Good Reads & Views

Sam’s Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson 
CD Audiobook Patterson, James 

This is a sweet enjoyable book about a woman, Jennifer, a newspaper columnist with the Chicago Tribune who is mourning the loss of her husband when she receives word that her grandmother, Sam, is in a coma.  She travels up to Lake Geneva to be by her grandmother's side when she discovers a stack of letters written by her grandmother addressed to her.  The letters reveal that her grandfather was not the great love of her life. Instead, Sam was swept off her feet by a man whom she still loves to this day. Jennifer learns secrets about her grandmother and at the same time finds herself falling for a handsome neighbor Brendan.  This is wonderfully narrated by actress Anne Heche. 

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
Digital Audiobook (Playaway) Giffin, Emily

The author of “Love the One You’re With” and the Something series tackles the subject of infidelity in her newest book.  Tessa Russo is married to Nick, a pediatric plastic surgeon.  While celebrating a wedding anniversary with Tessa Nick is paged to tend to a badly burned patient, six year old Charlie.  Valerie, Charlie’s mother is a lawyer who has raised him on her own.  While Charlie endures treatments Nick and Valerie become close.  The story is told from Tessa and Valerie’s point of view and this is another great novel by Emily Giffin.  This audio version is narrated by the actress Cynthia Nixon.

Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan
FIC Dolan, Harry

Ann Arbor, Michigan, is the location for this interesting debut whodunit.
David Loogan starts a job editing a mystery magazine and also starts an affair with his boss’s wife, Laura. Then, one night, his boss calls and asks David to help him dispose of a corpse. Soon the body count starts rising and writers, editors, interns, and Loogan himself, become suspects. Numerous plot twists and very articulate characters keep things quickly moving alon g in this witty noir mystery thriller.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
FIC Brooks, Geraldine

In this gripping historical novel, based on a true story, Brooks recreates the life of an English village through the recollections of Anna Firth, a widowed servant girl and mother. When the plague comes to a small English village in 1665, the church vicar convinces his parishioners to prevent the spread of the disease by voluntarily quarantining the village. The bubonic plague, though, has taken a foothold and one person after another succumbs. The disease brings out the best and worst of human nature: cowardice, hysteria, madness and mob-violence are countered by compassion, strength and human courage. Well-developed characters and vivid period detail make this an engrossing read.

After You by Julie Buxbaum  
FIC Du Buxbaum, Julie

After you is the story of grief, recovery and growth.  Ellie’s friend Lucy, who lived in London with her husband and child Sophie, is killed by a mugger in front of her daughter.  Ellie leaves behind her husband, job and life in Boston to stay with Greg, Lucy’s husband, and take care of the little girl who stopped talking as a result of the trauma.  Dealing with her own grief over the death of a child, Ellie finds London a refuge and takes the job of taking care of Sophie and getting her to talk again top priority.  As a result she begins to question her life back home and her future back in Boston.

Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult 
FIC Picoult, Jodi

This is a wonderful and thoughtful book by Jodi Picoult.  Paige O’Toole moves from Chicago to Boston as a teen to pursue a career in art and ends up working in a diner where she meets Nicholas Prescott who is studying to become a cardiac surgeon.  They marry and she gives birth to their son Max.  While continuing to work in order to help support her husband’s dream she becomes exhausted and overwhelmed and leaves her life to find her mother who she thinks will answer questions about her life as it is.  Paige’s journey will keep you captivated.    

Unspoken by Francine Rivers 
FIC Rivers, Francine

This is the 4th novella in the author’s Lineage of Grace series that are based on the lives of 5 women in the family tree of Jesus Christ.  Unspoken is the story of Bathsheba and David.  It addresses issues that are relevant today including the corrupting influence of power, adultery, and the need for forgiveness.  It shows the power of God’s love for people who make the biggest mistakes and how Bathsheba received his unlimited Grace.