does a wonderful job of carefully weaving the stories together, revealing just enough of the past and mixing it - at just the right moment- with the present.  This book really grabbed me and kept me reading.  I usually have a book for the pool, the tub and bedtime.  This book was so engrossing that it superseded everything else I was reading because it had to.  

5 stars.  

Unlocked by Casey L. Bond

 Free on Kindle unlimited and sometimes I'm just looking for that little bit of escapism.   A princess whose entire country is lost to a plague, saved by a witch who takes her to an abandoned light house on a deserted island.  A prince looking for a bride, lost in a storm and washed ashore.  It' doesn't take a brain trust to see where this one is going.

Great for the preteen early YA crowd. It's a clever retelling on Raphunzel, except the witch is good.  I loved that Raya had an albatross as a pet.  I think he was my favorite character.

Entertaining but as I said, really for a young crowd.  3 stars.

The Outsider by Stephen King

   I read this one for the Coronacation Challenge.  Where to start?  First of all, I am a fan of Stephen King.  Even though he writes predominantly horror, he's an incredibly talented writer.  My favorites- The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and The Stand. Both of those are books that will stay with me forever.

So, on to this book. The pacing in the beginning is incredibly slow.  One step at a time, and one step forward compounded by conflicting evidence resulting in two steps back.  This is the story of a popular teacher and little league coach who is accused of a horrible child murder.  Did he do it?  Could he have done it?  It also evaluates how a crime of this nature doesn't just impact the victims' family, but the entire community.  It shows how fear and hatred spread and run rampant, if left unchecked.  

I loved the character of Holly.   When she appears on the scene things start to fall together and the pacing picks up a little too.  She's a delight.  A dear friend told me that she is a character in another series.  Let's be clear, while I am a fan of King he isn't my usual fare and I doubt I will be reading that other series, but I am really glad that I got to meet Holly.  And just for her, I still may....Time will tell.

After I finished I also started watching the show.  So far - 3 episodes in- the show is doing a really good job of being true to the book.  I gave it four stars.  Very well written and worth the read.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

  This was one of my book of the month choices.  If you aren't a member of book of the month yet, but you are an avid reader, I highly recommend it.  I love that unlike other book boxes, you actually get to choose which books you want.  That month not your cup of tea?  Just skip.  No problem.  I will say that I have read several titles - like A Woman is No Man - that I may not have read otherwise and I went on to absolutely love.

But on to the review of this book.  This is the story of Lydia who is living a perfect life.  She's engaged to her one true love and they are about to be married.  Until he dies in a car accident on the way to her birthday.  Not giving anything away here, that's all on the dust jacket. Growing up, Lydia, Freddie and Jonah were best friends - inseparable.  Then, the accident.  Freddie and Jonah were both in the accident and only Jonah makes it back.  Now Lydia and Jonah are left to pick up the pieces.

Lydia has a hard time sleeping.  So she goes to the doctor who gives her a new medicine to help.  While she's asleep - she sees Freddie.  And he's still alive and well, there lives going on as they were meant to. While she is awake, her real life goes on without him.  

The dreams allow Lydia to work through her life without Freddie.  To grow and move past it.  There were some really crazy thing that happened - her inexplicable trip and her romance at the end - that I thought were unnecessary and trite.  I gave it 3 stars.  A cute idea, but just didn't really cut it for me. 

Love Story by Erich Segal

    I read this one for the coronacation challenge.  The category was a book written the year you were born.  I was going to read some obscure Sc-fi title but I just couldn't get into it.  All the books from 1970  seemed a little iffy,  I'm not sure it was a great year for literature, so I decided to go with a best seller.  Enter Love Story.

So, if you are my age or older,  you definitely know the story.  "Love means never having to say you're sorry".  And even knowing going in exactly what I was going to get,  I STILL ugly cried.  I didn't love it, but it is a moving story about what it really means to love another person.

Some thoughts on the characters - Oliver, of course, was completely predictable.  A man's man.  A Jock.  Jenny calls him "preppy".  Big money but he is also more than he appears.  He leaves all that his family can provide for a chance at love - with Jenny.  Let's talk about her though.  Were women really like this in the 70's?  Or is she just a man trying to write a female character?  I really couldn't figure it out.  There were things about her I loved, but she seemed like the "cool" girl working too hard at times.  

Either way,  it's a beautiful, short and meaningful story and I'm glad I read it.